The Merchant's Tale: January's desire for a child | Analysis of January

 'The Merchant's Tale' is a part of Chaucer's famous work 'The Canterbury Tales,' which consists of a collection of stories told by different characters on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. The tale revolves around the character January, an old and wealthy knight who desires to marry a young and beautiful woman named May. Despite their significant age difference, January desires to have a child with May, but she is not interested in him.


The tale highlights the theme of desire and its consequences. January's desire for May is driven by his physical attraction towards her beauty, and he believes that marrying her would bring him happiness. He says, 'I wol no wyf, thogh thou me yeven al / That possible is in erthe so hye' (lines 1071-1072). However, his desire blinds him to the reality that May does not share his feelings and is only marrying him for his wealth.


January's desire for children is also driven by his fear of being alone and leaving no legacy behind. This idea is explored throughout the tale through January's actions and thoughts.


January's fear of being forgotten after death is first introduced in the tale when he decides to get married. He believes that by marrying a young woman, he will be able to continue his legacy through his children. He says, "For if I die, my lineage shall be lost; / Unless you would conceive, my dear heart's queen" (lines 212-213). This shows that January's desire for children is not based on love or care for them but rather on his fear of being forgotten after death.


Furthermore, January's fear of being forgotten is also evident in his decision to marry a young woman. He believes that by marrying a young woman, he will be able to regain his youth and vitality. He says, "I have no wife, nor never had, I trow; / But hear ye, lordings, how in one short throw / All my life's bliss was utterly brought low" (lines 33-35). This shows that January believes that by marrying a young woman, he will be able to regain his lost youth and vitality.


This creates a conflict between January and May as he tries to force her to have children with him. He says, "Make us heirs - as fast as ever ye may - / Of me; that am thy husband and thy lord" (lines 482-483). This shows that January views May as nothing more than a vessel for his desire to have children.


January's fear of being forgotten after death is also evident in his decision to build a garden. He believes that by building a garden, he will be able to leave a lasting legacy. He says, "And in this garden I will make a place / To worship Venus, goddess of love and grace; / And I will sacrifice there ox and goat" (lines 1287-1289). This shows that January believes that by building a garden, he will be able to leave a lasting legacy and be remembered after death.


He further says, 'For if I dye, oure lyne is goon anon; / And deeth wol out, that al this world woot wel / Than every man shal have his owene tale / Of hire [May] and me,' (lines 1121-1124). His desire for children is not based on love or care for them but rather on his fear of being forgotten after death.


Chaucer portrays January's desire for children as selfish and misguided. He shows that January does not consider the well-being of the child or the mother but only sees them as objects to fulfill his desires. When May tells him that she cannot bear a child due to her menstrual cycle, January consults with a physician who advises him to have sex with May during her period. January is willing to risk May's health and well-being to fulfill his desire for a child.


Furthermore, Chaucer highlights the consequences of January's desire for children. When May becomes pregnant, she has an affair with January's servant, Damian. The affair is a result of May's desire for love and affection, which she does not receive from January. The consequences of the affair lead to a chaotic and tragic ending, where January is blinded by jealousy and falls from a tree, becoming impotent.


In a nutshell,  'The Merchant's Tale 'portrays the theme of desire and its consequences through the character of January. His desire for May and children is driven by selfishness and fear rather than love and care. Chaucer highlights the consequences of such desires, which lead to chaos and tragedy. The tale serves as a cautionary tale against the dangers of unchecked desire.

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