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The Merchants Tale 'The Merchants Tale' has been seen as presenting a 'debate on marriage'. Explore Chaucer's poetic presentation of ideas about marriage. Include an examination of lines 307-364 In lines 307-364 Justinus is voicing his concerns about the haste and sense of immediacy behind Januarie's decision to marry a young woman. Using the wisdom of the Roman academic Seneca, Justinus argues that a man ought to consider carefully who to give his possessions to, and certainly to whom he gives his body to 'for alwey'. Justinus is strongly advising Januarie against marrying 'withouten avysement' as it is not child play; a lady could be wise, sober, a drunk, a shrew, proud, whorish or a 'wastour of thy good'. It is here that we start to hear the Merchant narrator's voice coming through. From the Prologue we are already aware that he is subject to a bitterly regretted marriage with a wife...

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