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Posted by Martin Walker on July 4, 2008, 12:00 pm
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Just a small linguistic note that may be of interest: when you say of the Merchant's characterisation of January's address to his wife that "the words he employs, while they may be “old” are certainly not merely “lewd”. They are words of marvellous erotic beauty", then of course you are right on the latter point - but in Chaucer "lewd" means mainly non-clerical or unlearned, sometimes (but obviously not here) unmannered as the common folk is wont to be. The Merchant is being ironical, of course, knowing full well that learned men are listening, ready to condemn. We may think that the fact that he remembers these words so well betrays his actual feelings in the case; he may, indeed, have some experience in the matter...
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