Merchant

• What does the Merchant represent in the poem?

  The middle-class world of commerce
• What does the Merchant's 'array' signify about him?

  It indicates his wealth and style
• How does the Merchant's attire contribute to his characterization?

  It marks him as a successful foreign trader
• What is the significance of the term 'worthy' in relation to the Merchant?

  It raises questions about the Merchant's reliability
• What does Trevor Whittock suggest about the Merchant's perspective on life?

  It is limited by his materialistic interests
• What does Jackie Shead imply about the Merchant's view of marriage?

  He sees it as a mercantile transaction
• What does the Merchant's debt suggest about his success?

  It indicates he is a failure as a merchant
• What does Chaucer's introduction reveal about the Merchant's character?

  He is portrayed as devious and secretive
• How does the phrase 'I not how men him calle' affect the reader's perception of the Merchant?

  It establishes him as an unreliable narrator