Placebo & Justinius

Placebo & Justinius

1. Placebo in Latin- means 'to please' which prepares us for the biased advice he gives to , which in its nature is less advice and more flattery.

   • That ynow ne liketh, for youre heighe prudence / To weyven fro the word of Salomon’
     • He is only asking for advice because that is what king Solomon said to do- So placebo is not only flattering his ability but attributing him a piety which is hyperbolic. -Despite Solomon saying ‘Wirke alle thing by conseil’ Placebo thinks youre owene counseil is the beste EssentIALLly he is saying it is okay to disagree with Solomon- known for his wiseness- feeding Januarie’s ego.
   • So heigh sentence, so holily.. Ne in Itaille..Crist halt him of this couseil ful wel apaid
     • Hyperbollic phrasing- and comparing o crisst’ Implies how foolish January is to accept this- it clearly is not sincere and sounds very generic- and does not apply to the man who we know gets cuckolded.
   • ‘heigh corage…. Young wif
     • Making him seem brave and courageous- much sarcasm – suggests Chaucer poking fun at courtiers- whom he would have been surrounded by- and their willingness to say anything in order to please.

2. What Placebo’s other use is is to strengthen januarie’s portrayal as a foolish and stupid man- AS Palcebo explains that he normally tells those in a higher social position what they want to hear- so the fact Januarie accepts his advice anyway- shows how hw values his pride above the truth.

   • ‘I nevere hem contrairied, trewely
     • Never- implies that always he says the samething- regardless of the matter- his advice is clearly not trustworthy as he says ‘the same, or elles thing semblable
   • Ful greet fool… his conseil sholde passé his lords wit’
     • Ironic as it is foolish for a lord to trust a conseilller for advice when they would just agree. – Clearly he is someone who lives and is ruled by the hericarchy system.- as his name suggests- just wants to please.
   • His manner of speaking is full of cliche's and meanngless tags- reflects the emptiness of his so called advice.

3. His name sounds like justice- as if he is willing to do what is right- contrasting to what will please. Our first impression of him is of someone who is wise- and much more realistic that Placebo

   • ay stille sat and herde’
     • Idea he listens to what is being said around him- focusing before speaking- talks reason. ‘To whom I yeve my body for alwey’ I warne yow wel, It is no childes play’ he has a much more seriond realistic view of marriage. He recognizes it is a lifelong commitment and has a more logical approach
   • ‘Senek… / Seith a man oghte him right wel avise/ To whom he yeveth his lond or his catel
     • Idea a man must ought to consider very carefully who he give his possessions to. The fact that this is the first thing being considered is a strong indication that this is the most important- and is the first suggestion that the merchant is speaking here.

4. Justinis' views are very derogtory and negative however, realistic, thus making us believe he is represntative of the Merchants views.

   • ‘Where she be wys, or sobre , or dronkelwe/ Or proud…Achidstere’
     • Very derogatory terms- listing of the bad things shows he has a negative view-Vices women may show are all associated with incontinence of some kind-drunkeness- excessive scolding and sexual voraciousness
   • I have wept many ateere/ Ful prively, Sin I have had a wyf’ ‘’Cost and care..observances, of alle blisses bare’
     • Theophrastus view – contrast to idealized version of marriage January portrays. Says Watch them- relaises the practical issues. ‘many an observance.. yvele apaid’ Semantic field of negative language- shows his view of language.
   • Though similar to the Merchants views- more a compilation form contemprary anti feminist literature.

5. January is portrayed as even more foolish- when we see him -says ‘I preye yow to my wil ye wole assente’ –he wants his friends to agree with him- fooling himself that theya re doing t of their own accord. evne tiugh h just asked for advice- just wants someone to stroke his ego.

   • Wiser men than thou
     • Januarys reaction to the advice that disagrees with him- and sems the more logical – is typical of a cuckold- dismissive and rude . He discredits the opinion as worth a ‘pnyerful of herbes / Of Scole termes’ Dismissing scholars after using proverb for them.

6. He becomes impatient with Januarie.

   • ‘hated this folye’ ‘ansswerde anon right in his japyerye’
     • He replies mockingly- without ‘auctoritee alegge’ As he knows January is not interested in following religious verses – showing thaty Januaries interest in going to heavan is purely so he can convince himself he will be alright. -He argues a ‘sengle man’ would not be given more chance of heaven thean a married one- -However he presents a negative view of marriage again- reinforcing the idea that his purpose in the tale is to embody the Merchants views.
   • ‘’Goddes menae and God’s whippe’
     • This idea of whip makes it seem like a punishment. It shows women again in a negative light. By referring to womens instruments and whips also continues their objectification- a theme which is prominent throughout the tale due to its primitive era, however not a view carried by Chaucer- as evident in the Wife of baths tale.
   • ‘Than shal youre soule up to hevene skippe/ Swifter than footh an arwe out of a bowe’
     • The idea that his soul will be skipping- presents a hyperbolic image of how happy he will be to leave his marriage- suggesting his life will be miserable. The metaphor of an arrow leaving a bow enhances the destructive connotations and concepts marriage has been linked with. It suggests attack, injury, pain suffering and damage.
   • ‘The Wyf of Bathe’
     • The reference to the wife of bath is Chaucer breaking the 4th wall- Justinus refers to her to show the bad side of women- and heighten the idea that they are manipulative and untrustworthy—and just how painful she made marriage for her first 5 husbands.
     • Also a sophisticated literary joke on behalf of justinus- an allegorical figure who represents the plain truth- criticises J for not only iving in fnatasy but being locked in the merchants tale so lacking the accumulated knowledge and wisdom of all ilgrims.
   • His refuasl to refer to learned authorities to support his argument dramatises a certain exasperation with the futility of convincing someone as deluded as January.

7. Arguably whole debate is no debate at all as no one enters it with an open mind.