Mirror / Mirage: Chaucer's Use of the Mirror Metaphor in Troilus and Criseyde and The Merchant's Tale

• Main Authors: Mei-hui Liao, 廖美惠
• Other Authors: Denise Ming-yueh Wang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2002
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/30603670933204840520

碩士 === 國立中興大學 === 外國語文學系 === 90 === This thesis aims to deal with Chaucer's use of the mirror metaphor in Troilus and Criseyde and The Merchant’s Tale, and to analyze how Chaucer uses it in his works to reinforce the Christian beliefs in human imperfection. Chaucer is good at using figurative mirror to point out the limitations of human perception. The figurative use of the mirror suggests Troilus’s misconception about Criseyde and Januarie's illusion of May. Chapter One is a brief account of the mirror history, especially the material mirror before and in Chaucer's time. Because of the limitations of medieval technology, a mirror in Chaucer's time would have been small, of polished metal or convex (if made of glass), and more importantly, the images shown would have been shadowy, darkened, dull, and transitory. In Chaucer's time, the scientific understanding of light, mirror, and optics were mainly disseminated by the clergy. The clergymen's study of the medieval optical theories is applied to explicate human imperfection and the poor quality of man's vision and used to explain man's paranoia, caused by man's lack of full knowledge. Chapter Two deals with Chaucer's use of the mirror metaphor in Troilus and Criseyde. Troilus, like Januarie, forms an image of his ideal lover in the mirror of his mind. Chaucer uses the mirror metaphor to suggest the problems of human perception. Through Troilus's mind mirror, Chaucer shows us how obliquely Troilus sees his earthly love. After all, for all Christians, heavenly love appraises much more higher than earthly love. Chapter Three discusses Chaucer's use of the mirror metaphor in The Merchant's Tale. The distorted image of May in Januarie's mind mirror ironically corresponds with the shadowy, darkened, and dull images in the metal mirror he put at the marketplace. Chaucer describes how Januarie's mind works as a mirror busily reflects the ambiguous images of his ideal wife. Januarie, like a real medieval mirror, is imperfect by default. The Merchant's disappointment and distrust in marriage stand in a sharp contrast with Januarie's vanity in choosing a perfect wife. The Conclusion chapter argues that a historical study of the medieval authorities of theology, rhetorics and optics on vision and images may offer us useful informations and resources to better understand the visual quality of Chaucer's works.