The Wife of The Wife of Bath’s TaleBath’s Tale

Quick DiscussionQuick Discussion

Do you agree or disagree with the following Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: a promise should never be broken?  statement: a promise should never be broken?  Explain.Explain.

What is more important faithfulness or beauty?  What is more important faithfulness or beauty?  You have to pick one, explain your choice.You have to pick one, explain your choice.

How far would you go to save your life?How far would you go to save your life? Do the wealthy live above the law? Explain.Do the wealthy live above the law? Explain. Does the class a person comes from make a Does the class a person comes from make a

difference in their character?  Explain.difference in their character?  Explain. What is the most important factor in a happy What is the most important factor in a happy

marriage?marriage?

What do women want… What do women want… most? most?

What do women want… most?

Frame Narrative/ Envelope Frame Narrative/ Envelope structurestructure

The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales by Chaucer: by Chaucer: 29 pilgrims on their way to…29 pilgrims on their way to… Each Tale occurs within Each Tale occurs within The Canterbury The Canterbury

TalesTales ““The Pardoner’s Tale”The Pardoner’s Tale” ““The Wife of Bath’s Tale”The Wife of Bath’s Tale”

Tale within “Wife of Bath’s Tale”Tale within “Wife of Bath’s Tale”

SettingSetting Thomas Becket Murdered: 1170Thomas Becket Murdered: 1170 Time and Place of the StoryTime and Place of the Story The The

Canterbury TalesCanterbury Tales Spring time; Sometime after the Murder—Spring time; Sometime after the Murder—

some say as early as between 1171-1173; some some say as early as between 1171-1173; some say much later 1381say much later 1381

Time and Place of the Tale “The Wife of Time and Place of the Tale “The Wife of Bath” Bath” During the reign of legend King ArthurDuring the reign of legend King Arthur Long before 1170Long before 1170

Wife of BathWife of Bath

An early FeministAn early Feminist Church’s anti-feminine tendenciesChurch’s anti-feminine tendencies Conflict b/t bookish male Conflict b/t bookish male

“auctoritee” (authority) and female “auctoritee” (authority) and female “experience”“experience” Knowledge of booksKnowledge of books Knowledge of the worldKnowledge of the world

OverviewOverview

In Part 1, the Wife defends marriage (as In Part 1, the Wife defends marriage (as opposed to virginity)opposed to virginity)

In Part 2, the Wife describes her married lifeIn Part 2, the Wife describes her married life In Part 3, the Wife describes her final In Part 3, the Wife describes her final

husband Jankyn and their arguments over husband Jankyn and their arguments over the “Book of Wicked Wives”the “Book of Wicked Wives”

In the Tale itself, the Wife tells us of a rapist In the Tale itself, the Wife tells us of a rapist knight who must answer a riddle to save his knight who must answer a riddle to save his life: What is it that women most desire?life: What is it that women most desire?

Geoffrey Chaucer’s Geoffrey Chaucer’s CT: CT: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and

TaleTaleDame Alice's justification of her attitudes Dame Alice's justification of her attitudes

toward sex and marriage (Lines 1-198)toward sex and marriage (Lines 1-198)•Lines 26-50 “God bade us to increase and Lines 26-50 “God bade us to increase and multiply”multiply”• Lines 65-78 “A woman may be counseled to be Lines 65-78 “A woman may be counseled to be

pure, but counsel and commandment aren’t pure, but counsel and commandment aren’t the same.”the same.”

• Lines 111-134 [Speaking of reproductive Lines 111-134 [Speaking of reproductive organs] “I mean to say that they were made organs] “I mean to say that they were made for both-- That is, both for relief and for our for both-- That is, both for relief and for our ease To procreate, so God we not displease.”ease To procreate, so God we not displease.”

• Lines 145-156 “And in the flesh his troubles Lines 145-156 “And in the flesh his troubles will be grave As long as I continue as his wife; will be grave As long as I continue as his wife; For I will have the power all my life Over his For I will have the power all my life Over his body, I and never he.”body, I and never he.”

Geoffrey Chaucer’s Geoffrey Chaucer’s CT: CT: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and

TaleTale• In the Middle Ages, women were In the Middle Ages, women were

portrayed in a terrible light.portrayed in a terrible light.• Many laws existed concerning Many laws existed concerning

sexual relations between married sexual relations between married people.people.

• How do you prevent men (in this How do you prevent men (in this male-dominated society) from male-dominated society) from sinning in sexual matters?  Portray sinning in sexual matters?  Portray women as terrible creatures.women as terrible creatures.

• This is the kind of society the Wife This is the kind of society the Wife of Bath would have lived in.of Bath would have lived in.

Geoffrey Chaucer’s Geoffrey Chaucer’s CT: CT: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and

TaleTale• Lines 199-222: The first three Lines 199-222: The first three

husbands were "goode, and riche, husbands were "goode, and riche, and olde" (203)and olde" (203)

• Lines 225-29: Alice likes her first Lines 225-29: Alice likes her first three husbands because they were three husbands because they were easy to dominate and controleasy to dominate and control

• Alice got what she wanted from Alice got what she wanted from her husbands: money, possessions, her husbands: money, possessions, love (though she didn't seem to love (though she didn't seem to love them), sexual satisfaction.love them), sexual satisfaction.

Geoffrey Chaucer’s Geoffrey Chaucer’s CT: CT: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and

TaleTaleDame Alice's Fourth and Fifth Dame Alice's Fourth and Fifth

Marriage (Lines 459-834)Marriage (Lines 459-834)•Digression showing Alice's more tender Digression showing Alice's more tender sideside•The fifth husband, Janekin, is the only The fifth husband, Janekin, is the only husband Alice married for love, not for husband Alice married for love, not for money money •Dame Alice struggles to gain dominance Dame Alice struggles to gain dominance over Janekinover Janekin

The Church’s The Church’s HierarchyHierarchy VirginsVirgins

Widows who don’t remarryWidows who don’t remarry Married womenMarried women““It was felt that God must love virgins most and It was felt that God must love virgins most and

that married people came a very poor third in that married people came a very poor third in his affections.”his affections.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------GodGodMenMenWomenWomenAnimalsAnimals

In the course of her Prologue she seems In the course of her Prologue she seems to confirm as many stereotypes as she to confirm as many stereotypes as she confronts. There's no question at all, confronts. There's no question at all, though, that she gets your attention. though, that she gets your attention.

In the late classical period, a lot of In the late classical period, a lot of authors wrote treatises about the authors wrote treatises about the disadvantages of being married, disadvantages of being married, particularly for men who hoped to have particularly for men who hoped to have careers as scholars and thinkers.careers as scholars and thinkers.

1. 1. Wives would talk your ear off, Wives would talk your ear off, preventing you from getting any work preventing you from getting any work done.done.

2. 2. Wives would demand that you make Wives would demand that you make lots of money to pay for their extravagant lots of money to pay for their extravagant lifestyle.lifestyle.

3. 3. They would spill your secrets to They would spill your secrets to anyone who happened to walk by.anyone who happened to walk by.

What Men Say About What Men Say About WomenWomen

Nature has given women so much power that Nature has given women so much power that the law cannot afford to give her more. the law cannot afford to give her more. – – Samuel JohnsonSamuel Johnson

No trust is to be placed in women. No trust is to be placed in women. – Homer– Homer

A woman, a spaniel, and a walnut tree, The A woman, a spaniel, and a walnut tree, The more they’re beaten, the better they be. more they’re beaten, the better they be. - - Thomas FullerThomas Fuller

Can you recall a women who ever showed you Can you recall a women who ever showed you with pride her pibrary? with pride her pibrary? – Benjamin Decasseres– Benjamin Decasseres

Girls began to talk and to stand on their feet Girls began to talk and to stand on their feet sooner than boys because weeds always grow sooner than boys because weeds always grow up more quickly than crops.up more quickly than crops. – Martin Luther – Martin Luther

A very little wit is valued in a woman, as we A very little wit is valued in a woman, as we are pleased with few words spoken plain by a are pleased with few words spoken plain by a parrot. parrot. – Jonathan Swift– Jonathan Swift

Wife of Bath Reflection Wife of Bath Reflection Question Question

In today’s society, where might you find individuals who would agree with the Wife and the philosophy she illustrates with her story? Who might argue against such opinions?

Answer this reflection in a 5-7 sentence paragraph.