The Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath

Geofrey Chaucer 1340

Written in vernacular English
Pre-reformation: corrution in the esta!lishe" church# urchasing
forgiveness for sins$
%he Wife is the only &oman to sea'
%heme of (arriage
%he core theme for !oth the Wife)s rologue an" tale is marriage$
Esecially the Wife)s ersonal e*erience an" &hat it has taught
her$ %he Wife often ma'es the overreaching assumtion that her
oinion is that of all &omen$ %he Wife !elieves a marriage is
successful &hen the hus!an" conce"es all o&er# in money# se* an"
authority$ +he is vivacious an" al&ays loo'ing for another hus!an"$
+he sho&s no shame or conscientiousness in her ,ve marriage an"
at a fe& oints allu"es to the ilgrims she &ants one of them to !e
the si*th$
-E*erience# though noon auctoritee
Were in this &orl"# is right y-nough for me
%o se'e of &o that is in mariage$ 1
.ous!on"es at chirche-"ore / have ha" fyve$- 0
%hat sith that Crist ne &ente nevere !ut onis
%o &e""ing in the Cane of Galilee#
%hat !y the same ensamle taughte he me
%hat / ne shol"e &e""e" !e !ut onis$ 1
2Go" !a" for us to &e*e an" multilye) 34
5iverse scoles ma'en arfyt cler'es#
6n" "iverse racty' in many son"ry &er'es
(a'eth the &er'man arfyt se'irly7
8f fyve hus!on"es scoleiyng am /$
Welcome the si*te# &han that evere he shal$ 44
.e seith that to !e &e""e" is no synne7
9et is to !e &e""e" than to !rynne$ :3
/ &ol !isto&e the ;our of al myn age
/n the actes an" in fruyt of mariage$ 114
6n" &han that / have tool" thee forth my tale
8f tri!ulacion in mariage#
8f &hich / am e*ert in al myn age 14<
=or half so !ol"ely 'an there no man
s&ere an" lyen as a &oman 'an 33<
9ut fol' of &yves ma'en noon assay#
%il they !e &e""e"# ol"e "otar" shre&e>
6n" thanne# seisto&# &e &ol oure vices she&e$ 310
2%hou li'nest ee' &ommenes love to helle) 341
25eceite# &eing# sinning Go" hath yive to &omen 'in"ely) 401
26tte en" / ha""e the !etter in ech "egree) 404
Presentation of .us!an"s
Within the ,rst 0 lines of the tale# the rea"er is informe" that the
Wife of 9ath ha" !een marrie" from "twelve yeer was of age"
?line 4# 1:@ an" that she ha" ,ve hus!an"s$ %hus the resentation
of these men is signi,cant$
6n easy "iferentiation !et&een these ,ve men is ho& the Wife
herself erceives them7 she categorises the ,rst three hus!an"s as
"goode" an" the last t&o as "bad". %he tone that the Wife of 9ath
emloys &hen sea'ing a!out them is one of nostalgia# ri"e an"
a!ove all "ismissal since she e*licitly invites the si*th hus!an"
"welcome the sixte, whan that ever he shal"?line 4:# 14@$
%he men &ho are "eeme" Agoo"eA are !ene,cial to the Wife# as
they are "riche and olde" men (line!", #$"%, &ho are mallea!le
an" thus easily maniulate"$ %he Wife insinuates her se*ually
vivacious lifestyle &hen she refers to her ,rst night as a "mirie &r
with each of hem" (line '$, #"%( her hus!an"s reBuire se*ual
stamina to 'ee u &ith her an" are resente" as having "it both
eve and morwe" (line )$, #$*%> ConseBuently# she vie&s se* as
a &eaon# &hich she utilises for her ersonal gain an" maniulation$
=urthermore the Wife constitutes them as Agoo"eA hus!an"s since
she is concerne" &ith their &ealth# "hir lond and hir treasure"
(line $+', #$"% &hich highlights her materialistic motives$ %his
concet is further emhasise" through mercantile an" !ase
language such as the le*icon "#ro&t" (line $', #$"%.
With regar" to these ,rst three hus!an"s# she reverses the
conventional roles of the contemorary era# &here!y she aints
herself as the "ominant ,gure an" suggests the "iminution of men$
",s housbounde - wol have, - wol nat lette, which shal be
bothe my dettour and my thral" (lines )'.)), #$*%- "my"
ossessive ronoun in"icates her "ominance$ 6lso her sueriority is
suggeste" in the less than !ashful roclamation- "- have the
#ower duringe al my lyf" (line )/, #$*%$ %he Wife suggests
that her hus!an"s o&e a "dette"# an" that they are simly there for
"his #ro#re body" (line )!, #$*% in other &or"s Cust for se*$ /n
a""ition# the Wife insinuates that she has the men e*actly &here
she &ants them# in other &or"s she has comlete sovereignty over
there !o"ies in the "ou!le enten"re statement "- hadde hem
hoolly in myn hond" (line $, #$"%. /t is imortant to note that
the Wife ma'es no mention of love# or any other emotion that her
marriage rovi"es her$ %hus# her lac' of afection for her hus!an"s
emhasises her lac' of emotional connection to a man &ith &hom
she lives an" has se*# highlighting her "ismissive tone$ %herefore#
the Wife of 9ath is aligning herself &ith an archetye of a &oman
&ho is shallo&# concerne" rincially &ith money an" !eing
sho&ere" &ith gifts "fro the faire" (line $$, #$"%. +he seems to
have little resect for the hus!an"s articularly given their less than
gentlemanly !ehaviour &hen they come home "as dron0en as a
mous" (line $'1, #$!%( note the !ase# animal imagery that the
Wife utilises to "escri!e her hus!an" &ho acts in the manner of a
lo&ly class manner$
%he Wife has comlete control over her ,rst three hus!an"s$ +he
achieves this !y hysical e*hausting them &ith her insatia!le se*ual
"eman"s# an" also !y constantly nagging an" comlaining$
%he Wife acts as a roto-feminist in regar" to her anger to&ar"s her
hus!an" &ho vie&s &omen as commo"ities li'e "oxen, asses,
hors and houndes" (line $/), #**% thus she la!els him as an
"olde dotard shewe" (line $!, #**%. %his misogynistic line of
thin'ing &as articularly e*hi!ite" !y the Wife-s fourth hus!an"-
Dane'in$ .e is imme"iately "eicte" as contrasting to the revious
ol" hus!an"s in terms of his youth an" goo" loo's "for his cris#e
heer, shininge as gold so fyn" (line *+*, #**%( Dane'in is
ortraye" as a lustrous cheru!$ /n a""ition# the Wife &as see'ing
sovereignty &ith the ,rst three hus!an"s since they &ere easily
maniulate"# &hereas &ith this marriage the Wife is loo'ing for
eBuality &ith her souse- "-t is my good as wel as thyn" (line
*+, #**%$ .o&ever# &hat "oes not change is the Wife-s
materialistic "rive in her marriage &hich is suggeste" in her "esire
to o!tain "the 0eyes of thy cheste" (line *+!, #**%.
5esite Dane'in-s goo" loo's he has a "evilish ersonality an"
temer accor"ing to the Wife &ho "escri!es him as a "revelour"
(line ')*, #'*%. .e also ha" "a #aramour" (line ')', line '*%,
i$e$ a mistress# thus her fourth hus!an" is one &ho is !oth
in"een"ent from the Wife an" &ho is not as easily maniulate" !y
the Wife-s "belle chose" (line ''", #'*%. /n resonse to this# the
Wife see's to ma'e Dane'in "verray 2alousie" (line '//, #')% !y
;irting &ith others$ %hey are therefore &ell matche" in terms of
ersonality given the &ife &as "ful of ragerie, stibourn and
strong, and 2oly as a #ie" (line ')).)1, #'*%. Dane'in is a young
man ho&ever# his age is half of the Wife-s7 he is t&enty years ol"
&hilst she is forty. Crucially# &ith her ,fth hus!an" she actually
evo'es some form of afection# love is a ossi!le consi"eration-
"that al myn herte - yaf unto his hoold" (line )!!, #)*%. %his
is surrising to rea"ers consi"ering Dane'in is a misogynist an"
rea"s a !oo' on "wi00ed wives" (lines 1/), #)"%# &hich angers
the Wife since it em!o"ies male o&er an" control so much so that
she !urns a age of the !oo'$ /n resonse to this# Dane'in
aggressively hits her "stroo0 myn ere wax al deef" (line 1*1,
#))%. %here is another eiso"e &hen he hits her so har" &ith his ,st
that "- lay as - were deed" (line "!1, #1)%. .o&ever# after much
nagging an" ersistence# Dane'in !urns this misogynistic &or'# an"
surren"ers o&er an" control to the Wife in the form of the AhousA
an" Alon"A (line /', #1"%$ %hus in the en" she o!tains o&er#
free"om an" autonomy# &hich for her is the i"eal "e,nition of a
goo" marriage$ .o&ever# Dane'in "ies &hilst she is on a ilgrimage
to Derusalem$
%he ,nal hus!an" &ith &hom the Wife gets involve" is most
o!viously the &orst to mo"ern "ay rea"ers given that he hysically
a!uses her savagely "that feele i on my ribbes al by rewe" (line
)+1%. .o&ever# the Wife su!Cects herself to this since he &as goo"
in !e"# "so fressh and gay" (line )+/%
%ale vs$ %eller
%he Wife tells a tale in &hich &omen)s vie&s are sought$ 5iscovering
&hat they most "esire &ill save the Enight)s life$ 6n" it turns out
that &hat they most "esire is 2sovereyntee)# 103<# an ans&er of
&hich the Wife &oul" certainly arove$
%here are other asects of the Wife)s %ale &hich seem inaroriate
to its narrator$ =or e*amle:
%he !ourgeois &ealthy Wife has to relate the 8l" Woman)s "efence
of overty
%he setting of the tale &oul"n)t seem to !e one that &oul"
imme"iately have cature" the interest of the earthy Wife$
.o&ever# Chaucer can !e seen to have 2customise") this tale to the
Wife$
E*erience# though noon auctoritee F Were in this &orl"# is
right ynogh for me F %o se'e of &o that is in mariage7A 1
A(yn hous!on"e shal it have !othe eve an" mor&e# F Whan
that him list come forth an" aye his "ette$ F 6n hous!on"e /
&ol have# / &ol nat lette# F Which shall !e !othe my "ettour
an" my thralA 1:3
(en shoul" "evote themselves to serving their &ives
Par"oner: A%elle forth your tale# sareth for no man# F 6n"
teche us younge men of youre ra'ti'eA 1<0
A=or myn entente is nat !ut for to leye$A 113
+he aims to entertain her fello& ilgrims
A6s thre &ere goo"e men# an" t&o &ere !a""e$ F %he thre
&ere goo"e men# an" riche# an" ol"e7A g 34 lines 110-4
Ahoolly in myn hon"e7A 311
A%hou seist som fol' "esiren us for richesse# F +omme for oure
sha# an" somme for oure fairnesse# F 6n" som for she 'an
outher singe or "aunce# F 6n" som for gentillesse an"
"auliance7A g 31# lines 3:4-00
Wo9 lists the common reasons for &hich men may
marry &omen
AWe love no man that ta'eth 'e or charge F Wher that &e
goon7 &e &ol !en at oure large$A 331
+he &as a!le to A&inneA in marriage# allo&ing !oth arties to !e
satis,e"
A8on of us t&o moste !o&en# "outeless7 F 6n" sith a man is
moore resona!le F %han &omman is# yes moste !een
sufra!le$A 440
While she &as never hysically unfaithful to hus!an" Go$ 4 HAGat of
my !o"yAI she aime" to ma'e him Cealous through her social life
HA9y Go"A in erthe / &as his urgatorieAI
+he marrie" Dane'in Afor love# an" no richesseA :30 an" %he
.ag claims to love the Enight# an" not simly for his status
an" &ealth
=rom Dane'in-s !oo'# any man &ho lets his &ife live freely an"
uninhi!ite" Ais &orthy to !een hange" on the gal&es>A 0:<
A/ hate him that my vices telleth me#A g :4 line 003
Ait is an imossi!le F %hat any cler' &ol se'e goo" of &ives#A
g 04 lines 0<<-10
/f &omen &eer to &rite their o&n tales on men# they &oul"
contain more &ic'e"ness A%han al the mar' of 6"am may
re"resse$A ?%han any man can ut right@ g :1 line 010
8l" cler's &ho cannot enCoy se*ual leasure sen" their time
&riting A%hat &ommen 'an nat 'ee hir mariage$A ?cannot
remain faithfulFchaste@ g :1 line 410
Jon gaining AmaistrieA an" AsoverainteeA they ha""en never
"e!aatA ?never argue"@ g 04 line <33
=riar: A%his is a long ream!le of a tale>A g 04 line <31
Wo9 tells the +ummoner that she &ill tell a tale &ith a
+ummoner A%hat alle the fol' shal laughen in this laceA g 01
line <43# sho&ing her vin"ictive nature
=airies have !een chase" a&ay !y vast num!ers of Ahooly
freres# g 41 liner <00
A%here is noon oother incu!us !ut he# F 6n" he ne &ol "oon
hem !ut "ishonour$A g 41 lines <<0-1
Wo9 haily ma'es a negative caricature of =riars
%he Eing Ayaf him to the Bueene# al at hir &ill F %o chese
&heither she &ol"e him save or sille$ F %he Bueene than'eth
the 'ing &ith al hir might#A g 43 lines <14-1
%he Bueen sets the 'night out to ,n" AWhat thing is it that
&ommen moost "esiren$A g 43 line 10:
Women &ant to !e free an" Athat no man rereve us of oure
vice#A 134
A/f any &ight &ol cla&e us on the galle# F %hat &e nel 'i'e# for
he seith us sooth$A
A=or# !e &e never so vicious &ithinne# F We &ol !een hol"en
&ise an" clene of sinne$A 143-4
Wo9 !elieves that all &omen shoul" !e free from criticism# even if it
is Custi,e"Fvali"
A6 fouler &ight ther no man "eviseA 111
.ag: A%his ol" fol' 'an muchel thingA 1004
%he .ag-s age comes &ith &is"om# lin' to Wo9-s e*erience vs
AauctoriteeA
.ag as's the Enight to ,n" a &oman &ho &ill "isagree &ith
&hat she says ?A%hat "ar seye nay of that / shal thee teche$A@
g <1 line 1011
%he court is ,lle" &ith &omen as his Cu"ges to hear AWhat
thing that &orl"ly &ommen loven !est$A
%he &ife is not a!ove utting se*ual humnour in her tale: A.e F
Constreine" &as# he ne"es moste hire &e""e7 F an" ta'eth his
ol"e &yf# an" gooth to !e""e$A g <3 lines 1040-3
Wo9 haily goes into "etail a!out the Enight-s Asor&eA
?sorro&@
Wo9 "iverges yet again to "iscuss gentilesse through the .ag#
an" ho& gentilesse is "etermine" through one-s "ee"s an"
not !y their !irth
%he .ag-s age an" aearance are Agreete &ar"eyns uon
chastitee$A 1310
Parallels Wo9-s age
Enight: A/ ut me in youre &ise governance#A g 1: line 1331
ADhesus Crist us sen"e F .ous!on"es mee'e# yonge# an" fressh
a!e""e# F 6n" grace t-over!i"e hem that &e &e""eA g 14
lines 13:<-00
Wo9 hoes that all &ives &ill !e a!le to have su!missive hus!an"s
an" outlive them li'e she "i"
A6n" ee' / raye Dhesu shorte hir lives F %hat &ol nat !e
governe" !y hir &ives#A 1301
(en &ho "o not su!mit shoul" !e 'ille" !y a lague
E*erience vs$ 6uctoritee
26uctoritee) comes from the scritures an" the teachings of learne"
man$ %he vie& of many rigi" moralists &ithin the church &as that
&omen &ere &ea'# sinful an"# at !est# a necessary evil$ %he &ife
!egins her rologue !y challenging the esta!lishment of 2auctoritee)
in claiming that e*erience is more imortant in 'no&ing of the 2&o
that is marriage)$
KE*erience# though noon auctoritee
Were in this &orl"# is ynogh for me
%o se'e of &o that is in marriage$L ?Mines 1-3@
E*erience is ersonal an" su!Cective$ /t "oes not reBuire
secial training or access to formal e"ucation$ What it "oes reBuire
is the living of a life$ /n 6lisoun)s conte*t# it coul" !e sai" that
authority eBuals men# &hereas e*erience eBuals &omen$ %he
oinions a!out &omen recor"e" in !oo's are not true since the
authorities &ho &rote them# !eing men# ha" no e*erience of
&omen$ +o# in this case the authority is not accounta!le to the
reality of the su!Cect$ .ere# through her seech the Wife tries to
sho& the "istortions an" omission in the min" of authority$
%herefore# the Wife starts her rologue in a controversial fashion$
K9e fruitful# an" multilyL ?Genesis 1:3<@
K9ut &el / &oot# e*res# &ithoute lie#FGo" !a" us for to &e*e an"
multily7 that gentil te*t 'an / &el un"erston"eL ?line 34-<@
.ere# the Wife uses the 9i!le an" 2auctoritee) theory against
the learne" men in her fran' argument that the !i!le is efectively
telling her to 2multily)# or have as much se* as she canN %his
maniulate" interretation of the 9i!le is an e*amle of ho& the
Wife un"ermines the teaching of the church an" authority in her
society$ ?8n the other han"# this is contra"ictory as the Wife chooses
to argue her oint against authority &ith the 9i!le@
K/n &yho" / &ol use myn instrument F6s frely as my (a'ere hath it
sent$L ?Mines 141-1:0@
%he Wife sho&s her &ay of thin'ing# she inten"s to use her
Kinstrument#L se*ual organ# as generously as Go" gave it to her$
(e"ieval canon la& ?church regulations@ restricte" the num!er of
times a marrie" coule might have intercourse# so that they &oul"
not !e e*cessive in their "eman" on each other$ 8enly oosing
canon la& &as unisha!le in court at the time an" therefore sho&s
the Wife)s oosition to 2auctoritee)$
=or ha""e Go" coman"e" mai"enhe"e#%hanne ha""e he "amne"
&e""ing &ith the "ee"e76n" certes# if there &ere no see" yso&e#
Oirginitee# thanne &herof shol"e it gro&eP Chaucer 11<-111$
8nce again# %he Wife uses 2auctoritee) theory to Custify her actions#
an" not !eing a virgin$ %he Wife of 9ath argues that if Go" ha"
con"emne" marriage an" &ante" eole to !e chaste# then &here
&oul" eole come fromP /f everyone &as suose" to !e chaste#
then there &oul" !e no eole an" hence# no see" for virginity to
gro& from$ %he Wife of 9ath !elieves that everyone has a gift from
Go"# an" she thin's her se*uality is her gift$ Peole are calle" to
"iferent &or's !y Go"# an" hers is her se*uality$ +he !elieves that
Go" has given man se*ual organs for !oth rero"uction an"
leasure$ /n her oinion# Go" has given her this great se*ual
instrument# an" she &ill use it as often as she can$ +he "oes not
envy virginity# !ut !elieves that virginity is erfection an" is not
meant for everyone$ +he says# A/ nil envye no virginitee: Mat hem !e
!ree" of ure" &hete see"# 6n" lat us &ives hote !arly !ree"--A
?Chaucer 130@$ %he Wife of 9ath is e*tremely rou" of her se*uality
an" has no regrets7 she is erfectly hay !eing K!arley !rea"L$ %he
Wife therefore "ra&s uon authority in her rologue through the
lenses of her o&n e*eriences$
%one an" 5elivery
%one:
E*u!erant
Enthusiastic
Crass
5e,ant
Emhatic
%he Wife of 9ath seems to love life an" all its leasures ?esecially
se*@ &e get the imression she is Buite gluttonous$ =or e*amle#
&hen the Wife imagines +olomon-s &e""ing nights# she can !arely
contain her e*citement at the thought# an" can-t hel !ut i"entify
&ith him# saying A6s# &ol"e Go"# it leveful &er for me F %o !e
refresshe" half so oft as he> F Which yifte of Go" ha""e he# for all his
&yvis>A ?Mines 34-31 age 14@$ Chaucer uses e*clamation mar's to
emhasise the Wife)s e*citement an" enthusiasm$ %he Wife chooses
to sea' a!out &hat she is assionate a!out ho& e*erience is
&orth more than KauctoriteeL an" the enthusiastic tone
"emonstrates this$
+he has the same sort of reaction &hen she remem!ers se*ual
ventures from her youth# &hich she says tic'le her Aherte rooteA
?Mine 441 age 14@$ %he tone of this art of the rologue reveals
&hat e*cites the Wife an" sho&s that she relishes in remem!ering
her youth$
+ome of the content of the Wife)s rologue is not &hat a tyical 14
th

century &oman &oul" have the au"acity to say an" the Wife "oes
not sea' in terms of sha"es of grey7 she is e*tremely "e,nite an"
assure" in her statements$ %his creates a "e,ant tone$ .er
narrative is eere" &ith hrases li'e AMor" Christ>A an" AGo"
&oot#A "emonstrating her assion in &hat she is saying an" in efect
ta'es Go" as her &itness to the truth of her statements$ %he
emhatic tone of the Prologue is enhance" !y the e*tremity of the
Wife-s lifestyle$ +he-s not your tyical 14
th
century ilgrim# she has
!een a &ife ,ve times# an" A&elcome the si*te# &han that evere he
shalA ?Mine 4: age 14@$ %he Wife-s assion in "efen"ing her lifestyle
creates the highly emhatic tone of her Prologue$
When the Wife "escri!es se*ual encounters she "oes it in a crass
&ay using the &or" KBueynteL on more than one occasion &hich is
shoc'ing even for an au"ience to"ay$ +he has no shame in
"iscussing her se* life &ith her hus!an"s an" even claims to &ear
them out in !e"$ +he calls her hus!an"-s enis a Asely instrumentA
?Mine 133 age 33@$ .er !a&"y attitu"e an" tone a""s to the
ri"iculousness an" humour of the &ife ma'ing her rologue an" tale
more entertaining$
5elivery:
.umorous
Con,"ent
%angential
Qam!ling
%he enormous length of the Wife)s rologue comare" to her tale
sho&s ho& sel,sh an" self-in"ulgent the Wife is$ .er rologue is
,lle" &ith tangents an" she constantly reeats herself un"ermining
most of her arguments$ .er rologue lac's an element of
entertainment at times an" is almost "i"actic$ Qeetition in her
argument a!out virginity un"ermines her argument: A+et u for
virginiteeFconseil to virginiteeA ?Mines 4:# <3@
/t is clear that in her marriages the Wife "oes not value love as
much as se* or money an" Klon"L ?Mine 304 age 34@$ %his concet
is also "emonstrate" in her tale &hen "escri!ing emotional events$
%hey are narrate" &ithout comment in a matter-of-fact &ay$
=urthermore# &hen the Enight raes his victim the Wife "oes not
seem that shoc'e" an" her casual tone an" "elivery reveals this:
Asaugh a mai"e &al'inge him !iforn# F 8f &hiche mai"e anon#
maugree hir hee"# F 9y verray force he rafte hire mai"enhe"A ?Mines
<<:-<<<@$
6lthough the Wife reveals little emotion# she often interruts her
tale to insert her oinions or comment on the story$ =or e*amle#
&hen she narrates the accounts of &hat &omen most "esire she
uses the ,rst erson ronoun A&e$A /t-s almost li'e the Wife can-t let
the story Asea'A for long &ithout !eing temte" to insert
something of herself into it$ %he Wife can)t hel !ut use the tale to
convey her o&n morals an" it is clear that the o&er that &omen
most "esire is in fact &hat the Wife &ants$
%he Wife)s shoc'ing au"acity an" se*ual romiscuity is amusing to
any au"ience$ +he "iscusses her orgasms Amirie ,tsA ?Mine 43 age
14@ an" claims she &ill al&ays have lots of se* A/ &ol nat 'ee me
chaast in alA ?Mine 40 age 14@$ .umour is a 'ey art to the "elivery
of the rologue an" tale !ecause these tales &ere rimarily to
rovi"e entertainment for the ilgrims &hile on their long Courney$
+ome of the humour is lost in the a!normally long rologue !ecause
it turns into more of a lecture a!out that the Wife !elieves$
9i!lical Qeferences
2%hat sith that crist ne &ente nevere !ut onis
%o weddyng, in the cane of galilee#
%hat by the same ensample taughte he me
%hat - ne sholde wedded be but ones$)
/n Dohn 3# Desus atten"s a &e""ing$ %his !eing the only &e""ing he
atten"s in the 9i!le# religious teachings &ere that every erson
shoul" !e marrie" Cust once$
Chesus# Go" an" man#
3#a0 in re#reeve of the samaritan:
%hou hast yha" fyve hous!on"es# -- Buo" he#
-- 6n" that il0e man that now hath thee
-s noght thyn housbonde# -- thus sey"e he certeyn$
/n Dohn 4# Desus tells a +amaritan &oman that her current ?,fth@
hus!an" is not her hus!an"$ %he &ife claims that &ith or &ithout
this !it of +criture# no man has ever !een a!le to give her an e*act
rely &hen she as's to 'no& ho& many hus!an"s a &oman may
have in her lifetime$
4od bade us for to wexe and multi#lye7
%hat gentil te*t 'an / &el un"erston"e$
%he &ife references Genesis# &hen Go" or"ers 6"am an" Eve to 29e
fruitful an" increase in num!er)$
Mo# heere the &ise 'yng# "aun salomon7
/ tro&e he hadde wyves mo than oon$
6s &ol"e Go" it &ere leveful unto me
To be refresshed half so ofte as he>
%he &ife !a&"ily references +olomon an" his many &ives# an" in
"oing to moc's the religious men for their ru"ish attitu"e to&ar"s
se* an" marriage$
%h- a#ostel# &han he se'eth of maydenhede#
.e sey"e that recet therof ha""e he noon$
(en may conseille a womman to been oon#
But conseillyng is no comandement$
.e utte it in oure o&ene Cuggement7
=or hadde 4od comanded maydenhede,
Thanne hadde he dam#ned weddyng with the dede$
Mogically argues that though +t Paul recommen"e" virginity as a
ure state# it isn)t i"eal for all &omen an" a recommen"ation is not
an or"er$ (entions ho& if Go" inten"e" all eole to !e virgins# then
the human race &oul" not thrive$
=or thanne, th5 a#ostle seith that - am free
To wedde# a go""es half# &here it li'eth me$
.e seith that to be wedded is no synne(
Bet is to be wedded than to brynne.
+t Paul says that it is !etter to !e marrie" an" se*ually active than
to remain chaste an" !e constantly "istracte" !y it$
/ nyl envye no virginitee$
Mat hem !e !ree" of ure" &hete-see"#
6n" lat us &yves hoten barly.breed7
6n" yet with barly.breed# mar' telle 'an#
6ure lord 2hesu refresshed many a man$
Jse of 2refresshe") is ro!lematic to the au"ience &here
reviously use" !a&"ily &hilst "escri!ing se*ual relations# here it is
use" in a 9i!lical conte*t$ %he Wife seems inaroriate# an"
un"ermines her oint in "oing so$
Why is my neighbores wyf so gayP
+he is honoure" over al ther she gooth7
- sitte at hoom - have no thrifty clooth$
What "osto& at my neighe!ores housP
/s she so fairP arto& so amorousP
/n "irect reference to the Eistle against Dovinian# ?a !oo' &ithin
%heohrastus) Golden Book of Marriage@ the Wife nags her hus!an"
an" highlights the ;a&s contemorary men !elieve" &omen to
have$ (aterialism# cometitiveness# insecurity an" susicion are the
main toics$
/magery
Po&er an" (ercantile /magery
%he thesis of the Wife of 9ath)s rologue is to sea' of the 2&o) that
is in marriage$ Jltimately her lengthy intro"uction conclu"es that
&omen having 2maistrie) an" 2soveraintee) results in a successful
marriage$ %he &ife sym!olises o&er through material ossessions$
%he su!servience of her ,rst 3 hus!an"s is evi"ent in her e*ten"e"
use of mercantile language$
Prologue
2%o se'e of &o that is in mariage) 3
2man shal yel"e to his &ife hire "ette) 130
2my "ettour an" my thral) 1::
2/ have the o&er "uringe al my lyf uon his rore !o"y) 1:<
2they ha" me yeven hir lon" an" hir tresoor) 304
2/ ha""e hem hoolly in myn hon") 311
2/ ta'en hem for to lese !ut it &ere for my ro,t an" myn
ese) 313
2/ governe" hem so &el) 31<
2%hou shalt nat !othe# thogh that thou &ere &oo"# !e maister
of my !o"y an" of my goo") 313
2/ &oul"e selle my !ele chose) 444
2to him yaf / al the lon" an" feeN 9ut after&ar" reente" me
ful soore) 030
2.e yaf me al the !ri"el in myn hon"# to han the governance
of hous an" lon")# <14
2/ ha""e geten unto me !y maistrie# al the soveraintee) <14
%ale
2Wommen "esiren to have sovereinetee as &el over hir
hous!on" as hir love an" for to !een in maistrie him a!ove)
1031
2/ ut me in youre &ise governance) 1331
Criticism:
6n"re& (oore:
2%he struggle for HmaistrieI has !een the cause of her &oe)
Gail 6shton:
2e*u!erant an" forceful nature)
%he ,ght !et&een the Wife an" Dan'in is a 2literal !attle of the
se*es)
2.er vie& of marriage as a urely !usiness transaction# a
mercenary alliance entere" into for ersonal gain &here love
is an irrelevancy)
.arol" 9loom:
2her ,rm !elief in female sovereignty is the centre of her
re!ellion)
D$ 6 %asiolas:
2%he Wife is a sym!ol for female o&er an" "omination)
5onal" C$ Green:
2%he Wife of 9ath conten"s that the &ife shoul" "ominate#
using force an" guile to 'ee the hus!an" su!missive)
6nimal /magery
K=or as a saynel she &ol on him leeL
9ase# accessi!le imagery that is se*ual an" therefore funny for her
au"ience
%he Wife claims that her hus!an" ha" sai" that# &hilst a "esira!le
&oman cannot !e 'et virtuous# an unattractive &oman &ill lea on
a man li'e a saniel# - female "esire is e*resse" &ith the image of
an animal follo&ing instinct &ithout restraint
KGe noon so grey goos ther in the la'eL
6gain !ase# accessi!le imagery that her au"ience &ill relate to an"
,n" easy to un"erstan"$
K%hou seist that o*en# asses# hors an" houn"esL
Qeetitions
+aying that &hile you can try out animals !efore you !uy them !ut
you cannot try out &omen$
WomenR a commo"ity to !e o&ne" !ut that cannot !e teste"# one
cannot learn their true Bualities until marrie" so sensi!le men "o not
marry QE= %.E (EQC.6G%
K/ &as ly' a catL S K%o she&e hir s'in# an" goon a-
cater&a&e"L
(etahor use" !y hus!an"s
Parallels !et&een &omen an" cats
Women are vain sho& ofs# li'e cats &ith ,ne fur$
%he Wife claims that her hus!an" "enies her lu*urious clothing so
that# li'e a singe" cat# she &ill stay in"oors$ %he slee' cat out
cater&auling for a mate !ecomes an image of a &oman in lu*urious
clothing on the loose
KWith emty han" men may none hau'es lureL
C.6/G 8= 9E/GG - %he Wife claims that no one can lure a ha&'
&ithout a !ait to entice it$ +he imagines herself as a re"atory
marriage artner &ho nee"s to !e ofere" a re&ar" to satisfy the
"eman"s of her se*ually ina"eBuate hus!an"
KL9et isL Buo" he Kthyn ha!itaciounF 9e &ith a leon or a foul
"ragonL
/magery aeals to male humour of the "ay
9etter to live &ith a lion or a "ragon than &ith a nagging &oman
QE= (EQC.6G%
K+ti!ourn an" strong# an" Coly as a ieL
+imile
%he magie simile suggests the Wife)s Colliness in her youth !ut it
may have negative imlications$ %he magie is use" as an image of
assionate chatter in Chaucer)s un;attering account of Danuary# the
el"erly 'night of The Merchants Tale# in !e" &ith his young &ife#
(ay
K6n" singe# y&is# as any nightingaleL
+uggests the !eauty of her singing$ 8n its o&n this &oul" not
suggest the animality of her se*ual "esire# !ut its conte*t of her
"run'enness it "oes an" also casts "ou!t on the vali"ity of her
claim>
K=or as an hors / 'ou"e !ite an" &hineL
%he Wife claims that she can &hine an" !ite# li'e a horse# to get her
&ay even &hen she is in the &rong$ %his suggests a large creature
&hich is "angerous &hen it is out of control$ %his art of her
rologue rovi"es some of the strongest evi"ence that Chaucer is
suorting rather than challenging negative stereotyes of &omen
in The Wife of Baths Prologue