the wife of bath's tale analysis essay

A Summary and Analysis of Geoffrey Chaucer’s ‘The Wife of Bath’s Tale’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

The Wife of Bath is one of the most famous characters in all of Chaucer’s poetry, and ‘The Wife of Bath’s Tale’ remains a popular tale from The Canterbury Tales . But what can this tale tell us about medieval attitudes to women and marriage?

You can read ‘The Wife of Bath’s Tale’ in the original Middle English here before proceeding to our summary and analysis below.

‘The Wife of Bath’s Tale’: plot summary

The Wife of Bath begins her tale with a long Prologue about herself, and her various marriages: she has had five husbands. She considers various people’s views of marriage but rejects all of them, drawing on her own experience to do so. The picture of her that emerges is a surprisingly spirited and independent woman for the fourteenth century: she has used her sexuality to earn money, and has clearly ‘worn the trousers’ in many of her marriages, making her husbands’ lives difficult.

She can clearly give as good as she has got where men are concerned, telling us that her fourth husband would lust after other women, but she cheated on him with a friend’s lodger. When the lecherous husband died, she married the lodger, but he beat her, calling her a wicked wife and using the authority of a conduct manual about good wifely behaviour to tell her off.

One day, when he struck her, she pretended to lie down dead, as though he had killed her, and he immediately broke down and swore to be ruled by her if she would only recover. She promptly got up and made him destroy his conduct book. Thereafter, they enjoyed the perfect marriage together.

Following this lengthy autobiographical preamble, the Wife of Bath gets around to telling her tale. It is set at the court of King Arthur. A young knight rapes a girl. Although he should be executed for his crime, the king lets the queen decide his fate. The queen gives the young man a year and a day to go and find out what it is women most desire; if he fails, he will be beheaded.

The knight leaves the court and travels around for a year, but fails to discover the answer to the queen’s question. On his way back to the court, ready to submit to his fate and accept his execution, he comes across an old hag in a forest. She tells him that she can give him the answer, but only on condition that he accepts the first request she makes of him. The desperate knight agrees, and the two of them travel back to court together.

The hag is presented before the king and queen, and answers the queen’s question: that what women most desire is to have sovereignty over their husbands and their lovers. The queen reveals that this is the correct answer to the question she posed to the knight, and his life is spared. But then the hag makes her request of him: that he must agree to marry her. He begs her to ask for something else, but she is having none of it. So they are married, and he must go to bed with her.

As they prepare to consummate the marriage, the hag lectures the knight on the meaning of true nobility and honour. She then gives him a choice: he can either have a wife who is ugly but faithful, or beautiful but unfaithful. He lets her make the decision, and she is transformed into a beautiful woman who will also be faithful to him: the best of both worlds. Because he has submitted to her will and let her have sovereignty over him, his reward is a wife who is both beautiful and true to him.

‘The Wife of Bath’s Tale’: analysis

The Wife of Bath, when placed alongside Chaucer’s other female pilgrims and the women who feature in the other stories of The Canterbury Tales , may strike us as more iconoclastic and radical than she actually was. In truth, when Chaucer wrote ‘The Wife of Bath’s Tale’ in the late fourteenth century there was already a burgeoning body of anti-marriage literature, whose authors put forward much the same views about women and marriage as the Wife of Bath espouses.

Although some of the women in the other tales may seem meek and submissive, paragons of wifely virtue and patience, the Wife of Bath was not a complete outlier in Chaucer’s society. Rather, like his other pilgrims, she represents a certain type that was common in medieval English society, and embodies it thoroughly.

Of course, modern feminist critics can easily detect some serious problems with the plot of ‘The Wife of Bath’s Tale’: a man violates a woman, is then spared death thanks to a woman (the queen), and is then provided with the means to clear himself of all charges thanks to another woman (the hag).

He has to give up his freedom and submit to being married to a hideous aged woman whose very touch and appearance he recoils from, but we might well respond that that serves him right, and he’s welcome to present his head beneath the executioner’s axe if he prefers. And in the end, simply by handing over his fate to the woman, he is rewarded with a beautiful and loyal wife. We can hardly view ‘The Wife of Bath’s Tale’ as a cautionary tale against male violence towards women, when such a ‘punishment’ is promised.

However, through violating the woman, the knight essentially emasculates himself, so there is something more interesting going on in the gender power dynamics of this tale. In being caught having committed such a horrendous act, he has to submit to the king’s judgment, but the queen is instead given the power to decide his fate. He is then dependent on a woman to ‘rescue’ him and, in a sense, restore his masculinity – but only on an even footing with his wife, rather than by having the upper hand.

This is what makes ‘The Wife of Bath’s Tale’ a startlingly modern tale for twenty-first-century readers: the Wife of Bath’s own life, and the tale she tells, both offer a vision of marriage in which men and women are given equal power rather than the husband having power over his wife.

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Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath Analysis Essay

Introduction, short plot of the story (summary), the analysis of the story.

The Wife of Bath’s Tale is considered to be a disclosure of the female role in the society in the period of Late Middle Ages. The Wife of Bath starts in King Arthur’s days; this period was characterized by the great majority of elves and fairies. The story is aimed at highlighting religious and secular women’s ideals. The story is aimed at underlining the main female virtues and characteristics both physical and mental meeting the requirements of the Arthurian traditions. The depiction of the unreal world through the real one gives an opportunity to evaluate the place of the woman in the society and the way she is perceived by a man. The symbolic representation of characters is regarded to be a significant counter version of the bearer of aristocratic males’ values and Arthurian traditions.

The plot of the story is a gradual movement between plot and forest. It is aimed at highlighting the principle values, ethical and social norms of the males fixed in the society. The Wife of Bath’s Tale disclosed the story of the Queen who begged her husband for rapist’ knight’s judging. Her decision is sentence to death unless he returns in a year to answer:

“ What thyng is it that women moost diseren” (Norton, 911)

The story concentrates on the knight’s searches of the answer which are almost useless until he meets women dancing in the forest. It gave a hope for the better future and one of the women promised him to solute the problem in case of their marriage. The answer she gives concerns the female desire to be sovereign in marriage. The knight remained alive because the answer satisfied the queen but suddenly the knight refuses to marry the old woman because of her age and ugly appearance.

His choice was to play a significant role for the future. The knight was to select either beauty and unfaithfulness or ugliness and faithfulness combined in the woman. It was difficult to make the right choice but he managed to yield to woman’s wisdom. As a result the woman appeared to be faithful and beautiful fir her knight. (Chaucer, Canterbury tales, “Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale”.)

The tale of the Wife is presented as an issue of her theories model illustration. It is an outstanding Arthurian romance underlining the peculiarities of the theme related to the image of “loathly lady”. This story is considered to be a magical transformation of the woman into some ugly shape being restored only with the help of particular specific actions.

The story discloses the physical and moral condition of the Wife image fixed at that time. The Wife is presented not very beautiful but rather vivacious and forceful. General picture of the Wife contains clothes of quite good quality and an effect of female self advertising in order to demonstrate her wealth and elegancy to the publicity. The story demonstrates the most wonderful and powerful images of women individualities related to the Middle Ages.

Thus, the idealization of the Virgin Mary image is considered to be a characteristic element of Arthurian time and male values. The symbolic representation is rather complicated. Her image was a model of the church type since Christ Birth. Mary was considered to give birth to the Christians being the symbol of the church. Nevertheless Mary’s conception was a vivid reason for debates and disputes for the representatives of the Middle Ages. Her theory disclosed female conception of women’s free from sexuality and original sin at the same time. The image of the Virgin Mary developed in Arthurian period resulted in contradictory, ambivalent and complex feelings as to the perception of sexuality and marriage in general. (Benson, 2000)

The Wife discloses the fact that virtue such as poverty cannot be perfectly reached by everyone. The central argument for her concerns the fact that genitals were not made only for sex differentiation but for procreation and pleasure. The secondary derivative female creation analyzed fro the point of view of the tale is considered to be Eve. She is an example of disobedient wife and ungrateful child holding responsibilities for her husband’s loss. These two images f Eve and Mary are contradicted to each other taking into account the theory of the tale. Mary’s role is directed to bride idealization and presentation of an ideal mother f that time. The Wife of the tale is to combine four principles roles and images fulfilled in a life period:

An ideal wife;
A perfect mother;

The Wife of Bath’s Tale is considered to be one of the first tales related to marriage group including the ones of Franklin, Merchant and Clerk. The story discloses a lot of basic themes concerning human feelings and life aspects, but the central aspect of the romance is concentrated on the relations between women and men. (The Wife of Bath. 2001.)

The theme concerning female dominance is one of the fundamental in the romance. Thus, the dominance can be analyzed from the point of view of sexual aspect. The Wife is presented as the one who can be responsible for the household. The Wife is the illustration of the sexualized personality. Together with the depiction of the sexual aspect, the one of love has been presented either. Here the story takes into account the Biblical authority aspects in order to underline the basic stimulation for marriages in modern society of that time and the possibilities of widows’ remarriages based on love and mutual understanding. The tale is the outlining of gentility origins reflecting the virtue of poverty. (Moore, 2000)

The illustration of the Arthurian world is considered to be an attempt to show the mythical golden age of that time. The world of King Arthur values and traditions is not the true and real one, but the determination of better reality. The truth is used to be expressed freely depending not only on the religious aspects but on the human nature. Of course it is impossible to renew one’s age being old or change an appearance being ugly, but the story represents the idea of females desiring to have sovereignty in marriages. The realization of the first aspect is truly unreal, but the story is aimed at the attempts to fulfill the second one event it can be only partially satisfied. The transformation of the old and ugly woman into faithful and beautiful one is considered to present the mixture of mythological and fairy aspects. The symbolism of the romance can be observed through the whole story with the purpose of showing magical world in the real one.

The presentation of Wife is followed by her basic qualities demonstration: thus, the Wife of the Arthurian period is learned, intelligent and capable of complicated argument. The males’ and females’ views on marriage presented in the tale are focused on the Biblical teachings. Thus, the marriage is perceived as something positive in human life; nevertheless there are some counterarguments against marriages in general which are based on the aspect of polygamy. But this issue is not the central one. The Wife is almost ready to make use of marriage as the secure material for her social status and wealth. Besides, marriage can be viewed as the sexual pleasure source needed in the society. The interaction of several themes concerning gender position leads to complete awareness of the woman model being characteristic of Arthurian period and its traditions.

The analysis of the woman in the tale can lead to the fact that her presentation was based on the feminism views. Despite the aspect that “Arthurian woman” was not aware of the political beliefs and feminists’ movements, she contained some features of modern female representatives of such area. The desire to be sovereign can be evaluated as the one to gain complete independence for the whole female gender. But to refute this fact it is important to stress that the Wife described in the story is of strong positions being out of gender lines. But the woman has abilities to show complete domination over her husband. (Dinshaw, 1999)

The image of the woman is strictly contradicted to that of a man showed on the example of the knight illustration. It should be stressed that there are no such real traits of character presented in the man. The knight is not a dominant figure but the one who is used to show the female power. The plot is just given additional meaning through this character. The story makes weak stress on the role of the knight who cannot be considered smart enough to bear responsibilities for his actions. That is why even the introduction of the violence such as girl raping has a slight character. The reader is not to pay much attention on the male role of the story because it is introduced as a method of woman’s character evaluation. The image of the knight can be considered as ungrateful one. His view on the marriage is not described as the chance for life saving but a kind of punishment because of the ugliness and old age of the woman. One more aspect concerning the knight’s character is his weakness and failure to resist social opinion. He is easy to be impacted by the publicity evaluating general view as the personal one. Thus, the analysis of this character can lead to the fact that he is the person who just wants to live and save his life playing no roles in the social activities.

It should be stated that the Wife of Bath’s Tale is considered to be a real counterargument to the aristocratic views and values. It managed to show the real woman’s nature and character. The story provided female depiction as a strong individuality being completely aware of her desires and bearing responsibilities for them. The physical and mental condition of the Arthurian woman can be completely reflected in present time. The Wife is an elegant woman of confident position who is able to protect herself. The views on marriage as a means of status determination can be compared with the modern one; but Arthurian traditions saved the value of love and mutual understanding. The woman of Middle Ages appeared to be similar to the modern one with the same views and positions.

The analysis of the Wife of Bath’s Tale appeared to show a model of female ideal depiction being characteristic of Arthurian time. Despite the fact that the world of Arthur was not the real one with elves and fairies the role of the woman and her desire to gain sovereignty in marriage are up to date.

Chaucer, Canterbury tales, “ Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale ”. Web.

Moore, Andrew. Marriage in the Wife of Bath’s Tale. 2000. Web.

Benson, L.D. Wife of Bath’s Tale. Harvard College. 2000. Web.

Dinshaw, Carolyn. “Getting Medieval”. Duke University Press. 1999.

Greenblatt, Stephen. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume 1: Middle Ages through the Restoration and the 18th century. 2005.

The Wife of Bath. 2001. Web.

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The Canterbury Tales

By geoffrey chaucer, the canterbury tales summary and analysis of the wife of bath's tale.

Prologue to the Wife of Bath's Tale

“Experience”, even if no written authorities existed in the world, “is right ynogh for me”. Thus begins the voice of the Wife of Bath. She has certainly had “experience”, and is keen to justify it against biblical authority. She has had five husbands and justifies it in scripture: Christ never taught that people should only be married once, the Bible says “go forth and multiply”, and Solomon had more than one wife. The Wife ’s husbands, picked out by their “chestes” and “nether purs”, have all been good men, and she is looking forward to the sixth. She also points out that Jesus never lays down a law about virginity, and essentially states that we have the parts for sex and should use them as such: “they were nat maad for noght”.

Scripture, the Wife points out, can be interpreted “bothe up and doun” – you can argue that genitals are for purgation of urine, or to tell the female from the male, and for nothing else. The Wife then states again that she will “use myn instrument” whenever her husband decides he wants to “paye his dette”. Her husband, the Wife continues, shall be both her “dettour and my thral” (debtor and slave) and that she would mark it on his flesh.

At this point, the Pardoner interrupts, claiming he was about to marry a wife and that the Wife has put him off – and she advises him to listen to her tale before making a judgement, and looks like beginning it, before going off on another tangent, silencing the Pardoner altogether.

Three of the Wife’s husbands were good, and two were bad: the three were good, rich and old (and impotent!) and they gave the Wife all their land, which resulted in her withholding sex from them in order to get exactly what she wanted. Women, the Wife continues, can lie and steal better than any man. She reveals her tactic for manipulating her husbands – deliberately attacking her husband with a whole fistful of complaints and several biblical glossing (for justification) and starting an argument, with the result of her getting what she wants. By accusing her husband of infidelity, the Wife disguised her own adultery – even calling her maid and Jankin in false witness to back her up.

The Wife also got money out of her husbands by claiming that, if she were to sell her “bele chose” (sexual favours), she would make more money than they lavished on her. Thus the Wife treated her first three husbands, the three, good, old, rich men. The Wife’s fourth husband was a reveler and had a mistress as well as a wife. He was a match for the Wife of Bath, sharing some of her qualities, but he soon died.

The fifth husband was the most cruel to her: kind in bed but otherwise violent, beating her viciously. He could “glose” (gloss – persuade – flatter) her extremely well when he wanted to have sex, and she loved him best, because he played hard to get with her. He had been a student at Oxford, and came to be a boarder at the home of the Wife's best friend, Alison , while she was still married to husband number four. Soon after he died, she married Jankin (number five) who was, at twenty, exactly half the Wife's age.

Very regularly, Jankin read his book of “wikked wyves”, a compilation volume of anti-feminist literature, containing works from Valerius and Theophrastus, St. Jerome, Tertullian, Solomon, and many others. The Wife interrupts herself to express her anger at the anti-feminist portrayals of women in books written by male clerks – and wishes that women “hadde written stories” like clerks have, in order to redress balance. Then, her story continues: Jankin was reading aloud from his book by the fire, and the Wife, fed up that he would never finish reading his “cursed book al nyght”, tore out three pages, punching him in the face so that he fell backward into the fire. Jankin got up fast and hit her on the head with his fist, knocking her to the floor, where she lay as if dead. “Hastow slayn me, false theef?” the Wife bellow when she awoke, “and for my land thus hastow mordred me?” (Have you killed me, false thief? And have you murdered me to get my land?”). Jankin, of course, then begged her forgiveness; and the Wife made him burn his book right there.

Having gained for herself all of the “maistrie” (mastery, control, dominance), Jankin then begged her to keep all of her own land, and – after that day – they never argued again. The Wife was true to him, and he to her, and she was extremely generous to him. At this point, the Wife announces again that she is to tell her tale.

The words between the Summoner and the Friar

The Friar laughs to hear everything that the Wife has said, commenting that it is a “long preamble of a tale” (a long prologue to a tale) – and when the Summoner hears the Friar’s voice, he attacks him, commenting that friars are notorious for their long-windedness, telling him to “go sit doun!”. The Friar promises, in revenge, to tell a tale about a summoner to make everyone laugh. The Host quiets them down, and encourages the Wife to tell her tale.

The Wife of Bath 's Tale

The Wife of Bath's Tale tells a story from a distant time, when King Arthur ruled the nation and when elves used to run around impregnating women. However, the Wife immediately digresses: now friars have taken the place of elves - they are now the copulating, evil spirits.

King Arthur had a knight who, when riding home one day from hawking, found a maiden walking alone and raped her. This crime usually held the penalty of death, but, in court, the queen intervened and begged her husband to spare the knight, promising the knight that she would grant his life if he could answer the question "What do women most desire?" She gave him one year to find the answer.

The knight went on a journey but could find no satisfactory answer; some said wealth, others jollity, some status, others a good lover in bed. Despondent that he might not find his answer, the knight was mournful, when, riding beside a forest on his way back to his home, he saw a dance of twenty-four ladies. Approaching them, they vanished, and in their place, the knight found a hideous old woman, the “lothly lady”, to whom he put his question. She agreed to give the answer and assured him that it was the right one, but would only tell him the answer if he would do the next thing that she required of him. When the knight agreed, she whispered in his ear.

When they arrived at court, the knight faced the queen again, and told him that women desired to have sovereignty and “to been in maistrie” (to be in mastery) above their husbands. The lothly lady then spoke up before the court, announcing the knight’s pledge, and asking him to take her for his wife. The knight, although now pardoned, was miserable that he had to marry such an old crone, but there was no way for him to get out of it.

Privately, the knight wedded the lothly lady the next day, and the two of them lay in bed. She realized his unhappiness, and confronted him about it. He criticized her for not only being old and ugly, but low-born. She scoffed at his snobbery as a definition and defended her poverty as irrelevant to God. She then gave him a choice, making him see both sides of the argument. Either he could have her as an old and ugly wife who would be entirely faithful to him; or he could have her as a young and fair wife, who would probably cuckold him.

The knight sighed sorely, and thought, but finally told his wife to choose herself whichever option would bring most honor to the two of them. “Thanne have I gete of yow maistrie” (In that case, I’ve got mastery over you) she said – and the knight agreed that she had. The lothly lady asked him to kiss her and “cast up the curtyn” (lift up the curtain) to look on her face – she had transformed into a young and beautiful woman. They lived happily ever after: and, the Wife concludes, let Christ grant all women submissive husbands who sexually satisfy their wives, and let Christ kill all men who will not be governed by their wives.

The Wife of Bath is one of Chaucer’s most enduring characters, and rightly, one of the most famous of any of the Canterbury pilgrims. Her voice is extremely distinctive – loud, self-promoting, extremely aggressive – and her lengthy prologue silences the Pardoner and the Friar (who is then parodied at the start of the Tale) for daring to interrupt her. One of the key issues for interpreting the Wife’s tale historically has been the relationship between prologue and tale: some critics have found in the Wife’s fairy-tale ending a wistful, saddened dreaminess from an elderly woman whose hopes for a sixth husband might turn out to be futile. Other critics have treated the tale as a matter of “maistrie” and control, arguing that the Wife’s tale, starting as it does with a rape (a man physically dominating a woman), is deeply ambiguous at its close about precisely whose desire is being fulfilled. Surely there is little point in the woman having the maistrie if all she is to do with it is to please her husband?

Yet it seems to me that the Wife’s tale and prologue can be treated as one lengthy monologue, and it is the voice we attribute that monologue too which proves impossible to precisely define. The Wife’s tale inherits the issue of the woman as literary text ( Constance , in the Man of Law’s tale, was “pale”, like paper waiting to be written on, and used as an exchangeable currency by the merchants and – perhaps – by the Man of Law) and develops it.

Text, and the interpretation of text is absolutely central to the Wife of Bath’s Tale. The General Prologue describes her as being swathed in textile, and, of course, “textere”, the Latin verb meaning “to weave” is the key to a close relationship between “cloth” and “text” in the Middle Ages. For the Wife, as well as being excellent at spinning a tale, is also excellent at spinning cloth – and is surrounded, problematically in text in just the way the Prologue has her covered in cloth. When, at the very end of her tale, the lothly lady implores her husband to “cast up the curtyn” and see her as she really is, she highlights one of the key problems in the tale: it is very difficult to ascertain precisely where fiction stops and reality begins.

The Wife claims to represent female voices – and her tale consists of a set of women representing each other. The raped maiden is represented by the queen, who in turn is represented by the lothly lady, who in turn becomes a beautiful lady: the image which precedes her appearance is, appropriately, twenty four ladies apparently vanishing into one. The Wife speaks on behalf of women everywhere: and against the male clerks who have written the antifeminist literature that Jankin reads in his book of wikked wyves.

It is odd then, that the Wife, who claims to stand for “experience”, spends much of her prologue dealing with written “authority”, glossing the Bible in precisely the manner she criticizes the clerks for doing. The Wife is against text, but expert in text; against clerks, but particularly clerical; and, of course, venomous about anti-feminist literature, but also made up of anti-feminist literature. When the Wife throws Jankin’s book in the fire, she is in fact burning her own sources (Jerome, Theophrastus et. al) which constitutes a bizarre act of literary self-orphanage. It is as if she burns her own birth certificate.

When you notice too that the Wife (whose name is Alison) has as her only confidant another woman called Alison, there is an unusual sense that she might be talking only to herself. Add to that her almost uninterrupted monologue of tale and prologue – and the almost-uninterrupted monologues of Jankin (reading from the book of wives) and the lothly lady’s lengthy monologue on poverty and gentilesse – and you see that, in fact, the voice of the Wife does indeed take the “maistrie” in the tale itself. It entirely dominates the tale.

The Wife, then, is a far more complicated figure than simply a proto-feminist. She asks the key question herself: “Who peynted the leon, tel me who?”, referring to the old myth that, a lion, seeing the picture of a man triumphing over a lion, asked the rhetorical question which pointed out that the portrayal was biased as it had been painted by a man, not a lion. If the Wife’s tale is a depiction of a woman triumphing over a man (and even that is not easy to decide) can it be similarly dismissed?

Perhaps. But of course, for all the Wife decries the clerical tradition and the clerks who leave out the good deeds of woman, she herself as a text is another example of a lecherous, lying, manipulative woman. She falls into the anti-feminist tradition she represents. This is even before you mention that the Wife is being written, at the very least ventriloquised, by Geoffrey Chaucer , a clerk and a man. Is this Chaucer’s opinion of proto-feminism and a disavowal of the anti-feminist tradition? Or is Chaucer endorsing the anti-feminist tradition by giving it a mouthpiece which, in arguing against it, demonstrates all of its stereotypical arguments as fact?

Who painted the lion? Whose voice is the Wife’s? Is she worthy of – as she does – speaking for women everywhere?

These are all huge, open, fascinating questions that demonstrate why the tale itself is so complex, and interesting to interpret. The key fact not to forget is that you can’t have a Wife without a Husband. Whether married to Chaucer, whether Chaucer in drag, or whether a feminist persona all of her own, it’s important to view the apparently proto-feminist Wife of Bath from a point of view which understands her strong links to the men in her fictional – and literary – lives.

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Study Guide for The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales is the last of Geoffrey Chaucer's works, and he only finished 24 of an initially planned 100 tales. The Canterbury Tales study guide contains a biography of Geoffrey Chaucer, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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Essays for The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales is considered one of the greatest works produced in Middle English. The Canterbury Tales essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.

"Love" in the Courtly Tradition
On Cuckoldry: Women, Silence, and Subjectivity in the Merchant's Tale and the Manciple's Tale
Vision, Truth, and Genre in the Merchant's Tale
In Private: the Promise in The Franklin's Tale
Feminism or Anti-Feminism: Images of Women in Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath"

Lesson Plan for The Canterbury Tales

About the Author
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Introduction to The Canterbury Tales
Relationship to Other Books
Bringing in Technology
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E-Text of The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales e-text contains the full text of The Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer.

Life of Geoffrey Chaucer
The Knight's Tale
The Miller's Tale

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Biographies

The Wife of Bath’s Tale: A Comprehensive Literary Analysis by Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer

“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is one of the most well-known and controversial stories in Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales.” It tells the story of a knight who is punished for raping a young woman, but is ultimately redeemed by the love and wisdom of a powerful and outspoken woman known as the Wife of Bath. In this comprehensive literary analysis, we will explore the themes, characters, and symbolism of this iconic tale, and examine how Chaucer’s use of language and narrative structure contribute to its enduring appeal and significance.

The Wife of Bath’s Tale: A Comprehensive Literary Analysis by Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is a complex and multi-layered work of literature that has been the subject of much analysis and interpretation over the years. At its core, the tale is a story about power, gender, and the struggle for control in relationships. The Wife of Bath, one of Chaucer’s most memorable characters, is a strong-willed and independent woman who challenges traditional gender roles and expectations. Through her tale, Chaucer explores the themes of love, marriage, and the battle for dominance between men and women.

One of the most striking aspects of “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is the way in which Chaucer uses language and imagery to convey his message. The tale is full of vivid descriptions and powerful metaphors that bring the story to life and make it resonate with readers. For example, the image of the knight riding through the forest in search of the answer to the queen’s question is a powerful symbol of the quest for knowledge and understanding. Similarly, the image of the old woman transforming into a beautiful young bride is a powerful metaphor for the transformative power of love.

Another important aspect of the tale is the way in which Chaucer uses irony and satire to critique the social norms and values of his time. The Wife of Bath, for example, is a character who challenges the traditional roles of women in medieval society. She is a woman who has been married five times and is not afraid to speak her mind or assert her independence. Through her character, Chaucer is able to critique the patriarchal society of his time and challenge the assumptions and beliefs that underpin it.

Overall, “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is a rich and complex work of literature that continues to captivate readers and scholars alike. Through its exploration of power, gender, and relationships, Chaucer’s tale offers a powerful critique of the social norms and values of his time and continues to resonate with readers today.

Historical Context

Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is a part of his famous work, “The Canterbury Tales,” which was written in the late 14th century. This period in English history was marked by significant social, political, and religious changes. The Black Death had ravaged the country, leading to a shortage of labor and a shift in the power dynamics between the nobility and the common people. The Hundred Years’ War between England and France was ongoing, and the Church was facing criticism and reform movements. These factors influenced Chaucer’s writing, and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” reflects the tensions and contradictions of the time. The tale explores themes of gender, power, and marriage, and it challenges the traditional patriarchal values of medieval society. Chaucer’s work is a valuable insight into the historical context of the late Middle Ages and the literary and cultural developments of the time.

Chaucer’s Life and Works

Geoffrey Chaucer, born in London in the 14th century, is widely regarded as one of the greatest English poets of all time. He is best known for his collection of stories, The Canterbury Tales, which he wrote in the late 14th century. The Wife of Bath’s Tale is one of the most famous stories in the collection, and it is often studied in literature classes around the world. In this tale, Chaucer explores themes of gender, power, and marriage, and he does so with his characteristic wit and humor. Chaucer’s life and works continue to be studied and celebrated today, and his influence on English literature is undeniable.

Overview of The Wife of Bath’s Tale

The Wife of Bath’s Tale is one of the most famous and controversial stories in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. It tells the story of a knight who is punished for raping a young woman and must find the answer to the question “What do women most desire?” in order to save his life. The tale is known for its strong female protagonist, the Wife of Bath, who challenges traditional gender roles and argues for the importance of female desire and agency. The story has been interpreted in many different ways over the years, with some critics seeing it as a feminist text and others as a cautionary tale about the dangers of female sexuality. Despite its many interpretations, the Wife of Bath’s Tale remains a powerful and thought-provoking work of literature that continues to captivate readers today.

Characters in The Wife of Bath’s Tale

The Wife of Bath’s Tale, written by Geoffrey Chaucer, is a complex and multi-layered work of literature that features a wide range of characters. At the center of the tale is the Wife of Bath herself, a strong-willed and outspoken woman who has been married five times and is not afraid to speak her mind. Other key characters in the tale include the knight who is the protagonist of the story, the queen who serves as the judge in the knight’s trial, and the old woman who ultimately teaches the knight the true meaning of love and marriage. Each of these characters is richly drawn and contributes to the overall themes and messages of the tale, making The Wife of Bath’s Tale a fascinating and thought-provoking work of literature.

Themes in The Wife of Bath’s Tale

The Wife of Bath’s Tale, written by Geoffrey Chaucer, is a complex and multi-layered work that explores a variety of themes. One of the most prominent themes in the tale is the idea of power dynamics between men and women. The Wife of Bath, who is a strong and independent woman, challenges traditional gender roles and asserts her own agency throughout the story. She also uses her sexuality as a means of gaining power over men, which is a subversive act in a patriarchal society. Another important theme in the tale is the concept of justice. The Wife of Bath argues that justice should be tempered with mercy, and that forgiveness is an important part of any legal system. This theme is particularly relevant in the context of the tale’s plot, which revolves around a knight who is punished for raping a young woman. Overall, The Wife of Bath’s Tale is a rich and complex work that explores a variety of themes, including power dynamics, gender roles, and justice.

Symbolism in The Wife of Bath’s Tale

The Wife of Bath’s Tale is a complex and multi-layered work of literature that is rich in symbolism. One of the most prominent symbols in the tale is the knight’s quest for the answer to the question “What do women most desire?” This question represents the knight’s search for knowledge and understanding of women, and his eventual discovery of the answer is symbolic of his enlightenment and transformation.

Another important symbol in the tale is the old woman who helps the knight. She represents the wisdom and experience that comes with age, and her transformation into a young and beautiful woman is symbolic of the knight’s own transformation and redemption.

The use of the number three is also significant in the tale, as the knight is given three chances to answer the question correctly, and the old woman offers him three choices: to have her be beautiful but unfaithful, ugly but faithful, or both beautiful and faithful. This use of the number three is symbolic of the Christian trinity and the idea of redemption and salvation.

Overall, the symbolism in The Wife of Bath’s Tale adds depth and meaning to the story, and helps to convey the themes of transformation, redemption, and the search for knowledge and understanding.

The Role of Women in The Wife of Bath’s Tale

In The Wife of Bath’s Tale, women play a significant role in shaping the narrative and the themes explored by Geoffrey Chaucer. The protagonist, the Wife of Bath, is a strong and independent woman who challenges the traditional gender roles of her time. She is a complex character who defies the expectations placed upon her as a woman and asserts her own agency in her relationships and her life.

Throughout the tale, the Wife of Bath’s views on marriage and sexuality are presented as a counterpoint to the dominant patriarchal discourse of her society. She argues that women should have the right to choose their own partners and that sexual pleasure is a legitimate and important aspect of marriage. Her perspective challenges the idea that women should be passive and submissive in their relationships and asserts their right to autonomy and agency.

The other female characters in the tale also play important roles in shaping the narrative. The young maiden who is the object of the knight’s quest is a symbol of purity and innocence, but she is also a strong and intelligent woman who is able to outsmart the knight and teach him a valuable lesson about the nature of true love. The queen, who ultimately decides the knight’s fate, is a powerful and wise figure who represents the possibility of justice and fairness in a world dominated by men.

Overall, the role of women in The Wife of Bath’s Tale is central to the themes and messages of the story. Through their actions and perspectives, Chaucer challenges the patriarchal norms of his time and presents a vision of a more equitable and just society.

Religious and Moral Implications in The Wife of Bath’s Tale

The Wife of Bath’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer is a complex and multi-layered work that explores various themes and issues. One of the most prominent themes in the tale is the religious and moral implications of the actions of the characters. The tale raises questions about the nature of sin, redemption, and forgiveness, and challenges traditional notions of morality and ethics.

At the heart of the tale is the character of the Wife of Bath, who is a controversial figure in medieval literature. She is a woman who has been married five times and is unapologetic about her sexual desires and experiences. Her character challenges the traditional view of women as passive and submissive, and instead presents a strong and independent female voice.

The religious and moral implications of the Wife of Bath’s actions are complex and nuanced. On the one hand, her sexual promiscuity and disregard for traditional gender roles can be seen as sinful and immoral. However, the tale also suggests that her experiences have given her a deeper understanding of human nature and the complexities of relationships.

The tale also raises questions about the nature of sin and redemption. The knight in the story commits a heinous crime, but is ultimately forgiven and redeemed through the love and forgiveness of a woman. This suggests that redemption is possible even for those who have committed the most egregious sins, and that forgiveness and love are powerful forces that can overcome even the darkest of deeds.

Overall, the religious and moral implications of The Wife of Bath’s Tale are complex and thought-provoking. The tale challenges traditional notions of morality and ethics, and presents a nuanced and multifaceted view of human nature and relationships.

Language and Style in The Wife of Bath’s Tale

The Wife of Bath’s Tale is a masterpiece of Middle English literature, written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the late 14th century. The language and style of the tale are characteristic of Chaucer’s writing, with its use of archaic vocabulary, complex syntax, and rich imagery. The tale is written in rhyming couplets, with a regular meter that gives it a musical quality. The language is often playful and humorous, with puns and double entendres that add to the tale’s charm. The Wife of Bath’s Tale is also notable for its use of direct address to the audience, with the Wife frequently interrupting the narrative to offer her own opinions and insights. This technique creates a sense of intimacy between the reader and the narrator, and adds to the tale’s overall impact. Overall, the language and style of The Wife of Bath’s Tale are essential to its success as a work of literature, and demonstrate Chaucer’s mastery of the English language.

Comparisons to Other Works by Chaucer

When discussing The Wife of Bath’s Tale, it is impossible not to draw comparisons to other works by Chaucer. One of the most notable similarities is the use of satire and irony to critique societal norms and expectations. In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer often employs these techniques to expose the flaws and hypocrisies of the medieval church and aristocracy. The Wife of Bath’s Tale is no exception, as it challenges the traditional views of marriage and gender roles.

Another work that shares similarities with The Wife of Bath’s Tale is The Miller’s Tale. Both stories feature characters who engage in extramarital affairs and use deception to achieve their desires. However, while The Miller’s Tale is often seen as a crude and bawdy story, The Wife of Bath’s Tale is more nuanced and complex in its portrayal of sexuality and relationships.

Overall, The Wife of Bath’s Tale stands out as a unique and powerful work in Chaucer’s canon. Its exploration of gender, power, and desire continues to resonate with readers today, making it a timeless classic of English literature.

Critical Reception of The Wife of Bath’s Tale

The Wife of Bath’s Tale, one of the most famous stories in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, has been the subject of much critical analysis over the years. Some critics have praised the tale for its feminist themes and its portrayal of a strong, independent woman, while others have criticized it for its bawdy humor and its depiction of women as manipulative and deceitful. Despite these differing opinions, the tale remains a popular and influential work of literature, and continues to be studied and debated by scholars and readers alike.

Analysis of Key Passages in The Wife of Bath’s Tale

One of the key passages in The Wife of Bath’s Tale is when the knight is given a year and a day to find out what women truly desire. This passage is significant because it sets up the central conflict of the story and highlights the theme of gender roles and power dynamics. The knight, who represents the male-dominated society, is forced to confront his own assumptions about women and their desires. The fact that he is given a limited amount of time to complete his task also adds a sense of urgency and tension to the story. This passage ultimately leads to the knight’s encounter with the old woman, who challenges his beliefs and teaches him a valuable lesson about the true nature of women. Overall, this key passage serves as a pivotal moment in the story and underscores the importance of understanding and challenging gender stereotypes.

Interpretations of The Wife of Bath’s Tale

Interpretations of The Wife of Bath’s Tale vary widely among literary scholars and critics. Some view the tale as a feminist manifesto, celebrating the power of women to control their own destinies and reject patriarchal norms. Others see it as a cautionary tale, warning against the dangers of female sexuality and the potential for women to manipulate and deceive men. Still others interpret the tale as a commentary on the nature of marriage and the complexities of human relationships. Despite these differing perspectives, one thing is clear: The Wife of Bath’s Tale is a rich and complex work of literature that continues to captivate readers and inspire debate centuries after its initial publication.

Relevance of The Wife of Bath’s Tale Today

The Wife of Bath’s Tale, written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, may seem outdated to some readers. However, the themes and issues presented in the tale are still relevant today. The tale explores the power dynamics between men and women, the importance of consent in relationships, and the consequences of toxic masculinity. These are all issues that continue to be discussed and debated in modern society. Additionally, the tale highlights the importance of storytelling and the role of women in shaping their own narratives. In a world where women’s voices are often silenced or dismissed, the Wife of Bath’s Tale serves as a reminder of the power of storytelling and the importance of women’s perspectives. Overall, the relevance of the Wife of Bath’s Tale today speaks to the timelessness of Chaucer’s work and the enduring impact of his literary legacy.

The Wife of Bath’s Tale in Popular Culture

The Wife of Bath’s Tale has been adapted and referenced in various forms of popular culture. One notable example is the 2001 film A Knight’s Tale, which features a character named Wat, who recites lines from the tale during a jousting tournament. The tale has also been referenced in television shows such as The Simpsons and Doctor Who. In addition, the tale has been adapted into stage productions and operas, including a 2016 production by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The Wife of Bath’s Tale continues to be a source of inspiration for contemporary artists and writers, demonstrating its enduring relevance and impact on popular culture.

“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer Essay

Introduction, religious motifs, bodily description, name of the character.

The main character depicted by Chaucer in the Wife of Bath’s Prologue is an eccentric woman whose religious worldviews, attitudes to spousal relations, and overall appearance oppose the conventional views on morality that dominated during the epoch in which the tale is set. By analyzing the descriptions of the Wife’s visual image, as well as her perspectives on the issues of marriage, it is possible to identify why the character challenges the conventional notion of wifehood.

It can be argued that by using particular ways of the character’s representation and stylistic devices, Chaucer aimed to criticize the noncompliance with the Medieval religious and moral doctrines. To verify this idea, such aspects of the Wife’s image as her religious views, attitudes to marriage, appearance, and name will be discussed in the paper.

The character’s interpretation of religious beliefs is one of the most significant elements in her representation. During the period described in the literary piece, the Church had a powerful position in the society. Thus, religious motifs were the first to define individuals’ behaviors in various spheres of life. The Wife, however, has an unconventional religious perspective, which mainly serves to justify her lustful lifestyle. For instance, she uses some ideas provided in the Bible as an excuse for adultery.

From her point of view, reproduction is the major reason for the engagement in spousal relations. For this reason, she had “five husbands at the church door,” which means that all the Wife’s relations are legal and compliant with the rules of religion. Nevertheless, they are rather controversial from the perspective of morality as she sees marriage as a means for prosperity and sensual satisfaction

The Wife argues against the biblical prohibition on remarriage after widowhood. From her stance, there is no evil in “marrying two, or…marrying eight.” To support this idea, she refers to the Bible and compares herself to king Solomon who had many wives. She says, “I believe he had wives more than one,” and states that since God approved Solomon’s polygamy, it could not be that detrimental to her either. For her, Solomon’s multiple marriages justify all the marriages she had herself.

Overall, it seems the Wife misreads the main biblical idea about the marriage. Nevertheless, she might do it intentionally because, for her, marriage is the primary source of profit that would be accepted by the society. For this reason, religion becomes a cover-up for her moral impurity and unconventional behavior.

The description of the Wife’s body and appearance helps understand the character’s features more deeply. In general, her image can be characterized as voluptuous and seductive. The character stated that she frequently used her body as an “instrument” to manipulate men and achieve anything she wanted: “In wifehood I will use my instrument as freely as my Maker has it sent.” These lines can be regarded as a demonstration of the Wife’s vicious nature.

It is apparent that she likes corporal pleasures as well: “If I be niggardly, God me sorrow! My husband shall have it both evenings and mornings.” The woman often says that her numerous husbands had to “please her” and considers pleasure one of the most important aspects of marriage.

Overall, the character’s hypersexuality is supported by the image of her body, which she considers is created for satisfaction and corporal pleasures. At the same time, the author also endows her with some ugly traits, e.g., “teeth set wide apart.” Moreover, although the Wife is still energetic, she is far from being young and it seems that her behavior and views do not match with her age that well. Thus, it is possible to presume that the Wife’s appearance as such reflects her inner world to a large extent − she may seem to be visually attractive, yet there is still place for ugliness.

The representation of the Wifes image is completed by a detailed description of her clothes. It is worth noticing that during the period in which the plot is set, people usually dressed simply, but the Wife, on the contrary, prefers unusual and extravagant clothing. The Wife’s manner of dressing attracts attention as it is bright and ostentatious. For example, “her hose were of the choicest scarlet red, close gartered.” Red gloves and red stockings are the two things that apparently make people talk about her most.

Additionally, she wears this type of clothing on Sundays when people go to Church and are supposed to be especially humble. Additionally, she usually wears expensive garments. For instance, “her kerchiefs were on fines weave and ground;…they weighted full ten pounds.” It means that the Wife’s income is rather high and indicates her belonging to the privileged social class.

Overall, Chaucer created the image of a woman who wants to be noticed and show herself off. Additionally, it is possible to say that her privileged social status and unusual behaviors are emphasized by the way she dresses.

Chaucer uses color as a powerful stylistic device to attract readers attention to particular things. The red color is often utilized to describe the main character. As it was mentioned in the previous section of the paper, the character’s wears red stockings and gloves. This color is very bright, and it differentiates her from others. Additionally, since red is traditionally associated with passion, in the tale, the character’s red clothing can symbolize that she is full of desires.

In comparison to the wife, most of the women in the Medieval era used to be shy and compliant. To show this, they wore plain and simple clothes. In this context, red clothing can be considered eccentric. Based on this, it is possible to assume that Chaucer wants to show that the Wife enjoys the attention.

In Chaucer’s tale, the character does not a have a personal name. She is simply called the Wife. The given stylistic device could be used by the author generalize the features of the character, i.e., he aimed to speak about the wifehood in general.

However, since it is unlikely that all women of that time demonstrated the same feelings, emotions, and desires that the Wife had, the generalized name could be used as an element of irony because, on the one hand, the character constantly pursues marriage but, on the other hand, completely misunderstands its true implications and dominant ideas regarding spousal relations of the Medieval epoch. Overall, by referring to the character as the Wife, Chaucer implicitly criticizes her behavior and uses her figure to indicate the boundaries of ethical spousal and intimate relationships.

The deviant nature of the character is reflected in her appearance, attitudes, interpretation of religious texts, and openly expressed sensuous desires. She is represented as a passionate person, whose manner of dressing along with the worldviews as such could shock the Medieval public. Thus, although she is called the Wife, her figure is rather endowed with unconventional features as she defies traditional expectations pertaining to the feminine gender role.

Overall, Chaucer does not criticize the Wife explicitly. However, he may imply that, although the old woman swaggers and preens, her very figure and behavior are ugly. In this implication, the author’s pursuit of justice and moralism can be found.

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The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey chaucer, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions, the wife of bath quotes in the canterbury tales.

Experience, though noon auctoritee Were in this world, is right ynough for me.

Men may devyne and glosen, up and doun, But wel I woot, expres, without lye, God bad us for to wexe and multiplye, That gentil text kan I wel understonde.

By God! if women hadde written stories, As clerkes han withinne hire oratories, They wolde han writen of men moore wikkednesse Than all the mark of Adam may redresse.

And whan I saugh he wolde never fyne To reden on this cursed book al nyght, Al sodenly thre leves have I plyght Out of his book, right as he radde, and eke I with my fest so took hym on the cheke That in our fyr he fil bakward adoun.

And eek I praye Jhesu shorte hir lyves That noght wol be governed by hir wyves, And olde and angry nygardes of dispence, God sende hem soon verray pestilence!

The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer

Literature Notes
The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
About The Canterbury Tales
Character List
Summary and Analysis
The Prologue
The Knight's Tale
The Miller's Prologue and Tale
The Reeve's Prologue and Tale
The Cook's Prologue and Tale
The Man of Law's Prologue and Tale
The Friar's Prologue and Tale
The Summoner's Prologue and Tale
The Clerk's Prologue and Tale
The Merchant's Prologue and Tale
The Squire's Prologue and Tale
The Franklin's Prologue and Tale
The Physician's Tale
The Pardoner's Prologue and Tale
The Shipman's Tale
The Prioress' Prologue And Tale
Chaucer's Tale of Sir Topas
The Tale of Melibee
The Monk's Tale
The Nun's Priest's Tale
The Second Nun's Prologue and Tale
The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue and Tale
The Manciple's Prologue and Tale
The Parson's Prologue and Tale
Chaucer's Retraction
Character Analysis
Harry Bailey, the Host
The Wife of Bath
The Pardoner
Character Map
Geoffrey Chaucer Biography
Critical Essays
The Sovereignty of Marriage versus the Wife's Obedience
The Old Man and the Young Wife
The Trickster Tricked
Full Glossary for The Canterbury Tales
Essay Questions
Practice Projects
Cite this Literature Note

Summary and Analysis The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale

Before the Wife begins her tale, she shares information about her life and her experiences in a prologue. The Wife of Bath begins her lengthy prologue by announcing that she has always followed the rule of experience rather than authority. Having already had five husbands "at the church door," she has experience enough to make her an expert. She sees nothing wrong with having had five husbands and cannot understand Jesus' rebuke to the woman at the well who also had five husbands. Instead, she prefers the biblical command to go forth and multiply.

To defend her position, the Wife refers to King Solomon, who had many wives, and to St. Paul's admonishment that it is better to marry than to burn. Having shown a knowledge of the Bible, she challenges anyone to show her that God commanded virginity. Furthermore, sexual organs are made both for functional purposes and for pleasure. And unlike many cold women, she has always been willing to have sex whenever her man wants to.

The Wife of Bath then relates tales about her former husbands and reveals how she was able to gain the upper hand ("sovereignty") over them. Unfortunately, just at the time she gains complete mastery over one of her husbands, he dies. Then she explains how she gained control over her fifth husband.

At her fourth husband's funeral, she could hardly keep her eyes off a young clerk named Jankyn, whom she had already admired. At the month's end, she and Jankyn were married, even though she was twice his age. As soon as the honeymoon was over, she was disturbed to find that Jankyn spent all his time reading, especially from a collection of books that disparaged women. One night, he began to read aloud from this collection, beginning with the story of Eve, and he read about all the unfaithful women, murderesses, prostitutes, and so on, that he could find. Unable to tolerate these stories any longer, the Wife of Bath grabbed the book and hit Jankyn so hard that he fell over backwards into the fire. He jumped up and hit her with his fist. She fell to the floor and pretended to be dead. When he bent over her, she hit him once more and again pretended to die. He was so upset that he promised her anything if she would live. And this is how she gained "sovereignty" over her fifth husband. From that day until the day he died, she was a true and faithful wife for him. Her tale, which follows, reiterates her belief that a happy match is one in which the wife has control.

A lusty young knight in King Arthur's court rapes a beautiful young maiden. The people are repulsed by the knight's behavior and demand justice. Although the law demands that the knight be beheaded, the queen and ladies of the court beg to be allowed to determine the knight's fate. The queen then gives the knight a year to discover what women most desire.

The year passes quickly. As the knight rides dejectedly back to the court knowing that he will lose his life, he suddenly sees 24 young maidens dancing and singing. As he approaches them, the maidens disappear, and the only living creature is a foul old woman, who approaches him and asks what he seeks. The knight explains his quest, and the old woman promises him the right answer if he will do what she demands for saving his life. The knight agrees. When the queen bids the knight to speak, he responds correctly that women most desire sovereignty over their husbands.

Having supplied him with the right answer, the old crone demands that she be his wife and his love. The knight, in agony, agrees. On their wedding night, the knight pays no attention to the foul woman next to him. When she questions him, he confesses that her age, ugliness, and low breeding are repulsive to him. The old hag reminds him that true gentility is not a matter of appearances but of virtue. She tells him that her looks can be viewed as an asset. If she were beautiful, many men would be after her; in her present state, however, he can be assured that he has a virtuous wife. She offers him a choice: an old ugly hag such as she, but still a loyal, true, and virtuous wife, or a beautiful woman with whom he must take his chances. The knight says the choice is hers. And because she has "won the mastery," she tells him, "'Kiss me . . . and you shall find me both . . . fair and faithful as a wife." Indeed, she had become a lovely young woman, and they lived happily ever after.

The Wife's prologue is unique in that it is longer than the tale itself. The Wife of Bath uses the prologue to explain the basis of her theories about experience versus authority and to introduce the point that she illustrates in her tale: The thing women most desire is complete control ("sovereignty") over their husbands. Because she has had five husbands, the Wife feels that she can speak with authority from this experience, and, in the prologue, she tells how she got the upper hand with each of them.

In Chaucer's time, the antifeminism of the church was a strong controlling factor. Women were frequently characterized as almost monsters; they were sexually insatiable, lecherous, and shrewish, and they were patronized by the church authorities. Women were not allowed to participate in church doctrine in any way. Likewise, in Chaucer's time, a second marriage was considered suspect, so the Wife of Bath carefully reviews the words of God as revealed in scripture. And her knowledge of scripture (although confused at times) reveals that she is not simply an empty-minded woman. Nowhere, she confesses, can she find a stricture against more than one marriage, save the rebuke Jesus gave to the woman at the well about her five husbands. But this, she confesses, she cannot understand. Furthermore, in Chaucer's time, perpetual virginity received considerable praise; some of the saints were canonized because they preferred death to the loss of their virginity, or some struggled so fiercely to retain their virginity that they were considered martyrs and were canonized.

After the Wife of Bath departs from the holy scriptures, she appeals to common sense — if everyone remained a virgin, she offers, who would be left to give birth to more virgins? Even more basic, she maintains that the sex organs are to be used for pleasure as well as for procreation: She admits that she is a boisterous woman who enjoys sex and is not ashamed of it — a violation of the medieval view that saw sex as justified only for procreation. She also denies the popular belief that women should be submissive, especially in matters of sex.

The reader should remember that the Wife's arguments, in all cases, go against the authorities of the church and that she is a woman who prefers her own experiences to scholarly arguments. The truly remarkable aspect of the Wife of Bath's prologue is not her argument with the mores of her time or with the strictures of the church, but the very wonderful portrait of a human being. She is a woman of great vitality, a woman who is wonderfully alive and responsive. And after five husbands and hardships — she has lost her beauty and her youth — she has survived. She has the power to enjoy life with a zest denied the other dour pilgrims, and she has the will to enjoy what she cannot change.

The Wife of Bath's Tale is referred to technically as an exemplum, a story told to illustrate an intellectual idea. In this case, the tale is to provide an answer to the question "What do women most desire?" Even though Chaucer had some of the ideas from other sources (the Roman de las Rose as elaborated by Jean de Meun, and St. Jerome's comments on celibacy in Hieronymous contra Jovinianum ), he reshaped the tale to fit in with the Wife of Bath's introduction and her basic thesis that women most desire "sovereignty." For example, Chaucer uses an older shrew — the Wife of Bath who has just married a man twenty years younger than she is — as the narrator telling a story about an old hag who gains sovereignty over her youthful husband and the result being that the couple live a contented and a long, happy life.

Throughout the Wife's tale, traditional values and headships, that is leadership and supremacy, are reversed or overthrown. At the beginning of the tale, King Arthur submits to the rule of Guinevere (thus abandoning both his headship of the state and his headship of the family); the ladies of the court, instead of the men, serve as justices; and the authority of books and scriptures gives way to experience. Furthermore, the knight, a rapist who has violated the sanctity of a young girl's chastity, is redeemed by another woman, albeit a hag. Finally, in the choice the hag offers the knight, both choices are intolerable. Thus, when he lets her make the decision, he has abandoned the male's sovereignty in favor of the woman's rule, thus turning the medieval world-picture "up-so-doun."

"Five husbands . . . at the church door" In Chaucer's time, a wedding was performed at the church door and not inside the church or chapel.

Mark can tell The miracle of the loaves and fishes and the barley bread is actually John, not Mark (see John VI:9), but this is a slight error for a woman of the Middle Ages to make.

Ptolemy . . . almagest Ptolemy was a second century a.d. astronomer whose chief work was the Almagest. The Wife of Bath's quote shows that she is familiar with such a famous person.

Dunmow Fliatcah a prize awarded to the married couple in Essex who had no quarrels, no regrets, and, if the opportunity presented itself, would remarry each other. The Wife is still establishing the right of more than one marriage.

Argus . . . pull his beard a mythological giant with a hundred eyes whose duty was to guard a mortal (Io) whom Zeus loved. By Chaucer's time the word referred to any observant, vigilant person or guardian.

Three Misfortunes, Thinges Three reference to Proverbs xxx, 21-23.

quoniam a vulgar designation for the female pudendum, or vulva.

Venerien . . . Marcien astrological terms.

Ecclesiasticus, Ecclesiaste See xxv: 29.

Valerie and Theofraste a work attributed to Walter Map, a minor satirist who disparaged marriage. All the writers the Wife of Bath quotes have written something either antifeminist, satiric, or unpleasant about marriage.

Valerius, Tullius, Boethius, Seneca writers who espoused that gentility comes from within and not from outward appearances.

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Harvard's geoffrey chaucer website, 3.1 the wife of bath's prologue and tale.

The Wife of Bath's Prologue

The Prologe of the Wyves Tale of Bathe

1 "Experience, though noon auctoritee "Experience, though no written authority 2 Were in this world, is right ynogh for me Were in this world, is good enough for me 3 To speke of wo that is in mariage; To speak of the woe that is in marriage; 4 For, lordynges, sith I twelve yeer was of age, For, gentlemen, since I was twelve years of age, 5 Thonked be God that is eterne on lyve, Thanked be God who is eternally alive, 6 Housbondes at chirche dore I have had fyve -- I have had five husbands at the church door -- 7 If I so ofte myghte have ywedded bee -- If I so often might have been wedded -- 8 And alle were worthy men in hir degree. And all were worthy men in their way. 9 But me was toold, certeyn, nat longe agoon is, But to me it was told, certainly, it is not long ago, 10 That sith that Crist ne wente nevere but onis That since Christ went never but once 11 To weddyng, in the Cane of Galilee, To a wedding, in the Cana of Galilee, 12 That by the same ensample taughte he me That by that same example he taught me 13 That I ne sholde wedded be but ones. That I should be wedded but once. 14 Herkne eek, lo, which a sharp word for the nones, Listen also, lo, what a sharp word for this purpose, 15 Biside a welle, Jhesus, God and man, Beside a well, Jesus, God and man, 16 Spak in repreeve of the Samaritan: Spoke in reproof of the Samaritan: 17 `Thou hast yhad fyve housbondes,' quod he, `Thou hast had five husbands,' he said, 18 `And that ilke man that now hath thee `And that same man that now has thee 19 Is noght thyn housbonde,' thus seyde he certeyn. Is not thy husband,' thus he said certainly. 20 What that he mente therby, I kan nat seyn; What he meant by this, I can not say; 21 But that I axe, why that the fifthe man But I ask, why the fifth man 22 Was noon housbonde to the Samaritan? Was no husband to the Samaritan? 23 How manye myghte she have in mariage? How many might she have in marriage? 24 Yet herde I nevere tellen in myn age I never yet heard tell in my lifetime 25 Upon this nombre diffinicioun. A definition of this number. 26 Men may devyne and glosen, up and doun, Men may conjecture and interpret in every way, 27 But wel I woot, expres, withoute lye, But well I know, expressly, without lie, 28 God bad us for to wexe and multiplye; God commanded us to grow fruitful and multiply; 29 That gentil text kan I wel understonde. That gentle text I can well understand. 30 Eek wel I woot, he seyde myn housbonde Also I know well, he said my husband 31 Sholde lete fader and mooder and take to me. Should leave father and mother and take to me. 32 But of no nombre mencion made he, But he made no mention of number, 33 Of bigamye, or of octogamye; Of marrying two, or of marrying eight; 34 Why sholde men thanne speke of it vileynye? Why should men then speak evil of it?

35 Lo, heere the wise kyng, daun Salomon; Lo, (consider) here the wise king, dan Salomon; 36 I trowe he hadde wyves mo than oon. I believe he had wives more than one. 37 As wolde God it leveful were unto me As would God it were lawful unto me 38 To be refresshed half so ofte as he! To be refreshed half so often as he! 39 Which yifte of God hadde he for alle his wyvys! What a gift of God he had because of all his wives! 40 No man hath swich that in this world alyve is. No man that in this world is alive has such (a gift). 41 God woot, this noble kyng, as to my wit, God knows, this noble king, according to my judgment, 42 The firste nyght had many a myrie fit The first night had many a merry fit 43 With ech of hem, so wel was hym on lyve. With each of them, so well things went for him in his lifetime. 44 Yblessed be God that I have wedded fyve! Blessed be God that I have wedded five! 44a [Of whiche I have pyked out the beste, [Of which I have picked out the best, 44b Bothe of here nether purs and of here cheste. Both of their lower purse (scrotum) and of their strongbox. 44c Diverse scoles maken parfyt clerkes, Differing schools make perfect clerks, 44d And diverse practyk in many sondry werkes And differing practice in many various works 44e Maketh the werkman parfyt sekirly; Makes the workman truly perfect; 44f Of fyve husbondes scoleiyng am I.] Of five husbands' schooling am I.] 45 Welcome the sixte, whan that evere he shal. Welcome the sixth, whenever he shall appear. 46 For sothe, I wol nat kepe me chaast in al. For truly, I will not keep myself chaste in everything. 47 Whan myn housbonde is fro the world ygon, When my husband is gone from the world, 48 Som Cristen man shal wedde me anon, Some Christian man shall wed me straightway, 49 For thanne th' apostle seith that I am free For then the apostle says that I am free 50 To wedde, a Goddes half, where it liketh me. To wed, by God's side (I swear), wherever it pleases me. 51 He seith that to be wedded is no synne; He says that to be wedded is no sin; 52 Bet is to be wedded than to brynne. It is better to be wedded than to burn. 53 What rekketh me, thogh folk seye vileynye What do I care, though folk speak evil 54 Of shrewed Lameth and his bigamye? Of cursed Lamech and his bigamy? 55 I woot wel Abraham was an hooly man, I know well Abraham was a holy man, 56 And Jacob eek, as ferforth as I kan; And Jacob also, insofar as I know; 57 And ech of hem hadde wyves mo than two, And each of them had more than two wives, 58 And many another holy man also. And many another holy man also. 59 Wher can ye seye, in any manere age, Where can you find, in any historical period, 60 That hye God defended mariage That high God forbad marriage 61 By expres word? I pray yow, telleth me. By express word? I pray you, tell me. 62 Or where comanded he virginitee? Or where commanded he virginity? 63 I woot as wel as ye, it is no drede, I know as well as you, it is no doubt, 64 Th' apostel, whan he speketh of maydenhede, The apostle, when he speaks of maidenhood, 65 He seyde that precept therof hadde he noon. He said that he had no precept concerning it. 66 Men may conseille a womman to been oon, Men may advise a woman to be one, 67 But conseillyng is no comandement. But advice is no commandment. 68 He putte it in oure owene juggement; He left it to our own judgment; 69 For hadde God comanded maydenhede, For had God commanded maidenhood, 70 Thanne hadde he dampned weddyng with the dede. Then had he damned marriage along with the act (of procreation). 71 And certes, if ther were no seed ysowe, And certainly, if there were no seed sown, 72 Virginitee, thanne wherof sholde it growe? Then from what should virginity grow? 73 Poul dorste nat comanden, atte leeste, In any case, Paul dared not command 74 A thyng of which his maister yaf noon heeste. A thing of which his master gave no command. 75 The dart is set up for virginitee; The prize is set up for virginity; 76 Cacche whoso may, who renneth best lat see. Catch it whoever can, let's see who runs best.

77 But this word is nat taken of every wight, But this word does not apply to every person, 78 But ther as God lust gyve it of his myght. But where God desires to give it by his power. 79 I woot wel that th' apostel was a mayde; I know well that the apostle was a virgin; 80 But nathelees, thogh that he wroot and sayde But nonetheless, though he wrote and said 81 He wolde that every wight were swich as he, He would that every person were such as he, 82 Al nys but conseil to virginitee. All is nothing but advice to (adopt) virginity. 83 And for to been a wyf he yaf me leve And he gave me leave to be a wife 84 Of indulgence; so nys it no repreve By explicit permission; so it is not blameful 85 To wedde me, if that my make dye, To wed me, if my mate should die, 86 Withouten excepcion of bigamye. Without objection on the grounds of bigamy. 87 Al were it good no womman for to touche -- Although it would be good to touch no woman -- 88 He mente as in his bed or in his couche, He meant in his bed or in his couch, 89 For peril is bothe fyr and tow t' assemble; For it is perilous to assemble both fire and flax; 90 Ye knowe what this ensample may resemble. You know what this example may apply to. 91 This is al and som: he heeld virginitee This is the sum of it: he held virginity 92 Moore parfit than weddyng in freletee. More perfect than wedding in weakness. 93 Freletee clepe I, but if that he and she Weakness I call it, unless he and she 94 Wolde leden al hir lyf in chastitee. Would lead all their life in chastity.

95 I graunte it wel; I have noon envie, I grant it well; I have no envy, 96 Thogh maydenhede preferre bigamye. Though maidenhood may have precedence over a second marriage. 97 It liketh hem to be clene, body and goost; It pleases them to be clean, body and spirit; 98 Of myn estaat I nyl nat make no boost, Of my state I will make no boast, 99 For wel ye knowe, a lord in his houshold, For well you know, a lord in his household, 100 He nath nat every vessel al of gold; He has not every utensil all of gold; 101 Somme been of tree, and doon hir lord servyse. Some are of wood, and do their lord service. 102 God clepeth folk to hym in sondry wyse, God calls folk to him in various ways, 103 And everich hath of God a propre yifte -- And each one has of God an individual gift -- 104 Som this, som that, as hym liketh shifte. Some this, some that, as it pleases Him to provide.

105 Virginitee is greet perfeccion, Virginity is great perfection, 106 And continence eek with devocion, And continence also with devotion, 107 But Crist, that of perfeccion is welle, But Christ, who is the source of perfection, 108 Bad nat every wight he sholde go selle Did not command that every one should go sell 109 Al that he hadde, and gyve it to the poore, All that he had, and give it to the poor, 110 And in swich wise folwe hym and his foore. And in such wise follow him and his footsteps. 111 He spak to hem that wolde lyve parfitly; He spoke to those who would live perfectly; 112 And lordynges, by youre leve, that am nat I. And gentlemen, by your leave, I am not that. 113 I wol bistowe the flour of al myn age I will bestow the flower of all my age 114 In the actes and in fruyt of mariage. In the acts and in fruit of marriage.

115 Telle me also, to what conclusion Tell me also, to what purpose 116 Were membres maad of generacion, Were members of generation made, 117 And of so parfit wys a [wright] ywroght? And by so perfectly wise a Workman wrought? 118 Trusteth right wel, they were nat maad for noght. Trust right well, they were not made for nothing. 119 Glose whoso wole, and seye bothe up and doun Interpret whoever will, and say both up and down 120 That they were maked for purgacioun That they were made for purgation 121 Of uryne, and oure bothe thynges smale Of urine, and both our small things 122 Were eek to knowe a femele from a male, Were also to know a female from a male, 123 And for noon oother cause -- say ye no? And for no other cause -- do you say no? 124 The experience woot wel it is noght so. The experience knows well it is not so. 125 So that the clerkes be nat with me wrothe, Provided that the clerks be not angry with me, 126 I sey this: that they maked ben for bothe; I say this: that they are made for both; 127 That is to seye, for office and for ese That is to say, for urination and for ease 128 Of engendrure, ther we nat God displese. Of procreation, in which we do not displease God. 129 Why sholde men elles in hir bookes sette Why else should men set in their books 130 That man shal yelde to his wyf hire dette? That man shall pay to his wife her debt? 131 Now wherwith sholde he make his paiement, Now with what should he make his payment, 132 If he ne used his sely instrument? If he did not use his blessed instrument? 133 Thanne were they maad upon a creature Then were they made upon a creature 134 To purge uryne, and eek for engendrure. To purge urine, and also for procreation.

135 But I seye noght that every wight is holde, But I say not that every person is required, 136 That hath swich harneys as I to yow tolde, That has such equipment as I to you told, 137 To goon and usen hem in engendrure. To go and use them in procreation. 138 Thanne sholde men take of chastitee no cure. Then should men have no regard for chastity. 139 Crist was a mayde and shapen as a man, Christ was a virgin and shaped like a man, 140 And many a seint, sith that the world bigan; And many a saint, since the world began; 141 Yet lyved they evere in parfit chastitee. Yet lived they ever in perfect chastity. 142 I nyl envye no virginitee. I will envy no virginity. 143 Lat hem be breed of pured whete-seed, Let them be bread of pure wheat-seed, 144 And lat us wyves hoten barly-breed; And let us wives be called barley-bread; 145 And yet with barly-breed, Mark telle kan, And yet with barley-bread, Mark can tell it, 146 Oure Lord Jhesu refresshed many a man. Our Lord Jesus refreshed many a man. 147 In swich estaat as God hath cleped us In such estate as God has called us 148 I wol persevere; I nam nat precius. I will persevere; I am not fussy. 149 In wyfhod I wol use myn instrument In wifehood I will use my instrument 150 As frely as my Makere hath it sent. As freely as my Maker has it sent. 151 If I be daungerous, God yeve me sorwe! If I be niggardly, God give me sorrow! 152 Myn housbonde shal it have bothe eve and morwe, My husband shall have it both evenings and mornings, 153 Whan that hym list come forth and paye his dette. When it pleases him to come forth and pay his debt. 154 An housbonde I wol have -- I wol nat lette -- A husband I will have -- I will not desist -- 155 Which shal be bothe my dettour and my thral, Who shall be both my debtor and my slave, 156 And have his tribulacion withal And have his suffering also 157 Upon his flessh, whil that I am his wyf. Upon his flesh, while I am his wife. 158 I have the power durynge al my lyf I have the power during all my life 159 Upon his propre body, and noght he. Over his own body, and not he. 160 Right thus the Apostel tolde it unto me, Right thus the Apostle told it unto me, 161 And bad oure housbondes for to love us weel. And commanded our husbands to love us well. 162 Al this sentence me liketh every deel" -- All this sentence pleases me every bit" --

163 Up stirte the Pardoner, and that anon; Up sprang the Pardoner, and that at once; 164 "Now, dame," quod he, "by God and by Seint John! "Now, madam," he said, "by God and by Saint John! 165 Ye been a noble prechour in this cas. You are a noble preacher in this case. 166 I was aboute to wedde a wyf; allas! I was about to wed a wife; alas! 167 What sholde I bye it on my flessh so deere? Why should I pay for it so dearly on my flesh? 168 Yet hadde I levere wedde no wyf to-yeere!" Yet would I rather wed no wife this year!"

169 "Abyde!" quod she, "my tale is nat bigonne. "Wait!" she said, "my tale is not begun. 170 Nay, thou shalt drynken of another tonne, Nay, thou shalt drink from another barrel, 171 Er that I go, shal savoure wors than ale. Before I go, which shall taste worse than ale. 172 And whan that I have toold thee forth my tale And when I have told thee forth my tale 173 Of tribulacion in mariage, Of suffering in marriage, 174 Of which I am expert in al myn age -- Of which I am expert in all my life -- 175 This is to seyn, myself have been the whippe -- This is to say, myself have been the whip -- 176 Than maystow chese wheither thou wolt sippe Than may thou choose whether thou will sip 177 Of thilke tonne that I shal abroche. Of that same barrel that I shall open. 178 Be war of it, er thou to ny approche; Beware of it, before thou too near approach; 179 For I shal telle ensamples mo than ten. For I shall tell examples more than ten. 180 `Whoso that nyl be war by othere men, `Whoever will not be warned by (the examples of) other men, 181 By hym shul othere men corrected be.' Shall be an example by which other men shall be corrected.' 182 The same wordes writeth Ptholomee; The same words writes Ptholomy; 183 Rede in his Almageste, and take it there." Read in his Almagest, and take it there."

184 "Dame, I wolde praye yow, if youre wyl it were," "Madam, I would pray you, if it were your will," 185 Seyde this Pardoner, "as ye bigan, Said this Pardoner, "as you began, 186 Telle forth youre tale, spareth for no man, Tell forth your tale, refrain for no man, 187 And teche us yonge men of youre praktike." And teach us young men of your practice."

188 "Gladly," quod she, "sith it may yow like; "Gladly," she said, "since it may please you; 189 But yet I praye to al this compaignye, But yet I pray to all this company, 190 If that I speke after my fantasye, If I speak according to my fancy, 191 As taketh not agrief of that I seye, Do not be annoyed by what I say, 192 For myn entente nys but for to pleye. For my intention is only to amuse.

193 Now, sire, now wol I telle forth my tale. Now, sir, now will I tell forth my tale. 194 As evere moote I drynken wyn or ale, As ever may I drink wine or ale, 195 I shal seye sooth; tho housbondes that I hadde, I shall speak the truth; those husbands that I had, 196 As thre of hem were goode, and two were badde. Three of them were good, and two were bad. 197 The thre were goode men, and riche, and olde; The three were good men, and rich, and old; 198 Unnethe myghte they the statut holde Hardly might they the statute hold (pay the debt) 199 In which that they were bounden unto me. In which they were bound unto me. 200 Ye woot wel what I meene of this, pardee! You know well what I mean of this, by God! 201 As help me God, I laughe whan I thynke So help me God, I laugh when I think 202 How pitously a-nyght I made hem swynke! How pitifully at night I made them work! 203 And, by my fey, I tolde of it no stoor. And, by my faith, I set no store by it. 204 They had me yeven hir lond and hir tresoor; They had given me their land and their treasure; 205 Me neded nat do lenger diligence I needed not work hard any longer 206 To wynne hir love, or doon hem reverence. To win their love, or do them reverence. 207 They loved me so wel, by God above, They loved me so well, by God above, 208 That I ne tolde no deyntee of hir love! That I reckoned little of their love! 209 A wys womman wol bisye hire evere in oon A wise woman will be constantly busy 210 To gete hire love, ye, ther as she hath noon. To get their love, yes, when she has none. 211 But sith I hadde hem hoolly in myn hond, But since I had them wholly in my hand, 212 And sith they hadde me yeven al hir lond, And since they had me given all their land, 213 What sholde I taken keep hem for to plese, Why should I take care to please them, 214 But it were for my profit and myn ese? Unless it were for my profit and my pleasure? 215 I sette hem so a-werke, by my fey, I set them so to work, by my faith, 216 That many a nyght they songen `Weilawey!' That many a night they sang `Woe is me!' 217 The bacon was nat fet for hem, I trowe, The bacon was not fetched for them, I believe, 218 That som men han in Essex at Dunmowe. That some men have in Essex at Dunmowe. 219 I governed hem so wel, after my lawe, I governed them so well, according to my law, 220 That ech of hem ful blisful was and fawe That each of them was very blissful and eager 221 To brynge me gaye thynges fro the fayre. To bring me gay things from the fair. 222 They were ful glad whan I spak to hem faire, They were very glad when I spoke to them pleasantly, 223 For, God it woot, I chidde hem spitously. For, God knows it, I cruelly scolded them.

224 Now herkneth hou I baar me proprely, Now listen how well I conducted myself, 225 Ye wise wyves, that kan understonde. You wise wives, that can understand. 226 Thus shulde ye speke and bere hem wrong on honde, Thus should you speak and accuse them wrongfully, 227 For half so boldely kan ther no man For half so boldly can there no man 228 Swere and lyen, as a womman kan. Swear and lie, as a woman can. 229 I sey nat this by wyves that been wyse, I do not say this concerning wives that are wise, 230 But if it be whan they hem mysavyse. Unless it be when they are ill advised. 231 A wys wyf, if that she kan hir good, A wise wife, if she knows what is good for her, 232 Shal beren hym on honde the cow is wood, Shall deceive him by swearing the bird is crazy, 233 And take witnesse of hir owene mayde, And prove it by taking witness of her own maid 234 Of hir assent. But herkneth how I sayde: Who is in league with her. But listen how I spoke:

235 `Sire olde kaynard, is this thyn array? `Sir old doddering fool, is this thy doing? 236 Why is my neighebores wyf so gay? Why is my neighbor's wife so gay? 237 She is honoured overal ther she gooth; She is honored everywhere she goes; 238 I sitte at hoom; I have no thrifty clooth. I sit at home; I have no decent clothing. 239 What dostow at my neighebores hous? What dost thou at my neighbor's house? 240 Is she so fair? Artow so amorous? Is she so fair? Art thou so amorous? 241 What rowne ye with oure mayde? Benedicite! What do you whisper with our maid? Bless me! 242 Sire olde lecchour, lat thy japes be! Sir old lecher, let thy tricks be! 243 And if I have a gossib or a freend, And if I have a close friend or an acquaintance, 244 Withouten gilt, thou chidest as a feend, Innocently, thou scold like a fiend, 245 If that I walke or pleye unto his hous! If I walk or go unto his house to amuse myself! 246 Thou comest hoom as dronken as a mous, Thou comest home as drunk as a mouse, 247 And prechest on thy bench, with yvel preef! And preach on thy bench, bad luck to you! 248 Thou seist to me it is a greet meschief Thou sayest to me it is a great misfortune 249 To wedde a povre womman, for costage; To wed a poor woman, because of expense; 250 And if that she be riche, of heigh parage, And if she be rich, of high birth, 251 Thanne seistow that it is a tormentrie Then thou sayest that it is a torment 252 To soffre hire pride and hire malencolie. To put up with her pride and her angry moods. 253 And if that she be fair, thou verray knave, And if she be fair, thou utter knave, 254 Thou seyst that every holour wol hire have; Thou sayest that every lecher wants to have her; 255 She may no while in chastitee abyde, She can not remain chaste for any length of time, 256 That is assailled upon ech a syde. Who is assailed on every side.

257 Thou seyst som folk desiren us for richesse, Thou sayest some folk desire us for riches, 258 Somme for oure shap, and somme for oure fairnesse, Some for our shape, and some for our fairness, 259 And som for she kan outher synge or daunce, And one because she can either sing or dance, 260 And som for gentillesse and daliaunce; And some because of noble descent and flirtatious talk; 261 Som for hir handes and hir armes smale; Some because of their hands and their slender arms; 262 Thus goth al to the devel, by thy tale. Thus goes all to the devil, according to you. 263 Thou seyst men may nat kepe a castel wal, Thou sayest men may not defend a castle wall, 264 It may so longe assailled been overal. It may so long be assailed on all sides.

265 And if that she be foul, thou seist that she And if she be ugly, thou sayest that she 266 Coveiteth every man that she may se, Covets every man that she may see, 267 For as a spanyel she wol on hym lepe, For like a spaniel she will on him leap, 268 Til that she fynde som man hire to chepe. Until she find some man to buy (take) her. 269 Ne noon so grey goos gooth ther in the lake Nor does any goose go there in the lake, no matter how drab, 270 As, seistow, wol been withoute make. That, thou sayest, will be without a mate. 271 And seyst it is an hard thyng for to welde And thou sayest it is a hard thing to control 272 A thyng that no man wole, his thankes, helde. A thing that no man will, willingly, hold. 273 Thus seistow, lorel, whan thow goost to bedde, Thus sayest thou, scoundrel, when thou goest to bed, 274 And that no wys man nedeth for to wedde, And that no wise man needs to wed, 275 Ne no man that entendeth unto hevene. Nor any man that hopes (to go) to heaven. 276 With wilde thonder-dynt and firy levene With wild thunder-bolt and fiery lightning 277 Moote thy welked nekke be tobroke! May thy wrinkled neck be broken in pieces!

278 Thow seyst that droppyng houses, and eek smoke, Thou sayest that leaky houses, and also smoke, 279 And chidyng wyves maken men to flee And scolding wives make men to flee 280 Out of hir owene houses; a, benedicitee! Out of their own houses; ah, bless me! 281 What eyleth swich an old man for to chide? What ails such an old man to chide like that?

282 Thow seyst we wyves wol oure vices hide Thou sayest we wives will hide our vices 283 Til we be fast, and thanne we wol hem shewe -- Until we be securely tied (in marriage), and then we will them show -- 284 Wel may that be a proverbe of a shrewe! Well may that be a proverb of a scoundrel!

285 Thou seist that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes, Thou sayest that oxen, asses, horses, and hounds, 286 They been assayed at diverse stoundes; They are tried out a number of times; 287 Bacyns, lavours, er that men hem bye, Basins, wash bowls, before men them buy, 288 Spoones and stooles, and al swich housbondrye, Spoons and stools, and all such household items, 289 And so been pottes, clothes, and array; And so are pots, clothes, and adornments; 290 But folk of wyves maken noon assay, But folk of wives make no trial, 291 Til they be wedded -- olde dotard shrewe! -- Until they are wedded -- old doddering scoundrel! -- 292 And thanne, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe. And then, sayest thou, we will show our vices.

293 Thou seist also that it displeseth me Thou sayest also that it displeases me 294 But if that thou wolt preyse my beautee, Unless thou will praise my beauty, 295 And but thou poure alwey upon my face, And unless thou peer always upon my face, 296 And clepe me "faire dame" in every place. And call me "dear lady" in every place. 297 And but thou make a feeste on thilke day And unless thou make a feast on that same day 298 That I was born, and make me fressh and gay; That I was born, and make me happy and gay; 299 And but thou do to my norice honour, And unless thou do honor to my nurse, 300 And to my chamberere withinne my bour, And to my chambermaid within my bedchamber, 301 And to my fadres folk and his allyes -- And to my father's folk and his allies -- 302 Thus seistow, olde barel-ful of lyes! Thus sayest thou, old barrelful of lies!

303 And yet of oure apprentice Janekyn, And yet of our apprentice Janekin, 304 For his crispe heer, shynynge as gold so fyn, Because of his curly hair, shining like gold so fine, 305 And for he squiereth me bothe up and doun, And because he familiarly attends me everywhere, 306 Yet hastow caught a fals suspecioun. Yet hast thou caught a false suspicion. 307 I wol hym noght, thogh thou were deed tomorwe! I do not want him, though thou were dead tomorrow!

308 But tel me this: why hydestow, with sorwe, But tell me this: why hidest thou, bad luck to you, 309 The keyes of thy cheste awey fro me? The keys of thy strongbox away from me? 310 It is my good as wel as thyn, pardee! It is my property as well as thine, by God! 311 What, wenestow make an ydiot of oure dame? What, think thou to make a fool of the lady of the house? 312 Now by that lord that called is Seint Jame, Now by that lord that is called Saint James, 313 Thou shalt nat bothe, thogh that thou were wood, Thou shalt not both, though thou were crazy with anger, 314 Be maister of my body and of my good; Be master of my body and of my property; 315 That oon thou shalt forgo, maugree thyne yen. One of them thou must give up, despite anything you can do. 316 What helpith it of me to enquere or spyen? What helps it to inquire about me or spy? 317 I trowe thou woldest loke me in thy chiste! I believe thou would lock me in thy strongbox! 318 Thou sholdest seye, "Wyf, go wher thee liste; Thou should say, "Wife, go where you please; 319 Taak youre disport; I wol nat leve no talys. Enjoy yourself; I will not believe any gossip. 320 I knowe yow for a trewe wyf, dame Alys." I know you for a true wife, dame Alys." 321 We love no man that taketh kep or charge We love no man who takes notice or concern about 322 Wher that we goon; we wol ben at oure large. Where we go; we will be free (to do as we wish).

323 Of alle men yblessed moot he be, Of all men blessed may he be, 324 The wise astrologien, Daun Ptholome, The wise astrologer, Dan Ptolemy, 325 That seith this proverbe in his Almageste: Who says this proverb in his Almagest: 326 "Of alle men his wysdom is the hyeste "Of all men his wisdom is the highest 327 That rekketh nevere who hath the world in honde." Who never cares who has the world in his control." 328 By this proverbe thou shalt understonde, By this proverb thou shalt understand, 329 Have thou ynogh, what thar thee recche or care If thou have enough, why should thou take note or care 330 How myrily that othere folkes fare? How merrily other folks fare? 331 For, certeyn, olde dotard, by youre leve, For, certainly, old senile fool, by your leave, 332 Ye shul have queynte right ynogh at eve. You shall have pudendum right enough at eve. 333 He is to greet a nygard that wolde werne He is too great a miser that would refuse 334 A man to lighte a candle at his lanterne; A man to light a candle at his lantern; 335 He shal have never the lasse light, pardee. He shall have never the less light, by God. 336 Have thou ynogh, thee thar nat pleyne thee. If thou have enough, thou need not complain.

337 Thou seyst also, that if we make us gay Thou sayest also, that if we make ourselves gay 338 With clothyng, and with precious array, With clothing, and with precious adornments, 339 That it is peril of oure chastitee; That it is dangerous to our chastity; 340 And yet -- with sorwe! -- thou most enforce thee, And yet -- bad luck to thee! -- thou must reinforce thy argument, 341 And seye thise wordes in the Apostles name: And say these words in the Apostle's name: 342 "In habit maad with chastitee and shame "In clothing made with chastity and shame 343 Ye wommen shul apparaille yow," quod he, You women shall apparel yourselves," he said, 344 "And noght in tressed heer and gay perree, "And not in carefully arranged hair and gay precious stones, 345 As perles, ne with gold, ne clothes riche." Such as pearls, nor with gold, nor rich cloth." 346 After thy text, ne after thy rubriche, In accordance with thy text, nor in accord with thy interpretation, 347 I wol nat wirche as muchel as a gnat. I will not do as much as a gnat.

348 Thou seydest this, that I was lyk a cat; Thou said this, that I was like a cat; 349 For whoso wolde senge a cattes skyn, For if anyone would singe a cat's skin, 350 Thanne wolde the cat wel dwellen in his in; Then would the cat well stay in his dwelling; 351 And if the cattes skyn be slyk and gay, And if the cat's skin be sleek and gay, 352 She wol nat dwelle in house half a day, She will not stay in house half a day, 353 But forth she wole, er any day be dawed, But forth she will (go), before any day be dawned, 354 To shewe hir skyn and goon a-caterwawed. To show her skin and go yowling like a cat in heat. 355 This is to seye, if I be gay, sire shrewe, This is to say, if I be well dressed, sir scoundrel, 356 I wol renne out my borel for to shewe. I will run out to show my poor clothes.

357 Sire olde fool, what helpeth thee to spyen? Sir old fool, what help is it for thee to spy? 358 Thogh thou preye Argus with his hundred yen Though thou pray Argus with his hundred eyes 359 To be my warde-cors, as he kan best, To be my bodyguard, as he best knows how, 360 In feith, he shal nat kepe me but me lest; In faith, he shall not keep me but as I please; 361 Yet koude I make his berd, so moot I thee! Yet could I deceive him, as I may prosper!

362 Thou seydest eek that ther been thynges thre, Thou said also that there are three things, 363 The whiche thynges troublen al this erthe, The which things trouble all this earth, 364 And that no wight may endure the ferthe. And that no one can endure the fourth. 365 O leeve sire shrewe, Jhesu shorte thy lyf! O dear sir scoundrel, Jesus shorten thy life! 366 Yet prechestow and seyst an hateful wyf Yet thou preachest and sayest a hateful wife 367 Yrekened is for oon of thise meschances. Is reckoned as one of these misfortunes. 368 Been ther none othere maner resemblances Are there no other sorts of comparisons 369 That ye may likne youre parables to, That you can use in your sayings, 370 But if a sely wyf be oon of tho? Without a poor wife's being one of them?

371 Thou liknest eek wommenes love to helle, Thou also compare women's love to hell, 372 To bareyne lond, ther water may nat dwelle. To barren land, where water may not remain. 373 Thou liknest it also to wilde fyr; Thou compare it also to Greek (inextinguishable) fire; 374 The moore it brenneth, the moore it hath desir The more it burns, the more it has desire 375 To consume every thyng that brent wole be. To consume every thing that will be burned. 376 Thou seyest, right as wormes shende a tree, Thou sayest, just as worms destroy a tree, 377 Right so a wyf destroyeth hire housbonde; Right so a wife destroys her husband; 378 This knowe they that been to wyves bonde.' This know they who are bound to wives.'

379 Lordynges, right thus, as ye have understonde, Gentlemen, right thus, as you have heard, 380 Baar I stifly myne olde housbondes on honde I firmly swore to my old husbands 381 That thus they seyden in hir dronkenesse; That thus they said in their drunkenness; 382 And al was fals, but that I took witnesse And all was false, but I took witness 383 On Janekyn, and on my nece also. On Janekin, and on my niece also. 384 O Lord! The peyne I dide hem and the wo, O Lord! The pain I did them and the woe, 385 Ful giltelees, by Goddes sweete pyne! Entirely guiltless (they were), by God's sweet pain! 386 For as an hors I koude byte and whyne. For like a horse I could bite and whinny. 387 I koude pleyne, and yit was in the gilt, I could complain, and yet was in the wrong, 388 Or elles often tyme hadde I been spilt. Or else many times had I been ruined. 389 Whoso that first to mille comth, first grynt; Whoever first comes to the mill, first grinds; 390 I pleyned first, so was oure werre ystynt. I complained first, so was our war ended. 391 They were ful glade to excuse hem blyve They were very glad to excuse themselves quickly 392 Of thyng of which they nevere agilte hir lyve. Of things of which they were never guilty in their lives. 393 Of wenches wolde I beren hem on honde, Of wenches would I falsely accuse them, 394 Whan that for syk unnethes myghte they stonde. When for sickness they could hardly stand.

395 Yet tikled I his herte, for that he Yet I tickled his heart, for he 396 Wende that I hadde of hym so greet chiertee! Believed that I had of him so great affection! 397 I swoor that al my walkynge out by nyghte I swore that all my walking out by night 398 Was for t' espye wenches that he dighte; Was to spy out wenches with whom he had intercourse; 399 Under that colour hadde I many a myrthe. Under that pretense I had many a mirth. 400 For al swich wit is yeven us in oure byrthe; For all such wit is given us in our birth; 401 Deceite, wepyng, spynnyng God hath yive Deceit, weeping, spinning God has given 402 To wommen kyndely, whil that they may lyve. To women naturally, while they may live. 403 And thus of o thyng I avaunte me: And thus of one thing I boast: 404 Atte ende I hadde the bettre in ech degree, At the end I had the better in every way, 405 By sleighte, or force, or by som maner thyng, By trickery, or force, or by some such thing, 406 As by continueel murmur or grucchyng. As by continual grumbling or grouching. 407 Namely abedde hadden they meschaunce: Especially in bed they had misfortune: 408 Ther wolde I chide and do hem no plesaunce; There would I scold and do them no pleasure; 409 I wolde no lenger in the bed abyde, I would no longer in the bed abide, 410 If that I felte his arm over my syde, If I felt his arm over my side, 411 Til he had maad his raunson unto me; Until he had paid his penalty to me; 412 Thanne wolde I suffre hym do his nycetee. Then would I allow him to do his foolishness. 413 And therfore every man this tale I telle, And therefore this tale I tell to every man, 414 Wynne whoso may, for al is for to selle; Anyone can profit, for everything is for sale; 415 With empty hand men may none haukes lure. One can lure no hawks with an empty hand. 416 For wynnyng wolde I al his lust endure, For profit I would endure all his lust, 417 And make me a feyned appetit; And make me a feigned appetite; 418 And yet in bacon hadde I nevere delit. And yet in bacon (old meat) I never had delight. 419 That made me that evere I wolde hem chide, That made me so that I would always scold them, 420 For thogh the pope hadde seten hem biside, For though the pope had sat beside them, 421 I wolde nat spare hem at hir owene bord, I would not spare them at their own table, 422 For, by my trouthe, I quitte hem word for word. For, by my troth, I paid them back word for word. 423 As helpe me verray God omnipotent, As help me true God omnipotent, 424 Though I right now sholde make my testament, Though I right now should make my will, 425 I ne owe hem nat a word that it nys quit. I owe them not one word that has not been avenged. 426 I broghte it so aboute by my wit I brought it so about by my wit 427 That they moste yeve it up, as for the beste, That they had to give it up, as the best they could do, 428 Or elles hadde we nevere been in reste; Or else had we never been at peace; 429 For thogh he looked as a wood leon, For though he looked like a furious lion, 430 Yet sholde he faille of his conclusion. Yet should he fail to attain his goal.

431 Thanne wolde I seye, `Goode lief, taak keep Then I would say, `Sweetheart, see 432 How mekely looketh Wilkyn, oure sheep! How meekly looks Willy, our sheep! 433 Com neer, my spouse, lat me ba thy cheke! Come near, my spouse, let me kiss thy cheek! 434 Ye sholde been al pacient and meke, You should be all patient and meek, 435 And han a sweete spiced conscience, And have a sweet tender disposition, 436 Sith ye so preche of Jobes pacience. Since you so preach of Job's patience. 437 Suffreth alwey, syn ye so wel kan preche; Suffer always, since you so well can preach; 438 And but ye do, certein we shal yow teche And unless you do, certainly we shall teach you 439 That it is fair to have a wyf in pees. That it is fair to have a wife in peace. 440 Oon of us two moste bowen, doutelees, One of us two must bow, doubtless, 441 And sith a man is moore resonable And since a man is more reasonable 442 Than womman is, ye moste been suffrable. Than a woman is, you must be able to bear suffering. 443 What eyleth yow to grucche thus and grone? What ails you to grouch thus and groan? 444 Is it for ye wolde have my queynte allone? Is it because you want to have my pudendum all to yourself? 445 Wy, taak it al! Lo, have it every deel! Why, take it all! Lo, have it every bit! 446 Peter! I shrewe yow, but ye love it weel; By Saint Peter! I would curse you, if you did not love it well; 447 For if I wolde selle my bele chose, For if I would sell my `pretty thing,' 448 I koude walke as fressh as is a rose; I could walk as fresh (newly clothed) as is a rose; 449 But I wol kepe it for youre owene tooth. But I will keep it for your own pleasure. 450 Ye be to blame, by God! I sey yow sooth.' You are to blame, by God! I tell you the truth.'

451 Swiche manere wordes hadde we on honde. Such sorts of words we had in hand. 452 Now wol I speken of my fourthe housbonde. Now will I speak of my fourth husband.

453 My fourthe housbonde was a revelour -- My fourth husband was a reveller -- 454 This is to seyn, he hadde a paramour -- This is to say, he had a mistress -- 455 And I was yong and ful of ragerye, And I was young and full of playfulness, 456 Stibourn and strong, and joly as a pye. Stubborn and strong, and jolly as a magpie. 457 How koude I daunce to an harpe smale, How well I could dance to a small harp, 458 And synge, ywis, as any nyghtyngale, And sing, indeed, like any nightingale, 459 Whan I had dronke a draughte of sweete wyn! When I had drunk a draft of sweet wine! 460 Metellius, the foule cherl, the swyn, Metellius, the foul churl, the swine, 461 That with a staf birafte his wyf hir lyf, Who with a staff deprived his wife of her life, 462 For she drank wyn, thogh I hadde been his wyf, Because she drank wine, if I had been his wife, 463 He sholde nat han daunted me fro drynke! He should not have frightened me away from drink! 464 And after wyn on Venus moste I thynke, And after wine on Venus must I think, 465 For al so siker as cold engendreth hayl, For as surely as cold engenders hail, 466 A likerous mouth moste han a likerous tayl. A gluttonous mouth must have a lecherous tail. 467 In wommen vinolent is no defence -- In drunken women there is no defense -- 468 This knowen lecchours by experience. This lechers know by experience.

469 But -- Lord Crist! -- whan that it remembreth me But -- Lord Christ! -- when I remember 470 Upon my yowthe, and on my jolitee, My youth, and my gaiety, 471 It tikleth me aboute myn herte roote. It tickles me to the bottom of my heart. 472 Unto this day it dooth myn herte boote Unto this day it does my heart good 473 That I have had my world as in my tyme. That I have had my world in my time. 474 But age, allas, that al wole envenyme, But age, alas, that all will poison, 475 Hath me biraft my beautee and my pith. Has deprived me of my beauty and my vigor. 476 Lat go. Farewel! The devel go therwith! Let it go. Farewell! The devil go with it! 477 The flour is goon; ther is namoore to telle; The flour is gone; there is no more to tell; 478 The bren, as I best kan, now moste I selle; The bran, as I best can, now I must sell; 479 But yet to be right myrie wol I fonde. But yet I will try to be right merry. 480 Now wol I tellen of my fourthe housbonde. Now will I tell of my fourth husband.

481 I seye, I hadde in herte greet despit I say, I had in heart great anger 482 That he of any oother had delit. That he had delight in any other. 483 But he was quit, by God and by Seint Joce! But he was paid back, by God and by Saint Joce! 484 I made hym of the same wode a croce; I made him a cross of the same wood; 485 Nat of my body, in no foul manere, Not of my body, in no foul manner, 486 But certeinly, I made folk swich cheere But certainly, I treated folk in such a way 487 That in his owene grece I made hym frye That I made him fry in his own grease 488 For angre, and for verray jalousye. For anger, and for pure jealousy. 489 By God, in erthe I was his purgatorie, By God, in earth I was his purgatory, 490 For which I hope his soule be in glorie. For which I hope his soul may be in glory. 491 For, God it woot, he sat ful ofte and song, For, God knows it, he sat very often and cried out in pain, 492 Whan that his shoo ful bitterly hym wrong. When his shoe very bitterly pinched him. 493 Ther was no wight, save God and he, that wiste, There was no person who knew it, save God and he, 494 In many wise, how soore I hym twiste. In many a way, how painfully I tortured him. 495 He deyde whan I cam fro Jerusalem, He died when I came from Jerusalem, 496 And lith ygrave under the roode beem, And lies buried under the rood beam, 497 Al is his tombe noght so curyus Although his tomb is not so elaborate 498 As was the sepulcre of hym Daryus, As was the sepulcher of that Darius, 499 Which that Appelles wroghte subtilly; Which Appelles wrought skillfully; 500 It nys but wast to burye hym preciously. It is nothing but waste to bury him expensively. 501 Lat hym fare wel; God yeve his soule reste! Let him fare well; God give his soul rest! 502 He is now in his grave and in his cheste. He is now in his grave and in his casket.

503 Now of my fifthe housbonde wol I telle. Now of my fifth husband I will tell. 504 God lete his soule nevere come in helle! God let his soul never come in hell! 505 And yet was he to me the mooste shrewe; And yet he was to me the greatest scoundrel; 506 That feele I on my ribbes al by rewe, That feel I on my ribs one after another, 507 And evere shal unto myn endyng day. And ever shall unto my final day. 508 But in oure bed he was so fressh and gay, But in our bed he was so lively and gay, 509 And therwithal so wel koude he me glose, And moreover he so well could deceive me, 510 Whan that he wolde han my bele chose; When he would have my `pretty thing'; 511 That thogh he hadde me bete on every bon, That though he had beat me on every bone, 512 He koude wynne agayn my love anon. He could win back my love straightway. 513 I trowe I loved hym best, for that he I believe I loved him best, because he 514 Was of his love daungerous to me. Was of his love standoffish to me. 515 We wommen han, if that I shal nat lye, We women have, if I shall not lie, 516 In this matere a queynte fantasye: In this matter a curious fantasy: 517 Wayte what thyng we may nat lightly have, Note that whatever thing we may not easily have, 518 Therafter wol we crie al day and crave. We will cry all day and crave for it. 519 Forbede us thyng, and that desiren we; Forbid us a thing, and we desire it; 520 Preesse on us faste, and thanne wol we fle. Press on us fast, and then will we flee. 521 With daunger oute we al oure chaffare; With niggardliness we spread out all our merchandise; 522 Greet prees at market maketh deere ware, A great crowd at the market makes wares expensive, 523 And to greet cheep is holde at litel prys: And too great a supply makes them of little value: 524 This knoweth every womman that is wys. Every woman that is wise knows this.

525 My fifthe housbonde -- God his soule blesse! -- My fifth husband -- God bless his soul! -- 526 Which that I took for love, and no richesse, Whom I took for love, and no riches, 527 He som tyme was a clerk of Oxenford, He was formerly a clerk of Oxford, 528 And hadde left scole, and wente at hom to bord And had left school, and came home to board 529 With my gossib, dwellynge in oure toun; With my close friend, dwelling in our town; 530 God have hir soule! Hir name was Alisoun. God have her soul! Her name was Alisoun. 531 She knew myn herte, and eek my privetee, She knew my heart, and also my secrets, 532 Bet than oure parisshe preest, so moot I thee! Better than our parish priest, as I may prosper! 533 To hire biwreyed I my conseil al. To her I revealed all my secrets. 534 For hadde myn housbonde pissed on a wal, For had my husband pissed on a wall, 535 Or doon a thyng that sholde han cost his lyf, Or done a thing that should have cost his life, 536 To hire, and to another worthy wyf, To her, and to another worthy wife, 537 And to my nece, which that I loved weel, And to my niece, whom I loved well, 538 I wolde han toold his conseil every deel. I would have told every one of his secrets. 539 And so I dide ful often, God it woot, And so I did very often, God knows it, 540 That made his face often reed and hoot That made his face often red and hot 541 For verray shame, and blamed hymself for he For true shame, and blamed himself because he 542 Had toold to me so greet a pryvetee. Had told to me so great a secret.

543 And so bifel that ones in a Lente -- And so it happened that once in a Springtime -- 544 So often tymes I to my gossyb wente, Since frequently I went to visit my close friend, 545 For evere yet I loved to be gay, For I always loved to be gay, 546 And for to walke in March, Averill, and May, And to walk in March, April, and May, 547 Fro hous to hous, to heere sondry talys -- From house to house, to hear various bits of gossip -- 548 That Jankyn clerk, and my gossyb dame Alys, That Jankin the clerk, and my close friend dame Alys, 549 And I myself, into the feeldes wente. And I myself, into the fields went. 550 Myn housbonde was at Londoun al that Lente; My husband was at London all that Spring; 551 I hadde the bettre leyser for to pleye, I had the better opportunity to amuse myself, 552 And for to se, and eek for to be seye And to see, and also to be seen 553 Of lusty folk. What wiste I wher my grace By amorous folk. What did I know about where my good fortune 554 Was shapen for to be, or in what place? Was destined to be, or in what place? 555 Therfore I made my visitaciouns Therefore I made my visitations 556 To vigilies and to processiouns, To religious feasts and to processions, 557 To prechyng eek, and to thise pilgrimages, To preaching also, and to these pilgrimages, 558 To pleyes of myracles, and to mariages, To plays about miracles, and to marriages, 559 And wered upon my gaye scarlet gytes. And wore my gay scarlet robes. 560 Thise wormes, ne thise motthes, ne thise mytes, These worms, nor these moths, nor these mites, 561 Upon my peril, frete hem never a deel; Upon my peril (I swear), chewed on them never a bit; 562 And wostow why? For they were used weel. And know thou why? Because they were well used.

563 Now wol I tellen forth what happed me. Now will I tell forth what happened to me. 564 I seye that in the feeldes walked we, I say that in the fields we walked, 565 Til trewely we hadde swich daliance, Until truly we had such flirtation, 566 This clerk and I, that of my purveiance This clerk and I, that for my provision for the future 567 I spak to hym and seyde hym how that he, I spoke to him and said to him how he, 568 If I were wydwe, sholde wedde me. If I were a widow, should wed me. 569 For certeinly -- I sey for no bobance -- For certainly -- I say this for no boast -- 570 Yet was I nevere withouten purveiance I was never yet without providing beforehand 571 Of mariage, n' of othere thynges eek. For marriage, nor for other things also. 572 I holde a mouses herte nat worth a leek I hold a mouse's heart not worth a leek 573 That hath but oon hole for to sterte to, That has but one hole to flee to, 574 And if that faille, thanne is al ydo. If that should fail, then all is lost.

575 I bar hym on honde he hadde enchanted me -- I falsely swore that he had enchanted me -- 576 My dame taughte me that soutiltee -- My mother taught me that trick -- 577 And eek I seyde I mette of hym al nyght, And also I said I dreamed of him all night, 578 He wolde han slayn me as I lay upright, He would have slain me as I lay on my back, 579 And al my bed was ful of verray blood; And all my bed was full of real blood; 580 `But yet I hope that ye shal do me good, `But yet I hope that you shall do me good, 581 For blood bitokeneth gold, as me was taught.' For blood symbolizes gold, as I was taught.' 582 And al was fals; I dremed of it right naught, And all was false; I dreamed of it not at all, 583 But as I folwed ay my dames loore, But I followed always my mother's teaching, 584 As wel of this as of othere thynges moore. As well in this as in other things more.

585 But now, sire, lat me se what I shal seyn. But now, sir, let me see what I shall say. 586 A ha! By God, I have my tale ageyn. A ha! By God, I have my tale again.

587 Whan that my fourthe housbonde was on beere, When my fourth husband was on the funeral bier, 588 I weep algate, and made sory cheere, I wept continuously, and acted sorry, 589 As wyves mooten, for it is usage, As wives must do, for it is the custom, 590 And with my coverchief covered my visage, And with my kerchief covered my face, 591 But for that I was purveyed of a make, But because I was provided with a mate, 592 I wepte but smal, and that I undertake. I wept but little, and that I affirm.

593 To chirche was myn housbonde born a-morwe To church was my husband carried in the morning 594 With neighebores, that for hym maden sorwe; By neighbors, who for him made sorrow; 595 And Jankyn, oure clerk, was oon of tho. And Jankin, our clerk, was one of those. 596 As help me God, whan that I saugh hym go As help me God, when I saw him go 597 After the beere, me thoughte he hadde a paire After the bier, I thought he had a pair 598 Of legges and of feet so clene and faire Of legs and of feet so neat and fair 599 That al myn herte I yaf unto his hoold. That all my heart I gave unto his keeping. 600 He was, I trowe, twenty wynter oold, He was, I believe, twenty years old, 601 And I was fourty, if I shal seye sooth; And I was forty, if I shall tell the truth; 602 But yet I hadde alwey a coltes tooth. But yet I had always a colt's tooth. 603 Gat-tothed I was, and that bicam me weel; With teeth set wide apart I was, and that became me well; 604 I hadde the prente of seinte Venus seel. I had the print of Saint Venus's seal. 605 As help me God, I was a lusty oon, As help me God, I was a lusty one, 606 And faire, and riche, and yong, and wel bigon, And fair, and rich, and young, and well fixed, 607 And trewely, as myne housbondes tolde me, And truly, as my husbands told me, 608 I hadde the beste quoniam myghte be. I had the best pudendum that might be. 609 For certes, I am al Venerien For certainly, I am all influenced by Venus 610 In feelynge, and myn herte is Marcien. In feeling, and my heart is influenced by Mars. 611 Venus me yaf my lust, my likerousnesse, Venus me gave my lust, my amorousness, 612 And Mars yaf me my sturdy hardynesse; And Mars gave me my sturdy boldness; 613 Myn ascendent was Taur, and Mars therinne. My ascendant was Taurus, and Mars was therein. 614 Allas, allas! That evere love was synne! Alas, alas! That ever love was sin! 615 I folwed ay myn inclinacioun I followed always my inclination 616 By vertu of my constellacioun; By virtue of the state of the heavens at my birth; 617 That made me I koude noght withdrawe That made me that I could not withdraw 618 My chambre of Venus from a good felawe. My chamber of Venus from a good fellow. 619 Yet have I Martes mark upon my face, Yet have I Mars' mark upon my face, 620 And also in another privee place. And also in another private place. 621 For God so wys be my savacioun, For as God may be my salvation, 622 I ne loved nevere by no discrecioun, I never loved in moderation, 623 But evere folwede myn appetit, But always followed my appetite, 624 Al were he short, or long, or blak, or whit; Whether he were short, or tall, or black-haired, or blond; 625 I took no kep, so that he liked me, I took no notice, provided that he pleased me, 626 How poore he was, ne eek of what degree. How poor he was, nor also of what rank.

627 What sholde I seye but, at the monthes ende, What should I say but, at the month's end, 628 This joly clerk, Jankyn, that was so hende, This jolly clerk, Jankin, that was so courteous, 629 Hath wedded me with greet solempnytee, Has wedded me with great solemnity, 630 And to hym yaf I al the lond and fee And to him I gave all the land and property 631 That evere was me yeven therbifoore. That ever was given to me before then. 632 But afterward repented me ful soore; But afterward I repented very bitterly; 633 He nolde suffre nothyng of my list. He would not allow me anything of my desires. 634 By God, he smoot me ones on the lyst, By God, he hit me once on the ear, 635 For that I rente out of his book a leef, Because I tore a leaf out of his book, 636 That of the strook myn ere wax al deef. So that of the stroke my ear became all deaf. 637 Stibourn I was as is a leonesse, I was as stubborn as is a lioness, 638 And of my tonge a verray jangleresse, And of my tongue a true chatterbox, 639 And walke I wolde, as I had doon biforn, And I would walk, as I had done before, 640 From hous to hous, although he had it sworn; From house to house, although he had sworn the contrary; 641 For which he often tymes wolde preche, For which he often times would preach, 642 And me of olde Romayn geestes teche; And teach me of old Roman stories; 643 How he Symplicius Gallus lefte his wyf, How he, Simplicius Gallus, left his wife, 644 And hire forsook for terme of al his lyf, And forsook her for rest of all his life, 645 Noght but for open-heveded he hir say Because of nothing but because he saw her bare-headed 646 Lookynge out at his dore upon a day. Looking out at his door one day.

647 Another Romayn tolde he me by name, Another Roman he told me by name, 648 That, for his wyf was at a someres game Who, because his wife was at a midsummer revel 649 Withouten his wityng, he forsook hire eke. Without his knowledge, he forsook her also. 650 And thanne wolde he upon his Bible seke And then he would seek in his Bible 651 That ilke proverbe of Ecclesiaste That same proverb of Ecclesiasticus 652 Where he comandeth and forbedeth faste Where he commands and strictly forbids that 653 Man shal nat suffre his wyf go roule aboute. Man should suffer his wife go wander about. 654 Thanne wolde he seye right thus, withouten doute: Then would he say right thus, without doubt:

655 `Whoso that buyldeth his hous al of salwes, `Whoever builds his house all of willow twigs, 656 And priketh his blynde hors over the falwes, And spurs his blind horse over the open fields, 657 And suffreth his wyf to go seken halwes, And suffers his wife to go on pilgrimages, 658 Is worthy to been hanged on the galwes!' Is worthy to be hanged on the gallows!' 659 But al for noght, I sette noght an hawe But all for nothing, I gave not a hawthorn berry 660 Of his proverbes n' of his olde sawe, For his proverbs nor for his old sayings, 661 Ne I wolde nat of hym corrected be. Nor would I be corrected by him. 662 I hate hym that my vices telleth me, I hate him who tells me my vices, 663 And so doo mo, God woot, of us than I. And so do more of us, God knows, than I. 664 This made hym with me wood al outrely; This made him all utterly furious with me; 665 I nolde noght forbere hym in no cas. I would not put up with him in any way.

666 Now wol I seye yow sooth, by Seint Thomas, Now will I tell you the truth, by Saint Thomas, 667 Why that I rente out of his book a leef, Why I tore a leaf out of his book, 668 For which he smoot me so that I was deef. For which he hit me so hard that I was deaf.

669 He hadde a book that gladly, nyght and day, He had a book that regularly, night and day, 670 For his desport he wolde rede alway; For his amusement he would always read; 671 He cleped it Valerie and Theofraste, He called it Valerie and Theofrastus, 672 At which book he lough alwey ful faste. At which book he always heartily laughed. 673 And eek ther was somtyme a clerk at Rome, And also there was once a clerk at Rome, 674 A cardinal, that highte Seint Jerome, A cardinal, who is called Saint Jerome, 675 That made a book agayn Jovinian; That made a book against Jovinian; 676 In which book eek ther was Tertulan, In which book also there was Tertullian, 677 Crisippus, Trotula, and Helowys, Crisippus, Trotula, and Heloise, 678 That was abbesse nat fer fro Parys, Who was abbess not far from Paris, 679 And eek the Parables of Salomon, And also the Parables of Salomon, 680 Ovides Art, and bookes many on, Ovid's Art, and many other books, 681 And alle thise were bounden in o volume. And all these were bound in one volume. 682 And every nyght and day was his custume, And every night and day was his custom, 683 Whan he hadde leyser and vacacioun When he had leisure and spare time 684 From oother worldly occupacioun, From other worldly occupations, 685 To reden on this book of wikked wyves. To read in this book of wicked wives. 686 He knew of hem mo legendes and lyves He knew of them more legends and lives 687 Than been of goode wyves in the Bible. Than are of good women in the Bible. 688 For trusteth wel, it is an impossible For trust well, it is an impossibility 689 That any clerk wol speke good of wyves, That any clerk will speak good of women, 690 But if it be of hooly seintes lyves, Unless it be of holy saints' lives, 691 Ne of noon oother womman never the mo. Nor of any other woman in any way. 692 Who peyntede the leon, tel me who? Who painted the lion, tell me who? 693 By God, if wommen hadde writen stories, By God, if women had written stories, 694 As clerkes han withinne hire oratories, As clerks have within their studies, 695 They wolde han writen of men moore wikkednesse They would have written of men more wickedness 696 Than al the mark of Adam may redresse. Than all the male sex could set right. 697 The children of Mercurie and of Venus The children of Mercury (clerks) and of Venus (lovers) 698 Been in hir wirkyng ful contrarius; Are directly contrary in their actions; 699 Mercurie loveth wysdam and science, Mercury loves wisdom and knowledge, 700 And Venus loveth ryot and dispence. And Venus loves riot and extravagant expenditures. 701 And, for hire diverse disposicioun, And, because of their diverse dispositions, 702 Ech falleth in otheres exaltacioun. Each falls in the other's most powerful astronomical sign. 703 And thus, God woot, Mercurie is desolat And thus, God knows, Mercury is powerless 704 In Pisces, wher Venus is exaltat, In Pisces (the Fish), where Venus is exalted, 705 And Venus falleth ther Mercurie is reysed. And Venus falls where Mercury is raised. 706 Therfore no womman of no clerk is preysed. Therefore no woman is praised by any clerk. 707 The clerk, whan he is oold, and may noght do The clerk, when he is old, and can not do 708 Of Venus werkes worth his olde sho, Any of Venus's works worth his old shoe, 709 Thanne sit he doun, and writ in his dotage Then he sits down, and writes in his dotage 710 That wommen kan nat kepe hir mariage! That women can not keep their marriage!

711 But now to purpos, why I tolde thee But now to the point, why I told thee 712 That I was beten for a book, pardee! That I was beaten for a book, by God! 713 Upon a nyght Jankyn, that was oure sire, Upon a night Jankin, that was master of our house, 714 Redde on his book, as he sat by the fire, Read on his book, as he sat by the fire, 715 Of Eva first, that for hir wikkednesse Of Eve first, how for her wickedness 716 Was al mankynde broght to wrecchednesse, All mankind was brought to wretchedness, 717 For which that Jhesu Crist hymself was slayn, For which Jesus Christ himself was slain, 718 That boghte us with his herte blood agayn. Who bought us back with his heart's blood. 719 Lo, heere expres of womman may ye fynde Lo, here clearly of woman you may find 720 That womman was the los of al mankynde. That woman was the cause of the loss of all mankind.

721 Tho redde he me how Sampson loste his heres: Then he read me how Sampson lost his hair: 722 Slepynge, his lemman kitte it with hir sheres; Sleeping, his lover cut it with her shears; 723 Thurgh which treson loste he bothe his yen. Through which treason he lost both his eyes. 724 Tho redde he me, if that I shal nat lyen, Then he read to me, if I shall not lie, 725 Of Hercules and of his Dianyre, Of Hercules and of his Dianyre, 726 That caused hym to sette hymself afyre. Who caused him to set himself on fire.

727 No thyng forgat he the care and the wo He forgot not a bit of the care and the woe 728 That Socrates hadde with his wyves two, That Socrates had with his two wives, 729 How Xantippa caste pisse upon his heed. How Xantippa caste piss upon his head. 730 This sely man sat stille as he were deed; This poor man sat still as if he were dead; 731 He wiped his heed, namoore dorste he seyn, He wiped his head, no more dared he say, 732 But `Er that thonder stynte, comth a reyn!' But `Before thunder stops, there comes a rain!'

733 Of Phasipha, that was the queene of Crete, Of Phasipha, that was the queen of Crete, 734 For shrewednesse, hym thoughte the tale swete; For sheer malignancy, he thought the tale sweet; 735 Fy! Spek namoore -- it is a grisly thyng -- Fie! Speak no more -- it is a grisly thing -- 736 Of hire horrible lust and hir likyng. Of her horrible lust and her pleasure.

737 Of Clitermystra, for hire lecherye, Of Clitermystra, for her lechery, 738 That falsly made hire housbonde for to dye, That falsely made her husband to die, 739 He redde it with ful good devocioun. He read it with very good devotion.

740 He tolde me eek for what occasioun He told me also for what occasion 741 Amphiorax at Thebes loste his lyf. Amphiorax at Thebes lost his life. 742 Myn housbonde hadde a legende of his wyf, My husband had a legend of his wife, 743 Eriphilem, that for an ouche of gold Eriphilem, that for a brooch of gold 744 Hath prively unto the Grekes told Has secretly unto the Greeks told 745 Wher that hir housbonde hidde hym in a place, Where her husband hid him in a place, 746 For which he hadde at Thebes sory grace. For which he had at Thebes a sad fate.

747 Of Lyvia tolde he me, and of Lucye: Of Livia told he me, and of Lucie: 748 They bothe made hir housbondes for to dye, They both made their husbands to die, 749 That oon for love, that oother was for hate. That one for love, that other was for hate. 750 Lyvia hir housbonde, on an even late, Livia her husband, on a late evening, 751 Empoysoned hath, for that she was his fo; Has poisoned, because she was his foe; 752 Lucia, likerous, loved hire housbonde so Lucia, lecherous, loved her husband so much 753 That, for he sholde alwey upon hire thynke, That, so that he should always think upon her, 754 She yaf hym swich a manere love-drynke She gave him such a sort of love-drink 755 That he was deed er it were by the morwe; That he was dead before it was morning; 756 And thus algates housbondes han sorwe. And thus always husbands have sorrow.

757 Thanne tolde he me how oon Latumyus Then he told me how one Latumius 758 Compleyned unto his felawe Arrius Complained unto his fellow Arrius 759 That in his gardyn growed swich a tree That in his garden grew such a tree 760 On which he seyde how that his wyves thre On which he said how his three wives 761 Hanged hemself for herte despitus. Hanged themselves for the malice of their hearts 762 `O leeve brother,' quod this Arrius, `O dear brother,' this Arrius said, 763 `Yif me a plante of thilke blissed tree, `Give me a shoot of that same blessed tree, 764 And in my gardyn planted shal it bee.' And in my garden shall it be planted.'

765 Of latter date, of wyves hath he red Of latter date, of wives has he read 766 That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed, That some have slain their husbands in their bed, 767 And lete hir lecchour dighte hire al the nyght, And let her lecher copulate with her all the night, 768 Whan that the corps lay in the floor upright. When the corpse lay in the floor flat on its back. 769 And somme han dryve nayles in hir brayn, And some have driven nails in their brains, 770 Whil that they slepte, and thus they had hem slayn. While they slept, and thus they had them slain. 771 Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hire drynke. Some have given them poison in their drink. 772 He spak moore harm than herte may bithynke, He spoke more harm than heart may imagine, 773 And therwithal he knew of mo proverbes And concerning this he knew of more proverbs 774 Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes. Than in this world there grow grass or herbs. 775 `Bet is,' quod he, `thyn habitacioun `Better is,' he said, `thy habitation 776 Be with a leon or a foul dragoun, Be with a lion or a foul dragon, 777 Than with a womman usynge for to chyde. Than with a woman accustomed to scold. 778 Bet is,' quod he, `hye in the roof abyde, Better is,' he said, `to stay high in the roof, 779 Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous; Than with an angry wife down in the house; 780 They been so wikked and contrarious, They are so wicked and contrary, 781 They haten that hir housbondes loven ay.' They always hate what their husbands love.' 782 He seyde, `A womman cast hir shame away, He said, `A woman casts their shame away, 783 Whan she cast of hir smok'; and forthermo, When she casts off her undergarment'; and furthermore, 784 `A fair womman, but she be chaast also, `A fair woman, unless she is also chaste, 785 Is lyk a gold ryng in a sowes nose.' Is like a gold ring in a sow's nose.' 786 Who wolde wene, or who wolde suppose, Who would believe, or who would suppose, 787 The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne? The woe that in my heart was, and pain?

788 And whan I saugh he wolde nevere fyne And when I saw he would never cease 789 To reden on this cursed book al nyght, Reading on this cursed book all night, 790 Al sodeynly thre leves have I plyght All suddenly have I plucked three leaves 791 Out of his book, right as he radde, and eke Out of his book, right as he read, and also 792 I with my fest so took hym on the cheke I with my fist so hit him on the cheek 793 That in oure fyr he fil bakward adoun. That in our fire he fell down backwards. 794 And he up stirte as dooth a wood leoun, And he leaped up as does a furious lion, 795 And with his fest he smoot me on the heed And with his fist he hit me on the head 796 That in the floor I lay as I were deed. That on the floor I lay as if I were dead. 797 And whan he saugh how stille that I lay, And when he saw how still I lay, 798 He was agast and wolde han fled his way, He was frightened and would have fled on his way, 799 Til atte laste out of my swogh I breyde. Until at the last out of my swoon I awoke. 800 `O! hastow slayn me, false theef?' I seyde, `O! hast thou slain me, false thief?' I said, 801 `And for my land thus hastow mordred me? `And for my land thus hast thou murdered me? 802 Er I be deed, yet wol I kisse thee.' Before I am dead, yet will I kiss thee.'

803 And neer he cam, and kneled faire adoun, And near he came, and kneeled gently down, 804 And seyde, `Deere suster Alisoun, And said, `Dear sister Alisoun, 805 As help me God, I shal thee nevere smyte! So help me God, I shall never (again) smite thee! 806 That I have doon, it is thyself to wyte. What I have done, it is thyself to blame (you drove me to it). 807 Foryeve it me, and that I thee biseke!' Forgive it me, and that I beseech thee!' 808 And yet eftsoones I hitte hym on the cheke, And yet immediately I hit him on the cheek, 809 And seyde, `Theef, thus muchel am I wreke; And said, `Thief, thus much am I avenged; 810 Now wol I dye, I may no lenger speke.' Now will I die, I may no longer speak.' 811 But atte laste, with muchel care and wo, But at the last, with much care and woe, 812 We fille acorded by us selven two. We made an agreement between our two selves. 813 He yaf me al the bridel in myn hond, He gave me all the control in my hand, 814 To han the governance of hous and lond, To have the governance of house and land, 815 And of his tonge, and of his hond also; And of his tongue, and of his hand also; 816 And made hym brenne his book anon right tho. And made him burn his book immediately right then. 817 And whan that I hadde geten unto me, And when I had gotten unto me, 818 By maistrie, al the soveraynetee, By mastery, all the sovereignty, 819 And that he seyde, `Myn owene trewe wyf, And that he said, `My own true wife, 820 Do as thee lust the terme of al thy lyf; Do as you please the rest of all thy life; 821 Keep thyn honour, and keep eek myn estaat' -- Guard thy honor, and guard also my reputation' -- 822 After that day we hadden never debaat. After that day we never had an argument. 823 God helpe me so, I was to hym as kynde As God may help me, I was to him as kind 824 As any wyf from Denmark unto Ynde, As any wife from Denmark unto India, 825 And also trewe, and so was he to me. And also true, and so was he to me. 826 I prey to God, that sit in magestee, I pray to God, who sits in majesty, 827 So blesse his soule for his mercy deere. So bless his soul for his mercy dear. 828 Now wol I seye my tale, if ye wol heere." Now will I say my tale, if you will hear."

Beholde the wordes bitwene the Somonour and the Frere

829 The Frere lough, whan he hadde herd al this; The Friar laughed, when he had heard all this; 830 "Now dame," quod he, "so have I joye or blis, "Now dame, he said, "as I may have joy or bliss, 831 This is a long preamble of a tale!" This is a long preamble of a tale!" 832 And whan the Somonour herde the Frere gale, And when the Summoner heard the Friar cry out, 833 "Lo," quod the Somonour, "Goddes armes two! "Lo," said the Summoner, "By God's two arms! 834 A frere wol entremette hym everemo. A friar will always intrude himself (in others' affairs). 835 Lo, goode men, a flye and eek a frere Lo, good men, a fly and also a friar 836 Wol falle in every dyssh and eek mateere. Will fall in every dish and also every discussion. 837 What spekestow of preambulacioun? What speakest thou of perambulation? 838 What! amble, or trotte, or pees, or go sit doun! What! amble, or trot, or keep still, or go sit down! 839 Thou lettest oure disport in this manere." Thou spoil our fun in this manner."

840 "Ye, woltow so, sire Somonour?" quod the Frere; "Yes, wilt thou have it thus, sir Summoner?" said the Friar; 841 "Now, by my feith I shal, er that I go, "Now, by my faith I shall, before I go, 842 Telle of a somonour swich a tale or two Tell of a summoner such a tale or two 843 That alle the folk shal laughen in this place." That all the folk shall laugh in this place."

844 "Now elles, Frere, I bishrewe thy face," "Now otherwise, Friar, I curse thy face," 845 Quod this Somonour, "and I bishrewe me, Said this Summoner, "and I curse myself, 846 But if I telle tales two or thre Unless I tell tales two or three 847 Of freres er I come to Sidyngborne Of friars before I come to Siitingbourne 848 That I shal make thyn herte for to morne, That I shall make thy heart to mourn, 849 For wel I woot thy pacience is gon." For well I know thy patience is gone."

850 Oure Hooste cride "Pees! And that anon!" Our Host cried "Peace! And that right now!" 851 And seyde, "Lat the womman telle hire tale. And said, "Let the woman tell her tale. 852 Ye fare as folk that dronken ben of ale. You act like folk that are drunk on ale. 853 Do, dame, telle forth youre tale, and that is best." Do, dame, tell forth your tale, and that is best."

854 "Al redy, sire," quod she, "right as yow lest, "All ready, sir," she said, "right as you please, 855 If I have licence of this worthy Frere." If I have permission of this worthy Friar."

856 "Yis, dame," quod he, "tel forth, and I wol heere." "Yes, dame," he said, "tell forth, and I will hear."

Heere endeth the Wyf of Bathe hir Prologe

____________________________

The Wife of Bath's Tale

Heere bigynneth the Tale of the Wyf of Bathe

857 In th' olde dayes of the Kyng Arthour, In the old days of King Arthur, 858 Of which that Britons speken greet honour, Of whom Britons speak great honor, 859 Al was this land fulfild of fayerye. This land was all filled full of supernatural creatures. 860 The elf-queene, with hir joly compaignye, The elf-queen, with her jolly company, 861 Daunced ful ofte in many a grene mede. Danced very often in many a green mead. 862 This was the olde opinion, as I rede; This was the old belief, as I read; 863 I speke of manye hundred yeres ago. I speak of many hundred years ago. 864 But now kan no man se none elves mo, But now no man can see any more elves, 865 For now the grete charitee and prayeres For now the great charity and prayers 866 Of lymytours and othere hooly freres, Of licensed beggars and other holy friars, 867 That serchen every lond and every streem, That overrun every land and every stream, 868 As thikke as motes in the sonne-beem, As thick as specks of dust in the sun-beam, 869 Blessynge halles, chambres, kichenes, boures, Blessing halls, chambers, kitchens, bedrooms, 870 Citees, burghes, castels, hye toures, Cities, towns, castles, high towers, 871 Thropes, bernes, shipnes, dayeryes -- Villages, barns, stables, dairies -- 872 This maketh that ther ben no fayeryes. This makes it that there are no fairies. 873 For ther as wont to walken was an elf For where an elf was accustomed to walk 874 Ther walketh now the lymytour hymself There walks now the licensed begging friar himself 875 In undermeles and in morwenynges, In late mornings and in early mornings, 876 And seyth his matyns and his hooly thynges And says his morning prayers and his holy things 877 As he gooth in his lymytacioun. As he goes in his assigned district. 878 Wommen may go saufly up and doun. Women may go safely up and down. 879 In every bussh or under every tree In every bush or under every tree 880 Ther is noon oother incubus but he, There is no other evil spirit but he, 881 And he ne wol doon hem but dishonour. And he will not do them any harm except dishonor.

882 And so bifel that this kyng Arthour And so it happened that this king Arthur 883 Hadde in his hous a lusty bacheler, Had in his house a lusty bachelor, 884 That on a day cam ridynge fro ryver, That on one day came riding from hawking, 885 And happed that, allone as he was born, And it happened that, alone as he was born, 886 He saugh a mayde walkynge hym biforn, He saw a maiden walking before him, 887 Of which mayde anon, maugree hir heed, Of which maiden straightway, despite all she could do, 888 By verray force, he rafte hire maydenhed; By utter force, he took away her maidenhead; 889 For which oppressioun was swich clamour For which wrong was such clamor 890 And swich pursute unto the kyng Arthour And such demand for justice unto king Arthur 891 That dampned was this knyght for to be deed, That this knight was condemned to be dead, 892 By cours of lawe, and sholde han lost his heed -- By course of law, and should have lost his head -- 893 Paraventure swich was the statut tho -- Perhaps such was the statute then -- 894 But that the queene and other ladyes mo Except that the queen and other ladies as well 895 So longe preyeden the kyng of grace So long prayed the king for grace 896 Til he his lyf hym graunted in the place, Until he granted him his life right there, 897 And yaf hym to the queene, al at hir wille, And gave him to the queen, all at her will, 898 To chese wheither she wolde hym save or spille. To choose whether she would him save or put to death.

899 The queene thanketh the kyng with al hir myght, The queen thanks the king with all her might, 900 And after this thus spak she to the knyght, And after this she spoke thus to the knight, 901 Whan that she saugh hir tyme, upon a day: When she saw her time, upon a day: 902 "Thou standest yet," quod she, "in swich array "Thou standest yet," she said, "in such condition, 903 That of thy lyf yet hastow no suretee. That of thy life yet thou hast no assurance 904 I grante thee lyf, if thou kanst tellen me I grant thee life, if thou canst tell me 905 What thyng is it that wommen moost desiren. What thing it is that women most desire. 906 Be war, and keep thy nekke-boon from iren! Beware, and keep thy neck-bone from iron (axe)! 907 And if thou kanst nat tellen it anon, And if thou canst not tell it right now, 908 Yet wol I yeve thee leve for to gon Yet I will give thee leave to go 909 A twelf-month and a day, to seche and leere A twelvemonth and a day, to seek to learn 910 An answere suffisant in this mateere; A satisfactory answer in this matter; 911 And suretee wol I han, er that thou pace, And I will have, before thou go, a pledge 912 Thy body for to yelden in this place." To surrender thy body in this place."

913 Wo was this knyght, and sorwefully he siketh; Woe was this knight, and sorrowfully he sighs; 914 But what! He may nat do al as hym liketh. But what! He can not do all as he pleases. 915 And at the laste he chees hym for to wende And at the last he chose to leave 916 And come agayn, right at the yeres ende, And come again, exactly at the year's end, 917 With swich answere as God wolde hym purveye; With such answer as God would provide him; 918 And taketh his leve, and wendeth forth his weye. And takes his leave, and goes forth on his way.

919 He seketh every hous and every place He seeks every house and every place 920 Where as he hopeth for to fynde grace Where he hopes to have the luck 921 To lerne what thyng wommen loven moost, To learn what thing women love most, 922 But he ne koude arryven in no coost But he could not arrive in any region 923 Wher as he myghte fynde in this mateere Where he might find in this matter 924 Two creatures accordynge in-feere. Two creatures agreeing together. 925 Somme seyde wommen loven best richesse, Some said women love riches best, 926 Somme seyde honour, somme seyde jolynesse, Some said honor, some said gaiety, 927 Somme riche array, somme seyden lust abedde, Some rich clothing, some said lust in bed, 928 And oftetyme to be wydwe and wedde. And frequently to be widow and wedded. 929 Somme seyde that oure hertes been moost esed Some said that our hearts are most eased 930 Whan that we been yflatered and yplesed. When we are flattered and pleased. 931 He gooth ful ny the sothe, I wol nat lye. He goes very near the truth, I will not lie. 932 A man shal wynne us best with flaterye, A man shall win us best with flattery, 933 And with attendance and with bisynesse And with attentions and with solicitude 934 Been we ylymed, bothe moore and lesse. We are caught, every one of us.

935 And somme seyen that we loven best And some say that we love best 936 For to be free and do right as us lest, To be free and do just as we please, 937 And that no man repreve us of oure vice, And that no man reprove us for our vices, 938 But seye that we be wise and no thyng nyce. But say that we are wise and not at all silly. 939 For trewely ther is noon of us alle, For truly there is not one of us all, 940 If any wight wol clawe us on the galle, If any one will scratch us on the sore spot, 941 That we nel kike, for he seith us sooth. That we will not kick back, because he tells us the truth. 942 Assay, and he shal fynde it that so dooth; Try it, and whoever so does shall find it true; 943 For, be we never so vicious withinne, For, be we never so vicious within, 944 We wol been holden wise and clene of synne. We want to be considered wise and clean of sin.

945 And somme seyn that greet delit han we And some say that we have great delight 946 For to been holden stable, and eek secree, To be considered steadfast, and also (able to keep a) secret, 947 And in o purpos stedefastly to dwelle, And in one purpose steadfastly to remain, 948 And nat biwreye thyng that men us telle. And not reveal things that men tell us. 949 But that tale is nat worth a rake-stele. But that tale is not worth a rake handle. 950 Pardee, we wommen konne no thyng hele; By God, we women can hide nothing; 951 Witnesse on Myda -- wol ye heere the tale? Witness on Midas -- will you hear the tale?

952 Ovyde, amonges othere thynges smale, Ovid, among other small matters, 953 Seyde Myda hadde, under his longe heres, Said Midas had, under his long hair, 954 Growynge upon his heed two asses eres, Two ass's ears, growing upon his head, 955 The whiche vice he hydde as he best myghte The which vice he hid as he best could 956 Ful subtilly from every mannes sighte, Very skillfully from every man's sight, 957 That, save his wyf, ther wiste of it namo. That, except for his wife, there knew of it no others. 958 He loved hire moost, and trusted hire also; He loved her most, and trusted her also; 959 He preyede hire that to no creature He prayed her that to no creature 960 She sholde tellen of his disfigure. She should tell of his disfigurement.

961 She swoor him, "Nay"; for al this world to wynne, She swore him, "Nay"; for all this world to win, 962 She nolde do that vileynye or synne, She would not do that dishonor or sin, 963 To make hir housbonde han so foul a name. To make her husband have so foul a reputation. 964 She nolde nat telle it for hir owene shame. She would not tell it for her own shame. 965 But nathelees, hir thoughte that she dyde But nonetheless, she thought that she would die 966 That she so longe sholde a conseil hyde; If she should hide a secret so long; 967 Hir thoughte it swal so soore aboute hir herte She thought it swelled so sore about her heart 968 That nedely som word hire moste asterte; That necessarily some word must escape her; 969 And sith she dorste telle it to no man, And since she dared tell it to no man, 970 Doun to a mareys faste by she ran -- She ran down to a marsh close by -- 971 Til she cam there hir herte was afyre -- Until she came there her heart was afire -- 972 And as a bitore bombleth in the myre, And as a bittern bumbles in the mire, 973 She leyde hir mouth unto the water doun: She laid her mouth down unto the water: 974 "Biwreye me nat, thou water, with thy soun," "Betray me not, thou water, with thy sound," 975 Quod she; "to thee I telle it and namo; She said; "to thee I tell it and no others; 976 Myn housbonde hath longe asses erys two! My husband has two long asses ears! 977 Now is myn herte al hool; now is it oute. Now is my heart all whole; now is it out. 978 I myghte no lenger kepe it, out of doute." I could no longer keep it, without doubt." 979 Heere may ye se, thogh we a tyme abyde, Here you may see, though we a time abide, 980 Yet out it moot; we kan no conseil hyde. Yet out it must come; we can hide no secret. 981 The remenant of the tale if ye wol heere, The remnant of the tale if you will hear, 982 Redeth Ovyde, and ther ye may it leere. Read Ovid, and there you may learn it.

983 This knyght, of which my tale is specially, This knight, of whom my tale is in particular, 984 Whan that he saugh he myghte nat come therby -- When he saw he might not come to that -- 985 This is to seye, what wommen love moost -- This is to say, what women love most -- 986 Withinne his brest ful sorweful was the goost. Within his breast very sorrowful was the spirit. 987 But hoom he gooth; he myghte nat sojourne; But home he goes; he could not linger; 988 The day was come that homward moste he tourne. The day was come that homeward he must turn. 989 And in his wey it happed hym to ryde, And in his way he happened to ride, 990 In al this care, under a forest syde, In all this care, near a forest side, 991 Wher as he saugh upon a daunce go Where he saw upon a dance go 992 Of ladyes foure and twenty, and yet mo; Ladies four and twenty, and yet more; 993 Toward the whiche daunce he drow ful yerne, Toward the which dance he drew very eagerly, 994 In hope that som wysdom sholde he lerne. In hope that he should learn some wisdom. 995 But certeinly, er he cam fully there, But certainly, before he came fully there, 996 Vanysshed was this daunce, he nyste where. Vanished was this dance, he knew not where. 997 No creature saugh he that bar lyf, He saw no creature that bore life, 998 Save on the grene he saugh sittynge a wyf -- Save on the green he saw sitting a woman -- 999 A fouler wight ther may no man devyse. There can no man imagine an uglier creature. 1000 Agayn the knyght this olde wyf gan ryse, At the knight's coming this old wife did rise, 1001 And seyde, "Sire knyght, heer forth ne lith no wey. And said, "Sir knight, there lies no road out of here. 1002 Tel me what that ye seken, by youre fey! Tell me what you seek, by your faith! 1003 Paraventure it may the bettre be; Perhaps it may be the better; 1004 Thise olde folk kan muchel thyng," quod she. These old folk know many things," she said.

1005 "My leeve mooder," quod this knyght, "certeyn "My dear mother," said this knight, "certainly 1006 I nam but deed but if that I kan seyn I am as good as dead unless I can say 1007 What thyng it is that wommen moost desire. What thing it is that women most desire. 1008 Koude ye me wisse, I wolde wel quite youre hire." If you could teach me, I would well repay you."

1009 "Plight me thy trouthe heere in myn hand," quod she, "Pledge me thy word here in my hand," she said, 1010 "The nexte thyng that I requere thee, "The next thing that I require of thee, 1011 Thou shalt it do, if it lye in thy myght, Thou shalt do it, if it lies in thy power, 1012 And I wol telle it yow er it be nyght." And I will tell it to you before it is night."

1013 "Have heer my trouthe," quod the knyght, "I grante." "Have here my pledged word," said the knight, "I agree." 1014 "Thanne," quod she, "I dar me wel avante "Then," she said, "I dare me well boast 1015 Thy lyf is sauf, for I wol stonde therby; Thy life is safe, for I will stand thereby; 1016 Upon my lyf, the queene wol seye as I. Upon my life, the queen will say as I. 1017 Lat se which is the proudeste of hem alle Let's see which is the proudest of them all 1018 That wereth on a coverchief or a calle That wears a kerchief or a hairnet 1019 That dar seye nay of that I shal thee teche. That dares say `nay' of what I shall teach thee. 1020 Lat us go forth withouten lenger speche." Let us go forth without longer speech." 1021 Tho rowned she a pistel in his ere, Then she whispered a message in his ear, 1022 And bad hym to be glad and have no fere. And commanded him to be glad and have no fear. 1023 Whan they be comen to the court, this knyght When they are come to the court, this knight 1024 Seyde he had holde his day, as he hadde hight, Said he had held his day, as he had promised, 1025 And redy was his answere, as he sayde. And his answer was ready, as he said. 1026 Ful many a noble wyf, and many a mayde, Very many a noble wife, and many a maid, 1027 And many a wydwe, for that they been wise, And many a widow, because they are wise, 1028 The queene hirself sittynge as a justise, The queen herself sitting as a justice, 1029 Assembled been, his answere for to heere; Are assembled, to hear his answer; 1030 And afterward this knyght was bode appeere. And afterward this knight was commanded to appear.

1031 To every wight comanded was silence, Silence was commanded to every person, 1032 And that the knyght sholde telle in audience And that the knight should tell in open court 1033 What thyng that worldly wommen loven best. What thing (it is) that worldly women love best. 1034 This knyght ne stood nat stille as doth a best, This knight stood not silent as does a beast, 1035 But to his questioun anon answerde But to his question straightway answered 1036 With manly voys, that al the court it herde: With manly voice, so that all the court heard it:

1037 "My lige lady, generally," quod he, "My liege lady, without exception," he said, 1038 "Wommen desiren to have sovereynetee "Women desire to have sovereignty 1039 As wel over hir housbond as hir love, As well over her husband as her love, 1040 And for to been in maistrie hym above. And to be in mastery above him. 1041 This is youre mooste desir, thogh ye me kille. This is your greatest desire, though you kill me. 1042 Dooth as yow list; I am heer at youre wille." Do as you please; I am here subject to your will." 1043 In al the court ne was ther wyf, ne mayde, In all the court there was not wife, nor maid, 1044 Ne wydwe that contraried that he sayde, Nor widow that denied what he said, 1045 But seyden he was worthy han his lyf. But said that he was worthy to have his life. 1046 And with that word up stirte the olde wyf, And with that word up sprang the old woman, 1047 Which that the knyght saugh sittynge on the grene: Whom the knight saw sitting on the green: 1048 "Mercy," quod she, "my sovereyn lady queene! "Mercy," she said, "my sovereign lady queen! 1049 Er that youre court departe, do me right. Before your court departs, do me justice. 1050 I taughte this answere unto the knyght; I taught this answer to the knight; 1051 For which he plighte me his trouthe there, For which he pledged me his word there, 1052 The firste thyng that I wolde hym requere The first thing that I would ask of him 1053 He wolde it do, if it lay in his myghte. He would do, if it lay in his power. 1054 Bifore the court thanne preye I thee, sir knyght," Before the court then I pray thee, sir knight," 1055 Quod she, "that thou me take unto thy wyf, Said she, "that thou take me as thy wife, 1056 For wel thou woost that I have kept thy lyf. For well thou know that I have saved thy life. 1057 If I seye fals, sey nay, upon thy fey!" If I say false, say `nay', upon thy faith!"

1058 This knyght answerde, "Allas and weylawey! This knight answered, "Alas and woe is me! 1059 I woot right wel that swich was my biheste. I know right well that such was my promise. 1060 For Goddes love, as chees a newe requeste! For God's love, choose a new request! 1061 Taak al my good and lat my body go." Take all my goods and let my body go."

1062 "Nay, thanne," quod she, "I shrewe us bothe two! "Nay, then," she said, "I curse both of us two! 1063 For thogh that I be foul, and oold, and poore For though I am ugly, and old, and poor 1064 I nolde for al the metal, ne for oore I would not for all the metal, nor for ore 1065 That under erthe is grave or lith above, That under earth is buried or lies above, 1066 But if thy wyf I were, and eek thy love." Have anything except that I were thy wife, and also thy love."

1067 "My love?" quod he, "nay, my dampnacioun! "My love?" he said, "nay, my damnation! 1068 Allas, that any of my nacioun Alas, that any of my family 1069 Sholde evere so foule disparaged be!" Should ever be so foully degraded!" 1070 But al for noght; the ende is this, that he But all for naught; the end is this, that he 1071 Constreyned was; he nedes moste hire wedde, Constrained was; he must by necessity wed her, 1072 And taketh his olde wyf, and gooth to bedde. And takes his old wife, and goes to bed.

1073 Now wolden som men seye, paraventure, Now would some men say, perhaps, 1074 That for my necligence I do no cure That because of my negligence I make no effort 1075 To tellen yow the joye and al th' array To tell you the joy and all the rich display 1076 That at the feeste was that ilke day. That was at the (wedding) feast that same day. 1077 To which thyng shortly answeren I shal: To which thing shortly I shall answer: 1078 I seye ther nas no joye ne feeste at al; I say there was no joy nor feast at all; 1079 Ther nas but hevynesse and muche sorwe. There was nothing but heaviness and much sorrow. 1080 For prively he wedded hire on morwe, For he wedded her in private in the morning, 1081 And al day after hidde hym as an owle, And all day after hid himself like an owl, 1082 So wo was hym, his wyf looked so foule. So woeful was he, his wife looked so ugly.

1083 Greet was the wo the knyght hadde in his thoght, Great was the woe the knight had in his thought, 1084 Whan he was with his wyf abedde ybroght; When he was brought to bed with his wife; 1085 He walweth and he turneth to and fro. He wallows and he turns to and fro. 1086 His olde wyf lay smylynge everemo, His old wife lay smiling evermore, 1087 And seyde, "O deere housbonde, benedicitee! And said, "O dear husband, bless me! 1088 Fareth every knyght thus with his wyf as ye? Does every knight behave thus with his wife as you do? 1089 Is this the lawe of kyng Arthures hous? Is this the law of king Arthur's house? 1090 Is every knyght of his so dangerous? Is every knight of his so aloof? 1091 I am youre owene love and youre wyf; I am your own love and your wife; 1092 I am she which that saved hath youre lyf, I am she who has saved your life, 1093 And, certes, yet ne dide I yow nevere unright; And, certainly, I did you never wrong yet; 1094 Why fare ye thus with me this firste nyght? Why behave you thus with me this first night? 1095 Ye faren lyk a man had lost his wit. You act like a man who had lost his wit. 1096 What is my gilt? For Goddes love, tel it, What is my offense? For God's love, tell it, 1097 And it shal been amended, if I may." And it shall be amended, if I can."

1098 "Amended?" quod this knyght, "Allas, nay, nay! "Amended?" said this knight, "Alas, nay, nay! 1099 It wol nat been amended nevere mo. It will not be amended ever more. 1100 Thou art so loothly, and so oold also, Thou art so loathsome, and so old also, 1101 And therto comen of so lough a kynde, And moreover descended from such low born lineage, 1102 That litel wonder is thogh I walwe and wynde. That little wonder is though I toss and twist about. 1103 So wolde God myn herte wolde breste!" So would God my heart would burst!"

1104 "Is this," quod she, "the cause of youre unreste?" "Is this," she said, "the cause of your distress?"

1105 "Ye, certeinly," quod he, "no wonder is." "Yes, certainly," he said, "it is no wonder."

1106 "Now, sire," quod she, "I koude amende al this, "Now, sir," she said, "I could amend all this, 1107 If that me liste, er it were dayes thre, If I pleased, before three days were past, 1108 So wel ye myghte bere yow unto me. Providing that you might behave well towards me.

1109 "But, for ye speken of swich gentillesse "But, since you speak of such nobility 1110 As is descended out of old richesse, As is descended out of old riches, 1111 That therfore sholden ye be gentil men, That therefore you should be noble men, 1112 Swich arrogance is nat worth an hen. Such arrogance is not worth a hen. 1113 Looke who that is moost vertuous alway, Look who is most virtuous always, 1114 Pryvee and apert, and moost entendeth ay In private and public, and most intends ever 1115 To do the gentil dedes that he kan; To do the noble deeds that he can; 1116 Taak hym for the grettest gentil man. Take him for the greatest noble man. 1117 Crist wole we clayme of hym oure gentillesse, Christ wants us to claim our nobility from him, 1118 Nat of oure eldres for hire old richesse. Not from our ancestors for their old riches. 1119 For thogh they yeve us al hir heritage, For though they give us all their heritage, 1120 For which we clayme to been of heigh parage, For which we claim to be of noble lineage, 1121 Yet may they nat biquethe for no thyng Yet they can not bequeath by any means 1122 To noon of us hir vertuous lyvyng, To any of us their virtuous living, 1123 That made hem gentil men ycalled be, That made them be called noble men, 1124 And bad us folwen hem in swich degree. And commanded us to follow them in such matters.

1125 "Wel kan the wise poete of Florence, "Well can the wise poet of Florence, 1126 That highte Dant, speken in this sentence. Who is called Dante, speak on this matter. 1127 Lo, in swich maner rym is Dantes tale: Lo, in such sort of rime is Dante's speech: 1128 `Ful selde up riseth by his branches smale `Very seldom grows up from its small branches 1129 Prowesse of man, for God, of his goodnesse, Nobility of man, for God, of his goodness, 1130 Wole that of hym we clayme oure gentillesse'; Wants us to claim our nobility from him'; 1131 For of oure eldres may we no thyng clayme For from our ancestors we can claim no thing 1132 But temporel thyng, that man may hurte and mayme. Except temporal things, that may hurt and injure a man.

1133 "Eek every wight woot this as wel as I, "Also every person knows this as well as I, 1134 If gentillesse were planted natureelly If nobility were planted naturally 1135 Unto a certeyn lynage doun the lyne, Unto a certain lineage down the line, 1136 Pryvee and apert thanne wolde they nevere fyne Then in private and in public they would never cease 1137 To doon of gentillesse the faire office; To do the just duties of nobility; 1138 They myghte do no vileynye or vice. They could do no dishonor or vice.

1139 "Taak fyr and ber it in the derkeste hous "Take fire and bear it in the darkest house 1140 Bitwix this and the mount of Kaukasous, Between this and the mount of Caucasus, 1141 And lat men shette the dores and go thenne; And let men shut the doors and go away; 1142 Yet wole the fyr as faire lye and brenne Yet will the fire as brightly blaze and burn 1143 As twenty thousand men myghte it biholde; As if twenty thousand men might it behold; 1144 His office natureel ay wol it holde, Its natural function it will always hold, 1145 Up peril of my lyf, til that it dye. On peril of my life (I say), until it dies.

1146 "Heere may ye se wel how that genterye "Here may you see well that nobility 1147 Is nat annexed to possessioun, Is not joined with possession, 1148 Sith folk ne doon hir operacioun Since folk not do behave as they should 1149 Alwey, as dooth the fyr, lo, in his kynde. Always, as does the fire, lo, in its nature. 1150 For, God it woot, men may wel often fynde For, God knows it, men may well often find 1151 A lordes sone do shame and vileynye; A lord's son doing shame and dishonor; 1152 And he that wole han pris of his gentrye, And he who will have praise for his noble birth, 1153 For he was boren of a gentil hous Because he was born of a noble house 1154 And hadde his eldres noble and vertuous, And had his noble and virtuous ancestors, 1155 And nel hymselven do no gentil dedis And will not himself do any noble deeds 1156 Ne folwen his gentil auncestre that deed is, Nor follow his noble ancestry that is dead, 1157 He nys nat gentil, be he duc or erl, He is not noble, be he duke or earl, 1158 For vileyns synful dedes make a cherl. For churlish sinful deeds make a churl. 1159 For gentillesse nys but renomee For nobility is nothing but renown 1160 Of thyne auncestres, for hire heigh bountee, Of thy ancestors, for their great goodness, 1161 Which is a strange thyng to thy persone. Which is a thing not naturally part of thy person. 1162 Thy gentillesse cometh fro God allone. Thy nobility comes from God alone. 1163 Thanne comth oure verray gentillesse of grace; Then our true nobility comes from grace ; 1164 It was no thyng biquethe us with oure place. It was not at all bequeathed to us with our social rank.

1165 "Thenketh hou noble, as seith Valerius, "Think how noble, as says Valerius, 1166 Was thilke Tullius Hostillius, Was that same Tullius Hostillius, 1167 That out of poverte roos to heigh noblesse. That out of poverty rose to high nobility. 1168 Reedeth Senek, and redeth eek Boece; Read Seneca, and read also Boethius; 1169 Ther shul ye seen expres that it no drede is There shall you see clearly that it is no doubt 1170 That he is gentil that dooth gentil dedis. That he is noble who does noble deeds. 1171 And therfore, leeve housbonde, I thus conclude: And therefore, dear husband, I thus conclude: 1172 Al were it that myne auncestres were rude, Although it is so that my ancestors were rude, 1173 Yet may the hye God, and so hope I, Yet may the high God, and so hope I, 1174 Grante me grace to lyven vertuously. Grant me grace to live virtuously. 1175 Thanne am I gentil, whan that I bigynne Then am I noble, when I begin 1176 To lyven vertuously and weyve synne. To live virtuously and abandon sin.

1177 "And ther as ye of poverte me repreeve, "And whereas you reprove me for poverty, 1178 The hye God, on whom that we bileeve, The high God, on whom we believe, 1179 In wilful poverte chees to lyve his lyf. In voluntary poverty chose to live his life. 1180 And certes every man, mayden, or wyf And certainly every man, maiden, or woman 1181 May understonde that Jhesus, hevene kyng, Can understand that Jesus, heaven's king, 1182 Ne wolde nat chese a vicious lyvyng. Would not choose a vicious form of living. 1183 Glad poverte is an honest thyng, certeyn; Glad poverty is an honest thing, certain; 1184 This wole Senec and othere clerkes seyn. This will Seneca and other clerks say. 1185 Whoso that halt hym payd of his poverte, Whoever considers himself satisfied with his poverty, 1186 I holde hym riche, al hadde he nat a sherte. I consider him rich, although he had not a shirt. 1187 He that coveiteth is a povre wight, He who covets is a poor person, 1188 For he wolde han that is nat in his myght; For he would have that which is not in his power; 1189 But he that noght hath, ne coveiteth have, But he who has nothing, nor covets to have anything, 1190 Is riche, although ye holde hym but a knave. Is rich, although you consider him but a knave. 1191 Verray poverte, it syngeth proprely; True poverty, it rightly sings; 1192 Juvenal seith of poverte myrily: Juvenal says of poverty merrily: 1193 `The povre man, whan he goth by the weye, `The poor man, when he goes along the roadway, 1194 Bifore the theves he may synge and pleye.' Before the thieves he may sing and play.' 1195 Poverte is hateful good and, as I gesse, Poverty is a hateful good and, as I guess, 1196 A ful greet bryngere out of bisynesse; A very great remover of cares; 1197 A greet amendere eek of sapience A great amender also of wisdom 1198 To hym that taketh it in pacience. To him that takes it in patience. 1199 Poverte is this, although it seme alenge: Poverty is this, although it may seem miserable: 1200 Possessioun that no wight wol chalenge. A possession that no one will challenge. 1201 Poverte ful ofte, whan a man is lowe, Poverty very often, when a man is low, 1202 Maketh his God and eek hymself to knowe. Makes him know his God and also himself. 1203 Poverte a spectacle is, as thynketh me, Poverty is an eye glass, as it seems to me, 1204 Thurgh which he may his verray freendes see. Through which one may see his true friends. 1205 And therfore, sire, syn that I noght yow greve, And therefore, sir, since I do not injure you, 1206 Of my poverte namoore ye me repreve. You (should) no longer reprove me for my poverty.

1207 "Now, sire, of elde ye repreve me; "Now, sir, of old age you reprove me; 1208 And certes, sire, thogh noon auctoritee And certainly, sir, though no authority 1209 Were in no book, ye gentils of honour Were in any book, you gentlefolk of honor 1210 Seyn that men sholde an oold wight doon favour Say that men should be courteous to an old person 1211 And clepe hym fader, for youre gentillesse; And call him father, because of your nobility; 1212 And auctours shal I fynden, as I gesse. And authors shall I find, as I guess.

1213 "Now ther ye seye that I am foul and old, "Now where you say that I am ugly and old, 1214 Than drede you noght to been a cokewold; Than do not fear to be a cuckold; 1215 For filthe and eelde, also moot I thee, For filth and old age, as I may prosper, 1216 Been grete wardeyns upon chastitee. Are great guardians of chastity. 1217 But nathelees, syn I knowe youre delit, But nonetheless, since I know your delight, 1218 I shal fulfille youre worldly appetit. I shall fulfill your worldly appetite.

1219 "Chese now," quod she, "oon of thise thynges tweye: "Choose now," she said, "one of these two things: 1220 To han me foul and old til that I deye, To have me ugly and old until I die, 1221 And be to yow a trewe, humble wyf, And be to you a true, humble wife, 1222 And nevere yow displese in al my lyf, And never displease you in all my life, 1223 Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair, Or else you will have me young and fair, 1224 And take youre aventure of the repair And take your chances of the crowd 1225 That shal be to youre hous by cause of me, That shall be at your house because of me, 1226 Or in som oother place, may wel be. Or in some other place, as it may well be. 1227 Now chese yourselven, wheither that yow liketh." Now choose yourself, whichever you please."

1228 This knyght avyseth hym and sore siketh, This knight deliberates and painfully sighs, 1229 But atte laste he seyde in this manere: But at the last he said in this manner: 1230 "My lady and my love, and wyf so deere, "My lady and my love, and wife so dear, 1231 I put me in youre wise governance; I put me in your wise governance; 1232 Cheseth youreself which may be moost plesance Choose yourself which may be most pleasure 1233 And moost honour to yow and me also. And most honor to you and me also. 1234 I do no fors the wheither of the two, I do not care which of the two, 1235 For as yow liketh, it suffiseth me." For as it pleases you, is enough for me."

1236 "Thanne have I gete of yow maistrie," quod she, "Then have I gotten mastery of you," she said, 1237 "Syn I may chese and governe as me lest?" "Since I may choose and govern as I please?"

1238 "Ye, certes, wyf," quod he, "I holde it best." "Yes, certainly, wife," he said, "I consider it best."

1239 "Kys me," quod she, "we be no lenger wrothe, "Kiss me," she said, "we are no longer angry, 1240 For, by my trouthe, I wol be to yow bothe -- For, by my troth, I will be to you both -- 1241 This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good. This is to say, yes, both fair and good. 1242 I prey to God that I moote sterven wood, I pray to God that I may die insane 1243 But I to yow be also good and trewe Unless I to you be as good and true 1244 As evere was wyf, syn that the world was newe. As ever was wife, since the world was new. 1245 And but I be to-morn as fair to seene And unless I am tomorrow morning as fair to be seen 1246 As any lady, emperice, or queene, As any lady, empress, or queen, 1247 That is bitwixe the est and eke the west, That is between the east and also the west, 1248 Dooth with my lyf and deth right as yow lest. Do with my life and death right as you please. 1249 Cast up the curtyn, looke how that it is." Cast up the curtain, look how it is."

1250 And whan the knyght saugh verraily al this, And when the knight saw truly all this, 1251 That she so fair was, and so yong therto, That she so was beautiful, and so young moreover, 1252 For joye he hente hire in his armes two. For joy he clasped her in his two arms. 1253 His herte bathed in a bath of blisse. His heart bathed in a bath of bliss. 1254 A thousand tyme a-rewe he gan hire kisse, A thousand time in a row he did her kiss, 1255 And she obeyed hym in every thyng And she obeyed him in every thing 1256 That myghte doon hym plesance or likyng. That might do him pleasure or enjoyment.

1257 And thus they lyve unto hir lyves ende And thus they live unto their lives' end 1258 In parfit joye; and Jhesu Crist us sende In perfect joy; and Jesus Christ us send 1259 Housbondes meeke, yonge, and fressh abedde, Husbands meek, young, and vigorous in bed, 1260 And grace t' overbyde hem that we wedde; And grace to outlive them whom we wed; 1261 And eek I praye Jhesu shorte hir lyves And also I pray Jesus shorten their lives 1262 That noght wol be governed by hir wyves; That will not be governed by their wives; 1263 And olde and angry nygardes of dispence, And old and angry misers in spending, 1264 God sende hem soone verray pestilence! God send them soon the very pestilence!

Heere endeth the Wyves Tale of Bathe

Synopses and Prolegomena
1.1 General Prologue
1.2 The Knight's Tale
1.3 The Miller's Prologue and Tale
1.4 The Reeve's Prologue and Tale
1.5 The Cook's Prologue and Tale
2.1 The Man of Law's Introduction, Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue
3.1 The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
3.2 The Friar's Prologue and Tale
3.3 The Summoner's Prologue and Tale
4.1 The Clerk's Prologue, Tale, and Envoy
4.2 The Merchant's Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue
5.1 The Squire's Introduction and Tale
5.2 The Franklin's Prologue and Tale
6.1 The Physician's Tale
6.2 The Pardoner's Prologue, Introduction, and Tale
7.1 The Shipman's Tale
7.2 The Shipman-Prioress Link
7.3 The Prioress' Prologue and Tale
7.4 The Prologue and Tale of Sir Thopas, and the Host's Interruption
7.5 The Tale of Melibee
7.6 The Monk's Prologue and Tale
7.7 The Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue of the Nun's Priest
8.1 The Second Nun's Prologue and Tale
8.2 The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue and Tale
9.1 The Manciple's Prologue and Tale
10.1 The Parson's Prologue and Tale
10.2 Chaucer's Retraction

The Wife of Bath’s Tale and character analysis

The Wife of the Bath tale and Character analysis

Geoffrey Chaucer wrote the well-known framing narrative “The Canterbury Tales “ sometime between 1387 and 1400. A group of 30 pilgrims who are traveling from London to Canterbury are the subject of the storyline. To amuse themselves while traveling, the pilgrims consent to take part in a storytelling competition. Each tale in “ The Canterbury Tales “ has a prologue that introduces the character giving the tale. The Knight, the Merchant, and the Friar are a few of “The Canterbury Tales” most popular characters, but the Wife of Bath is possibly the most well-known.

Table of Contents

Background of Wife of Bath:

The Wife of Bath is from the town of Bath. She works as a seamstress by profession but considers herself to be the world’s leading expert on love and the relationships between men and women. She has been married five times. She is described by Chaucer as being large, with gap teeth, and wearing red attire, which is typically the color of lust. The Wife of Bath is a formidable presence, a larger-than-life figure who is not hesitant to assert herself and voice her ideas.

Read More: Chaucer as the father of English Poetry

Physical appearance and the character analysis of the Wife of the Bath:

Because she “was deaf in either ear,” “bold was her face,” and had gap teeth, the seamstress gave off an aged and unattractive impression. Chaucer cleverly incorporates a reference to her tooth gap into the poem. The gap between the teeth in those days symbolized sensuality, with the lady who had one being more interested in romantic relationships than domestic duties. She always dressed expensively, stating that her “shoes were soft and new.” She reveals her affluence via attire and accessories as well. Her good social standing is demonstrated by her choice of the finest fabrics, shoes, and extravagant crimson red stockings.

Read More: The Canterbury Tales as a social commentary of the age

The wife is obsessed with sex , which might be viewed as a technique of manipulation, In order to get her husbands’ lands and maintain control over their finances. “A sensible woman would always try to gain affection where she has none, but since I had them entirely under my control and had all of their land, why should I bother trying to please them, unless it were for my benefit and pleasure?” This remark portrays a lady who is egotistical, materialistic, and shameless.

The Wife of Bath’s Tale:

The tale opens with a knight riding his horse one day in King Arthur’s court and spotting a young woman . After being overcome with passion and a feeling of self-importance, he rapes her. The crime scandalizes the court, which rules that the knight shall be beheaded to death.

Read More: Renaissance in English Literature

The queen of Arthur and other women of the court, on the other hand, make a plea on his behalf and urge the king to grant him one more opportunity to save his own life . Their plea is granted by a wise Arthur who is respectful to wifely advice. The queen provides the knight with a challenging task : if, within a year, he can find out what women desire most universally and submit his conclusions to the court, he will be granted the right to live. He will be beheaded if he can’t find out the answer.

He travels the country, asking the question to each lady he encounters. To the surprise of the knight, almost everyone gives a different response. Some assert that women love money the most, while others assert that women value honor, humor, beauty, sex, remarriage, flattery, and freedom above everything else.

After nearly giving up on his mission, he came upon a group of ladies dancing about. When he asked them what they most wanted and wished, they all vanished, and all he could see was an elderly, ugly woman. He could only get an answer from her if he committed to carry out her wishes.

Feminist point of view:

Chaucer ‘s humorous creation, the Wife of Bath, served as a useful tool to highlight the experiences, sentiments, and ideas of women in those times. He was able to create feminist concepts while having no feminist words. By developing such a persona, he was able to draw an audience to whom he could convey the idea that women are just as intelligent as men, that they should be valued on par with males, and that they deserve to be treated equally. The Wife of Bath pursues her journey and considers the place of women in society . She interprets literature created by men in her own unique way. By dominating her husbands, she seeks to demonstrate how women are subjugated. The Wife of Bath even disproves the notion that women lack strength because she is able to defend her mind and body.

Read More: Feminism in English Literature

According to feminist interpretations of the tale, Chaucer decided to address the shift in social norms through “The Prologue of the Wife of Bath’s Tale” in order to emphasize the power disparity in a society ruled by men. Women were only classified as maidens, spouses, or widows and were only capable of caring for children, cooking, and other “women’s tasks,” regardless of their social standing or jobs.

To conclude, we can say that Chaucer’s Wife of Bath was ahead of her time in challenging prevailing notions of male domination, asserting her own rights, negotiating within her marriages, and rejecting traditional notions of femininity.

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Analysis of The Wife of Bath in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales

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"The Wife of Bath's Tale": a Theme of Power and Gender

Table of contents, the wife of bath's assertion of power, gender roles and transformation, challenging stereotypes and assumptions, women's agency and empowerment.

Chaucer, G. (14th century). The Wife of Bath's Tale. The Canterbury Tales.
Gray, D. (2013). Gender and Power in Medieval Exegesis. Oxford University Press.
Mann, J. S. (1997). Feminizing Chaucer. Boydell & Brewer.
Newman, F. X. (2010). The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale. The Open Access Companion to the Canterbury Tales.
Winny, J. (2016). The Idea of Matriarchy in Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale. In S. Butler (Ed.), New Directions in Medieval Manuscript Studies and Reading Practices: Essays in Honour of Derek Pearsall (pp. 212-227). Springer.

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The Wife Of Bath Feminist Analysis Essay

In the fourteen century, men were always the superior, head of the household, the breadwinner, but women were always inferior, they would stay at home, do the house work, cook, and never would have a job. Well, times have changed. Women are reaching an equal status to men in political, social and economic matters, it’s part of the idea called Feminism. In many ways, does the Wife of Bath, display many characteristic of women in the 21st century, who instead of being directed by men, she views herself as an independent person.

Throughout her introduction of the tale, and the story itself, we see the Wife of Bath as an experienced, intellectual woman, who despite in a world of patriarchal power, she provides for herself financially, emotionally, and physically. As a feminist icon, she confronts serious social issues, that illustrate the subjugation that women faced. During her prologue and her tale, it is very clear that the Wife of Bath is proud and not ashamed of her sexuality.

She views sex as a good ideal, and argues it, using references from the Bible, that God’s intentions were for humans to have sex and procreate, “God bade us to wax and multiply. ” (259) In response to the upholders of celibacy, she asks for a proof of a discouraging of marriage, “Show me a time where God disparages or sets a prohibition upon marriages. Expressly, let me have it! Show it to me! ” (260) She is not jealous of virginity, but believes that virginity is perfection and is not meant for everyone, “I’ll have no quarrel with virginity.

Let them be pure wheat loaves of maidenhead And led us wives be known for barley-bread. ” (262) The Wife of Bath’s reputation isn’t as valuable to her sex life and it is her intention to utilize her ‘instruments” meaning her female sex organs during marriage to do so. These features of poise in this realm weren’t generally associated with women in those times. Being sexually confident and assertive are largely feminist ideas. Women were supposed to be shy, inexperienced, and act unconcerned in sex. The Wife of Bath acts against all of those stereotypes.

She is not naive, she is “experience[d]”, she is not timid or uninterested, and she plans to use what God gave as much as possible because clearly she relishes sex. The second topic of large controversy in her introduction, that she challenges the hierarchy of marriage. The Wife of Bath believes that the husbands should be submissive to their women partner, and that the wife should have a sort of sovereignty over the men. An example of her expressing her standpoint on this issues is when she is theoretically speaking to a husband, “Come near, my spouse, come let me kiss your cheek!

You should be always patient, aye, and meek. ” (270) In this line, she is conveying, that men should be tolerant and passive towards their wives. This concept of switching the “controls” of the marriage to the female, is very apparent through her explanation of her fifth marriage to John. This over misogynistic and over powering man tries to make the Wife of Bath feel as pathetic as possible by reading the most sexist passages out of religious texts. After tearing out the pages from his Bible, he hits her, and she responds “I up at once and smote him on the check and said, “Take that to level up the score!.. (280), but they make a truce, “Secured myself [Wife of Bath] the sovereignty in wedlock. ” (280)

The wife made Johnny feel so guilty for hitting her that he gave her all of the control and refuses to lose that sense of power over the man. The Wife of Bath was living in a time period of very little choices available for women, but she used her option in order to achieve her desire, to be the one in control, or at least to balance the hierarchy, which is the ultimate feminist statement As the gender inequality in marriage has dissipated over the past decade, the Wife of Bath has also done so but using unorthodox but witty ways.

The last subject, which instead of addressed to the reader is presented in the Preface, is the violence of men towards women. During the Middle Ages, hitting, rapping, and in some cases killing was condoned, and wasn’t a crime. Throughout the Wife of Bath’s prologue, we see examples of one of her various husbands assaulting her. Especially with John, we see he had “Beaten me [Wife of Bath] in every bone” (272), “He [Johnny] struck me [Wife of Bath] still can ache along my row of ribs” (272) and “Smote me on the head” (279).

But when Johnny hit her, causing her to be deaf in one ear, she refu remain submissive any longer and she hit him back: “I up at once and Smote him on the cheek” (280). Her actions, though seemingly benign in this modern time, was far more significance then. So, despite not leaving lohn due to her limited options, that action, displayed her opposition to her husband’s aggression. Throughout the Wife of Bath’s tale, each of the three controversies that appeared in the prologue is also displayed throughout the tale.

The violence of men towards women is shown through the knight’s sexual assault of the maid, “And of the maiden, alone as she was born… By the very force he took her maidenhead” (282) but the perpetrator is punished, which isn’t usually the instance. Instead of the the king punishing the man, he lets his wife do it, “he gave the queen the case” (282) disrupting the more common hierarchy of the marriage, where the wife is submissive to the husband. This idea of gender equality was very common during the period of the Middle Ages, but the Wife of Bath shifts it, playing her own game, a fantasy.

The Wife of Bath confronts and discusses the truths of the social dysfunction and oppression towards women that were rarely addressed. As a female character who is trying, despite the many difficulties that lie in her path, to encourage woman’s right, and independence, sexually, socially and economically. When understood from the circumstances of the era that she was living in, with lack of opportunities and options for women, the Wife of Bath, is seen as a large icon on Feminism.

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Wife Of Bath: Prologue And Tale Analysis

Category Literature
Subcategory English Literature
Topic Wife of Bath

Spending the last decade writing The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer claimed in The General Prologue that he would write approximately one hundred and twenty stories, four for each pilgrim to tell on their journey to and from Canterbury. However, Chaucer only managed to write twenty-two and had started two more, poking fun at a variety of professions. The comedy element categorises the genre of The Canterbury Tales as estate satire. Some characters have their own individual prologues one being The Wife of Bath Prologue and Tale. Travelling alongside the Wife on the pilgrimage are people from all three classes; nobility (knights, squires, yeoman), clergy (nun, monk, friars) and peasantry (cook, miller, student), all characters who Chaucer openly mock, writing unconvincing prologues and tales. Yet the Wife is “Chaucer’s most convincing portrait of actual female experience” (Hansen 1992:100) due to the length of her prologue, the tone and language used and the detail in which her personality and lifestyle is described.

Tone, Meter:

Written in iambic pentameter with rhyming couplets, the prologue and the tale mimics the style of spoken word. However, Chaucer often made the subject of the sentence come after the verb, making it difficult to read, the reasoning for this was to keep the couplets rhyming. Employing an enthusiastic tone, the Wife revels in her youth and sexual exploits she and others partake in, this tone is also adopted when the Wife is recalling her wedding nights. The use of an enthusiastic tone for something scandalous can be seen as empowering to women and an important poem in the querelle des femmes debate which includes the language used to describe domesticated lifestyle “breed of pured whete-seed/ and lat us wives hote barely breed” (149-150) The prologue can be seen as asserting female authority since women in this period were the ones responsible for running a household, not marrying five times, soon to be six. The Wife also speaks in a fighting tone, by repeating “thou seist” shows that she is “fighting against the power of male voices” (Hansen 1992:31) and shows her determination to be in power. In her tale, the wife adopts a straight forward tone in which she states the actions that the knight has done and only breaks her fiction when speaking of the knight’s audacity of sighing when being told his quest.

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The querelle des femmes debate is a literary debate about the nature and status of women which began around the late fifteenth century, early sixteenth and continued beyond the Renaissance era. Chaucer’s The Wife of Bath falls in this debate as Alisoun (the Wife) can exercise power over her husbands whether it be sexual power or manipulation “I bar him on hand he hadde enchaunted me/ (My dame taught me that subtiltee)” (581-582) Having learnt from a young age of twelve, the prologue tells the tale of “her skills in the arts of marriage having been perfected on the five husbands” (Rigby 1996:127) When speaking about Jankyn, husband number five, Alisoun speaks about abuse she has endured yet this is overthrown as she manipulates him into obeying her and burns his book of wicked wives. This book is another method in which Alisoun shows her power, the book that Jankyn reads is an anti-feminist novel as it portrays women as evil and like the title states; wicked. The book “focuses on the misogynists’ stereotype of women as aggressive and incapable of reasoning. The Wife’s physical reaction [the beating] to the anti-feminist book exemplifies precisely the faults anti-feminists claimed women had, yet at the same time it dramatizes women’s dilemma in such a society: masculine control of culture and of the cultural image of women leaves women no place to reply within it.” (Phillips 2000:92). Nevertheless, the Wife also asserts her power with the interlude. Although it is a male that interrupts the Wife, the female still asserts her power by not only continuing her prologue but making a snide remark about the interruption implying that the Wife will tell her tale in her own time even with the male trying to assert his dominance. The interruption is further strengthened on page 301 when the prologue ends with a male talking. One can presume that this is to reinforce male dominance as a woman has been speaking for a while. The character of the Wife is portrayed to be very vocal to her husbands “Through verbal attack, as she alleges and demonstrates, she gains and kept the upper hand in her first three marriages. She views words as strategic weapons, like sex and money, in the war between the sexes she describes her verbal tactics as repayment in kind against men” (Hansen 1992:28)

The Wife of Bath Prologue is predominately about sex and why the act should not be chastised. Alisoun is open about sex, line 46 states that she only marries for money and sex and proceeds to plead her debate stating “in oure owene juggement” (74) Although asserting her feminist argument, the Wife also acknowledges the role women are supposed to play in medieval times, implying that wives are more serviceable and preferred over virgins. Therefore, sex should not be frowned upon, putting forward a debate that isn’t seen as one-sided as she speaks of multiple scenarios when virgins are not favourable. By doing this she debunks the argument for misogamy and shows that “marriage was central to a woman’s social identity in a way that it was not for men, since men’s legal and property rights remained unaffected by it” (Rigby 1996:127) Speaking about her experience she misuses phrases from the Bible and St Paul to reiterate her point about marriage, sexual exploits and arguments she’s had. Although she often quoted these scriptures incorrectly, it is believed that Chaucer did this on purpose to openly mock the churchmen, such as the friar who interrupted her, as they often misused scriptures to justify their devious actions. Discussing the wealth and land she has accumulated whilst being in relationships; in lines 218-220 she claims that men have already given her everything they own due to having sex with them, even implying that due to their ages they struggled to go the distance. Using her diplomatic argument Alisoun speaks about female genitalia stating that they are used for sex and babies, just like male genitalia is not used just for urinating and establishing gender, instead they are also used to “eek for engendure” (140) Claiming that genitalia of both genders can be used to pay debts and should be used freely and anyone can have sex regardless of their looks or marital status. The Wife of Bath Prologue shows Alisoun’s female authority that she holds over men and can be seen “As a desiring subject rival who is also a woman in the context of late medieval patriarchy, Alisoun actively appropriates the tools of male privilege and uses them to her own advantage” (McTaggart 2012:47) However, the feminist interpretation of the Wife can be weakened as she combines two contradictory stereotypes and conforms to some antimarriage stereotypes.

The tale has many similarities to The Wife of Bath Prologue whether it be the somewhat silencing of women, the surrendering of genders or the talk of sex “Like the Wife’s Prologue it is about sex and inequalities of power, but in a different mode.” (Phillips 2000:99) The genre of the tale is medieval romance, as its featured characters are a knight and hag and the protagonist embarks on a quest to find out what women most desire. Although this tale parallels with the prologue it is an entirely different speaker because it is not as lewd as the prologue. Instead it is a tale “about a fairy bride who seeks out and tests a mortal lover” (Greenblatt 2012:301) This tale, like the prologue, shows female authority as the Queen is the one that ultimately decides the Knight’s fate and the hag a disguised elf-queen, is allowed to choose if she should become beautiful and unfaithful or ugly and faithful, “the shape-shifting masquerade deploys the grotesque as well as the glamorous to exaggerate and question femininity” (Crane 1994:87). The hag is the character that shows authority as she gives the knight an ultimatum to marry her, something that he did not want to do. However, by the end, the hag is silenced “And she obeys him in everything” (1261) implying that she cannot always dominate the male as “language does not serve women well because language is, according to The Canterbury Tales, an instrument for reproducing the conventions that constrain and deny both the experience of women and the representation of that experience” (Hansen 1992:39). However, the knight in the tale is portrayed as a rapist “ By verray force he rafte hir maidenhead” (894) displaying a misandrist nature towards men, as there isn’t any male in charge and the only males mentioned were the knight and friar, who were conveyed as predators and could cause fear: “The Wife of Bath’s Tale presents rape as an ungentil act of oppression by a powerful male” (Phillips 2000:145)

Overall both the prologue and tale support the querelle des femmes debate as they both show women in a positive and domineering light, yet both stories can also be contradictory and anti-feminist due to the silencing of females and payment for sex. Chaucer “place[s] gender in the social hierarchy” (Crane 1994:131) and is evident in both prologue and tale that he places the Wife on a pedestal by allowing her the longest story, yet destroys this by allowing men to interrupt and mock her. The same can apply to the tale as the hag chooses her appearance for the knight but still conforms to his wants by making herself beautiful. Therefore, it is unsure if Chaucer can be called a proto-feminist, although there is evidence that The Wife of Bath Prologue and Tale convey feminist notions.

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“The Wife of Baths” Tale Analysis

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The overall theme of The Wife of Bath Tale of an independent and headstrong woman. The women strongly believed in the worth of every woman and that women should be in control of their marriages and making their own decisions. The Wife of Bath also talks about in the story about how she is against strict religious rules for monogamy, using Biblical examples.

The Wife of Bath is in my opinion, the most interesting character a part of the Canterbury Tales. The girl is very headstrong, boisterous and opinionated. She starts a struggle against the unfair advantages of women and the taboos against female sexuality. She really made me think how true that society today is really only focused on the outside exterior of someone’s looks, instead of focusing on the beauty on the inside. In the story use religious texts to argue that women are the targets of scorn for the Wife of Bath. She claims that the reason for the bias against women in these texts is due to the lack of experience and contact with women of those who write the text.

“A woman wants the self-same sovereignty Over her husband as over her lover, And master him; he must not be above her.” I think this is a major part of what women want today in some areas. I think Geoffrey Chaucer really portrayed a struggle that not just women face, but men as well. That struggle is how everyone cares about how they look like and how who their with looks like, and how people will change just to give others pleasure based on their looks. A perfect example is when the old lady saved the knights life just so that she can blackmail him into marrying her. Then the knight started to make the old lady feel miserable about herself because he wanted a young women who was beautiful. I kinda feel like the story was hypocritical because its about women being treated the same as men, but at the end the old lady changed how she looked for the knight. Just to please him, which kinda contradicts the whole story.

In the Wife of Bath, the views towards the end start to soften. Her views of kindness and love start to be more noticable, but continues the theme of autonomy and power. The author puts the hag in a position of control and demoting the Knight to a position of submissiveness. Throughout the Tale, the Knight’s fate is decided by women, first by Guenevere, then by the crone. The author suggests that a man’s true happiness can be realized when he allows his spouse to have some level of autonomy.

The Canterbury Tales presents a picture of the society in which the author lived. The pilgrim’s tales reflect the changing views held by society at that time. The pilgrims must tell their tales to and from the shrine. The criteria to choose the winner are that the tale be instructive and amusing. Written by Geoffrey Chaucer during the Middle Ages, these tales are told in a light-hearted tone and each contain a moral. The speakers of these tales are fascinating and diverse in their appearances, mannerisms, social statuses, and life experiences. They each represent a different aspect of medieval life. None two are more diverse in their characteristics. Which goes along with the wife of bath, because during that time women were considered inferior to men. Women were expected to take care of the house and the kids, while the men went out to get the money to support the family on that end. Which makes this story very interesting, because of the time it was set in. Also how progressive it was, because majority of the main characters were women. They were making the men follow their intentions, which was a switch up going off the time period that the author set the story in.

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The Wife of Bath’s Tale: A Comprehensive Literary Analysis by Geoffrey Chaucer

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