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

The Cure to all Love’s IllsThe Cure to all Love’s Ills

Quick DiscussionQuick Discussion

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

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

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

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

marriage?marriage?

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

What do women want… most? Write the best response you got, as you

tell us the answer to such an age old question…. (trust me, I’m trying to figure it out… For the sake of all men)

How does answering How does answering this question help this question help

us understand us understand human nature?human nature?

Write your answer on Write your answer on a separate sheet, but a separate sheet, but leave space to revisit leave space to revisit

it later!it later!

Frame Narrative/ Envelope Frame Narrative/ Envelope structurestructure

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wife of BathWife of Bath

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

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

““Expert Wife”Expert Wife”

Final husband, Johnny, finally Final husband, Johnny, finally learned what women want mostlearned what women want most

Knight demonstrates this ideaKnight demonstrates this idea

Frame Narrative/ Envelope Frame Narrative/ Envelope structurestructure

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

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

Tale within “Wife of Bath’s Tale”: Tale within “Wife of Bath’s Tale”: King MidasKing Midas

OverviewOverview

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

In Part 2, the Wife describes her married In Part 2, the Wife describes her married lifelife

In Part 3, the Wife describes her final In Part 3, the Wife describes her final husband Jankyn and their arguments over husband Jankyn and their arguments over the “Book of Wicked Wives”the “Book of Wicked Wives”

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

The Church’s The Church’s HierarchyHierarchy VirginsVirgins

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Men Say About What Men Say About WomenWomen

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

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

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

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

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

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

So…what do women want So…what do women want most? most?

Answer this question again, now Answer this question again, now being knowledgeable about the being knowledgeable about the view/role of women.view/role of women.

Reflect: Why might men have Reflect: Why might men have viewed women as they did? Do viewed women as they did? Do we still see this today?we still see this today?

How does the Knight learn How does the Knight learn this lesson? this lesson?

Let’s her choose what form to takeLet’s her choose what form to take

Reflect 1Reflect 1

How does this tale reflect what we How does this tale reflect what we know of the wife of bath? know of the wife of bath?

Anticipate 1Anticipate 1

What does this tale by Wife of Bath What does this tale by Wife of Bath tell us about the Character’s tell us about the Character’s motives? motives? What do women want most? What do women want most?

To be master over her husband or loverTo be master over her husband or lover

Wife of Bath Review Clip

Wife of Bath Reflection Wife of Bath Reflection Question Question

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

Answer this reflection in a 5-7 sentence paragraph.