Wife of Bath Tale Notes

At what age was the Wife first married?

12 years old.

How many husbands has the Wife had?

5

What problems did the Wife have in her fifth marriage?

She loved him the most, but she got tired of him reading her the same book about women betraying their husbands so she tore out the pages in the book. He hit her and she hit him, and now she's deaf in one ear. He then submitted to her.

Why does the Pardoner interrupt the Wife's story?

The Pardoner asks that the stories are kept free from vulgarity, as he believes that when telling a story, one must be entirely truthful.

The Wife asks "Who painted first the lion, tell me who?" To what fable is she alluding and, once you've researched this, what's her point on authority?

The fable she's alluding to is one of Aesop's fables in which it shows a lion being shown a picture of a man killing a lion. However, Aesop mentions that if the lion had painted the picture, the scene would be reversed. Her point is that in a conflict, both sides can justify the story to fit their own narrative.

What riddle must the knight solve? How long does the knight have to solve it?

The knight has 12 months and a day to find out what women most desire.

What is the answer to the knight's riddle?

"Women desire to have the sovereignty as well upon their husband as their love, and to have mastery their man above."

According to the Wife of Bath's opening lines, which is better: actual experience or scholarly authority?

Actual experience.

Why might a woman argue for what she argues?

As someone who has been married very early and many times, she is criticized by others. This was very common for women during this time.

What made problems in the Wife's fourth marriage?

He cheated on her, making her jealous and powerless because she was no longer in power in the relationship.

How does the wife's claim that she chooses men based on their nether purse represent Chaucer's feminism? Anti-feminism?

He displays women as having a choice in who they want to marry. But also anti-feminism because he's displaying her as shallow and manipulative.

What is the knight's sentence?

He is sentenced to death, but is sent on a quest so if he completes the quest he will be acquitted.

What crime was the knight guilty of? What extent is this a reversal upon the previous men?

He raped a young girl in a field. A reversal of the courtly Palamon, but a parallel of the vulgar/unholy Nicholas and Absalom.

What is the wife's logic when she says "if there were no seed sown, / Virginity--where then should it be grown?"

How can all women be virgins if there are no ways to reproduce more virgins because nobody can have relations with a man.

How do you know the tale happens during the old times when magic existed?

Magic elements and indications: "elf queen", "elves", "fairies". This was a time of great imagination because it was still when humans didn't have a greater understanding of the difference between the supernatural and the ordinary.

What are the complaints men make about women?

Men think women always wait until marriage to show their bad, ugly, and deceitful side. She says also that men think that women who are beautiful are unfaithful, while women who are ugly are faithful.

List seven items that some say women want?

Riches, fair fame, prettiness, rich array, lust abed, to be widowed and re-wed, and authority over men.

How did she manipulate Jenkin after he hits her?

She acts as though he almost killed her, and manipulates him into giving her complete control over his house and land.

How does the wife embody the double standard?

She actually even addresses it. Most of her prologue is spent attacking the double standard that women are treacherous for infidelity while men can have multiple females. She then tries to shatter this double standard and empowers women to do the same.

In what exactly does the Wife claim expertise?

She claims to be an excerpt in marriage, men, and following/interpreting God's word. Even though she lost her virginity, she uses her fruitfulness to give birth to more virgins. She knows how to use her sexuality to manipulate men.

Why is her marriage to 5 husbands ironic given she claims expertise with interpreting the word of God?

She claims to be holy pretty much, which is ironic because she is no longer a virgin. She claims she is obeying God by providing children for the earth.

What kind of utencil does the Wife use as an analogy to virginity?

She compares virginity to a "vessel of gold", stating that men might not get a shiny, new virgin but they can still get women like her who are just as sturdy and useful like a "vessel of wood".

To what extent does her 12 year old married self elicit sympathy for women like her?

She may not have had any control or voice in her first marriage because of her young age, eliciting a lot of sympathy potentially.

How does the tale match the Wife's personality and beliefs about marriage?

She personally demonstrates that women should have control over men in a relationship, and this tale exemplifies that.

What revelation does the Wife have about the tears she cried at her fourth husband's funeral?

She wasn't actually upset, she already had a new husband lined up.

What scriptural evidence from Christ's life does the Wife hold up as evidence that a woman could be married multiple times?

Solomon had more than 1 wife and God has never said a woman can not have more than one husband.

Why does the wife include the story about King Midas' donkey ears?

Some women also want to be trusted by others and to prove this the story of King Midas highlights that women cannot keep secrets.

What allusion to Genesis does the Wife use as a clear indication she should be married?

The allusion to Genesis is the line "increase and multiply" and this is a clear indication that she should be married because it is something that God commanded.

What is the bargain between the knight and the old woman?

The bargain is that the knight marries the old woman to save his life.

How does the knight treat her rudely and unchivalrously?

The knight treats the old woman rudely when the woman helps to spare his life and he pledges himself to her, and does not want to marry her. He then begrudgingly marries her, but is still upset and calls her ugly and lowborn later that night.

For what symbolic/ironic purpose do you think Chaucer keeps the Wife childless?

The major irony with the wife being childless is that she goes on this entire tangent saying she is justified in not being a virgin and having all this experience because it allows her to fulfill God's desire for her to have children.

What demand does the old woman make of the knight?

The old woman demands that the knight pledge himself to her in return of her help.

What two choices does the old woman give the knight? What is his answer?

The old woman gives the knight these two choices: that he can have her be ugly but loyal, or fair but unfaithful. The knight responds asking her to choose whatever she thinks is best.

What does the old woman teach the knight about poverty?

The old woman teaches that real poverty lies in covetousness.

What does the old woman teach the knight about old age?

The old woman teaches that she serves as a living example that all things cannot stay beautiful as the young knight believes they should be.

What does the old woman teach the knight about nobility?

The old woman teaches the young knight that it is chivalrous to treat all women the same way, regardless of appearance.

How does the queen get power over the knight?

The queen obtains power over the knight by threatening him with the possibility of death if he does not answer the riddle correctly.

What is the verbal irony in "I have wedded five! / Of whom I did pick out and choose the best / Both for their nether purse and for their chest"?

The verbal irony is that men feel that women choose men based off of their looks and whether they have money.

How are women expected to be in their lifetimes?

They are expected to be good wives, not to have a career of their own.

How do some lines reinforce the stereotype about women who seduce and enthrall men?

They enforce that women who seduce men gain sexual power over them, which allows women to get their money and other things for personal gain.

What was similar about the wife's first three marriages?

They were food, as her husbands were old and submissive. They were also rich, so she admits to manipulating them to get money.

What is the theme about society and power distribution?

Ties into the theme that men continually want to exert their power over women and society believes that that is the way life should be; a man should have the power and control over the woman.

What are the 3 main ideas from the tale?

Women and femininity, power, and natural order.

Why is she direct satire about women?

Women believe they needs to be dependent upon a man, when it reality, they don't have to be at all.