wife of bath marriage essay

The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey chaucer, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

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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“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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IvyPanda. (2020, October 6). "The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-wife-of-baths-tale-by-geoffrey-chaucer/

""The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer." IvyPanda , 6 Oct. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-wife-of-baths-tale-by-geoffrey-chaucer/.

IvyPanda . (2020) '"The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer'. 6 October.

IvyPanda . 2020. ""The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer." October 6, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-wife-of-baths-tale-by-geoffrey-chaucer/.

1. IvyPanda . ""The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer." October 6, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-wife-of-baths-tale-by-geoffrey-chaucer/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . ""The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer." October 6, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-wife-of-baths-tale-by-geoffrey-chaucer/.

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The Open Access Companion to the Canterbury Tales

A new way to learn about old books

The Wife of Bath’s Prologue

Love and marriage in the  wife of bath’s prologue, emma lipton ([email protected]), an essay chapter from  the open access companion to the canterbury tales  (september 2017).

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Introduction

The Wife of Bath’s Prologue provides an introduction to medieval ideas about marriage and love. The Prologue begins like a sermon and then takes on the terms of misogyny and misogamy as the Wife describes her first three marriages, demonstrating her success in manipulating the marriage system to her own advantage as a means to consolidate money and power. When the Wife speaks of her fourth and fifth husbands, however, the Prologue becomes more personal, like a modern autobiography, exploring the role of love in marriage and its relationship to gender hierarchy and domestic violence. In her prologue, Chaucer’s Wife defends marriage against religious teachings that claim that it is inferior to celibacy, maintaining the association of marriage with sex but embracing a more modern perspective that sexual pleasure is a virtue and rejecting the idea that wives should always obey their husbands. The Prologue presents both the challenges to women’s agency posed by medieval marriage and, conversely, the ways existing practices of medieval marriage could be manipulated to empower women.

As the information in the “Tools” section below will demonstrate, marriage teachings and practices in late medieval English culture were far from homogeneous, despite a persistent modern idea that medieval marriage exemplified patriarchy at its most extreme. Instead, medieval marriage was represented in complex and contradictory ways that combined, for example, an insistence on marital sexuality with a definition of marriage that did not require sex and a demand for both mutual love between the spouses and the rulership of husbands over wives. Perhaps because of the complexity of ideas about marriage in the period, the topic was broadly central to late medieval literature, and a topic through which medieval culture debated topics as diverse as the roles of gender, sexuality, social hierarchy, and the relationship of lay and clerical authority. The Wife of Bath’s Prologue manipulates existing conventions of marriage in innovative ways, providing a model for social change that is not radical but provisionary and partial.

Let’s pause to think about some general questions before moving on: Can you think of ways that the meaning of marriage is contested in our world today? In what ways do modern political concerns shape our private experiences of marriage? What are examples of social change in the modern world that have been accomplished by reworking existing conventions rather than by radical change?

Although the Wife of Bath challenges masculine and clerical authority, she does not challenge a conventional association of marriage with sexuality in the late medieval period. Many modern feminists see sexuality as a form of agency and female empowerment, but the Wife’s Prologue engages with paradigms of clerical teaching that associate sexuality with sin. To understand the Wife’s Prologue , then, we need to consider contemporary teachings about marriage and sex. Do you think it is possible to see the Wife of Bath’s Prologue as feminist if it celebrates sex in a culture that saw it as sinful? Critics such as Carolyn Dinshaw in her book Chaucer’s Sexual Poetics have argued that the Wife of Bath represents feminist values in that she challenges patriarchy and gives voice to female desire. Others, such as Elaine Tuttle Hansen, emphasize the ways in which, despite the fullness of her characterization, the Wife is not a person but a fictional construction of male misogynist discourse, “a dramatic and important instance of woman’s silence and suppression” (29).

Unlike many contemporary societies, which often place marriage and family values at the center of religious practice, in the Middle Ages marriage was associated with sexual activity and, thus, was considered less spiritual than celibacy, which was required for the clergy. Medieval sermons and theologians often cited St. Paul First Corinthians 7, which recommended continence and linked abstinence from sex to a greater reward in heaven. St. Paul allowed that those who were not able to abstain from sex were better married than not: “but if they do not contain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burnt” (I Corinthians 7:9). In his analysis of this same biblical passage, St. Jerome identified marriage as the lesser of two evils, superior only to fornication (Jerome 420). In this view, the limited virtue of marriage lay in its ability to protect the spouses from sex outside of marriage. Where does the Wife cite “the Apostle”? How do her readings compare to St. Jerome’s? To your own reading of the biblical text?

Medieval sermons were critical of widows who chose to remarry, especially those who had already had children, suggesting that they were motivated primarily by sexual appetite. How does the Wife use her status as a widow to gain power? The hierarchy of sexual status was frequently used to categorize women and was typically referred to as “The Three Grades of Chastity” with virgin at the top, widow in the middle, and wife at the bottom. In this scheme, a woman’s virtue was tied to the degree to which she rejected sexuality. Women were frequently identified by marital status in contrast to men, who were often defined by their jobs. Why do you think Alison of Bath is identified as “the Wife” instead of as a cloth merchant in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (another male figure in the tales gets the name “the Merchant”)? How does Chaucer’s Wife challenge the hierarchy of the Three Grades of Chastity? Why do you think the Wife is depicted without children?

The denigration of marriage was tied to the low valuation of sex in medieval clerical teaching. Even within marriage, preachers taught that sexual pleasure was “lust” and considered sinful. Following St. Augustine’s notion that sin was determined by intention rather than by the act itself, preachers taught that sex was only sinless if undertaken in an effort to have children or to save one’s spouse from fornication but not if experienced as pleasurable (Payer 84-110). Despite its bad reputation, sex was considered an obligation in marriage if requested by either the husband or the wife in an effort to avoid fornication. This obligation was known as the “marital debt” (or “conjugal debt”) and was often justified in an interpretation of St. Paul: “Let the husband render the debt to his wife, and the wife also in like manner to her husband” (I Corinthians 7:3-4; Payer 89-98). St. Paul specified that marriage was not sinful (“if thou take a wife, then thou hast not sinned”) but, he said, married people will “have tribulation in the flesh” (7:28). Medieval preachers interpreted this to mean that because there were acceptable reasons to have sex in marriage, being married required constantly resisting the enjoyment of sex. Marriage’s association with sex in contrast to the ostensibly superior practice of clerical celibacy was one of the ways that clerical superiority was asserted over lay people in the religious texts of the period (Lipton 4-9). This explains why Chaucer’s Wife’s celebration of sex is linked to her challenges to clerical authority.

Although the “Three Grades of Chastity” associated marriage with sex, sex was not required for marriage in legal and sacramental definitions. Basing his analysis in the biblical example of Mary and Joseph, St. Augustine argued that the essence of marriage was the “affections of the mind” rather than sex. When the marriage sacrament was formally defined in the twelfth century, the mutual love between spouses (expressed in the exchange of marriage vows) was determined to be the substance of the marriage sacrament; this love in turn was both the sign and substance of God’s grace. This vision of marriage as a sacrament based in love dignified marriage as a spiritual practice (Lipton 4-9). Medieval church courts upheld this sacramental definition of marriage as the consent between two parties as expressed in the exchange of marriage vows (McSheffrey, Helmholz). Defining marriage in this way meant that the approval of families and presence of clergy was not legally necessary, although families could and did pressure women in their choice of partners (Sheehan 87-117). Although this definition of marriage as consent applied to all medieval women, historians have shown that in practice, women in the middle sections of society (whom we would now identify as “middle class” including cloth merchants like Chaucer’s Wife of Bath) exercised the greatest choice of marriage partners. As we will see, this idea of marriage as grounded in mutual love and mutual choice helps us understand the end of the Wife of Bath’s Prologue .

The idea that marriage was defined by mutual love was juxtaposed in medieval sermons with a seemingly opposite view that husbands should rule over their wives (Galloway, Sheehan 262-77). These paradoxical views were often expressed at the same time in sermons and in handbooks that instructed priests on how to perform confession. Chaucer was certainly aware of this tradition since his Parson’s Tale is structured like a confessor’s handbook. The section on lust juxtaposes the importance of mutual love between spouses with the need for a wife to obey her husband. Chaucer’s Parson instructs: “God ne made nat womman of the foot of Adam, for she ne sholde nat been holden to lowe; for she kan nat paciently suffre. But God made womman of the ryb of Adam, for womman sholde be felawe unto man. / Man sholde bere hym to his wyf in feith, in trouthe, and in love . . . / Now how that a womman sholde be subget to hire housbonde, that telleth Seint Peter. First, in obedience.” (ParsT 927-29). In this passage, marriage combines two seemly incompatible virtues: mutuality in love and the rule of husband over wife? How does the tension between love and marriage in medieval sermons help us to understand the Wife’s Prologue ?

This idea that wives should be controlled by their husbands was integral to medieval legal practice. In medieval courts, wives were represented by their husbands (and by their fathers before marriage). All land and goods owned by a wife, including property inherited during her marriage, was legally controlled by her husband. However, a wife could operate a business separately from her husband and, depending on the nature of her husband’s will, a wife could inherit property after her husband’s death. This meant that widows could potentially be financially and legally independent from men in ways not possible for married women or women still living under paternal control. Critics, such as Sheila Delaney, have argued for reading the Wife’s Prologue as a lesson on the ways in which wives were limited by marriage law and for seeing Chaucer’s Wife as a victim of “sexual economics.” Others, such as Laurie Finke, have emphasized the ways marriage laws allowed the Wife to gain power by using marriage to make money, locating her prologue and tale in the mercantilism of fourteenth-century England. Do you think the Wife’s manipulation of the marriage market promotes social change or reinforces misogynist stereotypes?

Not only did the medieval legal system treat wives as inferior; there was a colorful genre of “anti-matrimonial” writing that advised men not to marry on the grounds that wives were intolerable. This kind of writing typically painted a picture of the “woe of marriage,” a phrase used by Chaucer’s Wife of Bath in the opening lines of her prologue. A widely circulated example of this kind of writing is by Theophrastus who is named as a source for the Book of Wikked Wives that Jankyn reads to the Wife in her prologue (Theophrastus, Blamires; WBP 671). St. Jerome is also cited in the Prologue as an author of Jankyn’s text (WBP 674); Jerome’s Against Jovianian cites the anti-matrimonial work of Theophrastus. Building on the association of marriage with undesirable sexuality, anti-matrimonial writing depicts wives as sexually voracious, unfaithful, vain, acquisitive, and unforgivably talkative. Refuting a possible practical reason for marriage, this text asserts that wives are inferior managers of the household compared to male servants. These texts show that the bad reputation of marriage is tied both to negative views of sexuality and to the clichés of medieval misogyny, both of which the Wife challenges in her prologue.

The Wife begins her Prologue by claiming that her authority to speak on marriage is justified by her experience (an authority not available to the celibate clergy) rather than on her ability to interpret the Bible, a practice she attributes to men (WPB 26). Nonetheless, the first part of the Wife’s Prologue resembles a marriage sermon in its use of Biblical quotations and interpretations to defend marriage. Although no woman or lay married person could be a preacher in the Middle Ages, the resemblance of her prologue to a sermon is recognized within the text by the Pardoner (also a preacher), who interrupts the Wife to say “Ye been a noble prechour in this cas” (WBP 165).  In this passage, the Wife not only threatens masculine prerogative, she also challenges clerical authority on marriage both by her experience and her command of the tools and strategies of marriage sermons.

The Wife shows that the same passages from St. Paul (whom she calls “the apostle”) most often used in contemporary sermons to promote the superiority of celibacy over marriage can be turned on their head and used to defend marriage and justify marital sexuality. For example, she asks of God where “comanded he virginitee?” arguing that “Th’apostel” said men may “conseille” a woman to be a virgin in I Corinthians 7:25, “but conseillyng is no comandement” (WBP 62-67). Here, she refutes St Jerome’s interpretation of this passage as condemning marriage, insisting that St. Paul supports marriage. She also challenges the view that sexual pleasure is problematic. Willfully misunderstanding the marital debt, she says, “Myn housbonde shal it have bothe eve and morwe, / Whan that hym list come forth and paye his dette. / An housbonde I wol have—I wol nat lette— / Which shal be bothe my dettour and my thral” (WBP 152-155). In this passage, the Wife depicts her husband as serving her pleasure, rather than seeing the marital debt as a mutual obligation designed to protect against fornication. Similarly, she revises St Paul’s warning of the “tribulation” of marriage, claiming, “Of tribulacion in mariage, / Of which I am expert in al myn age— / This is to seyn, myself have been the whippe” (WBP 173-75).  Here, she celebrates marital sexuality and asserts her mastery of her husband, inverting the convention of husbands ruling their wives. Questioning the superiority of celibacy over marriage is one of several ways that the Wife challenges the superiority of clerical over lay authority.

After the Pardoner’s interruption, the Wife’s description of her marriage to her first three husbands invokes the stereotypes of misogynist and anti-matrimonial literature (Patterson 141). The Wife is acquisitive, admitting proudly to marrying for money and exhorting land from her husbands before she is willing to sleep with them (WBP 210-214). She reports that she cannot keep secrets. Her prologue is by far the longest in the Canterbury Tales and she says if her husband had so much as pissed against a wall she would have told her “gossyb” (WBP 533-544). The Wife boasts that she rules over her first three husbands, inverting the conventional hierarchy of husband over wife. Throughout this middle portion of the Prologue , the Wife continually reminds the reader of the stereotypes of anti-matrimonial writings by repeating the phrase “thou seist” (and “thus seistow”). She asserts the essential message of these texts, “that no wys man nedeth for to wedde” (WBP 274). Even before she talks about her first three marriages, her words seem to have fulfilled the goals of anti-matrimonial writings as the Pardoner claims that her words about the “wo that is in mariage” (WBP 3) have made him decide not to wed a wife after all. Given that the Wife is the embodiment of misogynist clichés, is it still possible to see her—or the Prologue —as feminist?

By contrast to her account of her first three marriages, the Wife claims that she married her last husband, Jankyn “for love, and no richesse” (WBP 526), and she celebrates the sexual element of their marriage (“in oure bed he was so fressh and gay” [WBP 508]). At first Jankyn seems to have the upper hand in their marriage as he subjects her to readings from his misogynist book featuring villainous wives from history. In this passage, the Wife articulates theory of authorial gender bias, arguing that “if wommen hadde writen stories, / As clerkes han withinne hire oratories, / They wolde han writen of men moore wikkednesse / Than al the mark of Adam may redresse” (WBP 693-96). Her logic in this passage is similar to the one that shapes curriculum in many English departments with classes by female authors: the idea that the gender of authors plays a fundamental role in the stories they tell. Just as the Knight in her tale must reject misogynist answers to the question of what women want, such as riches and pleasure in bed (WBP 925), the Wife’s act of tearing of pages out of Jankyn’s Book of Wikked Wives is a symbolic rejection of misogynist stereotypes, invoked earlier in the Prologue in the repetition of “thou seist.”

After tearing the pages and a violent skirmish between the two of them, Jankyn gives the Wife “the governance of hous and lond” (WBP 814) and grants her the “maistrie” and “soveraynetee” over him that she had over her first three husbands. He also tells her to make her own choices about her life: “Do as thee lust the terme of al thy lyf” (WBP 820). This passage has been central to the assertion, famously made by George Lyman Kittredge as early as 1915, that the Wife of Bath seeks to rule over her husbands. [1] This is certainly the Clerk’s view of the Wife and “all hire sect” (ClT 1171). But if the point of the tale is to emphasize the Wife’s desire for sovereignty over her husband, then why does the Prologue continue instead of ending here?

The Wife of Bath gives up sovereignty right after she get it, and the Prologue ends with an image of marital harmony and partnership. Perhaps, as Lee Patterson suggests, the Wife “is willing to abandon maistrye once she learns that he cares enough to grant it” ( Subject of History 310). She reports: “God helpe me so, I was to hym as kynde, / As any wyf from Denmark unto Ynde, / And also trewe, and so was he to me” (WBP 823-25). This last phrase, “so was he to me” marks the marriage as one of shared roles and shared affection. We are reminded that she claims to have married this last husband “for love and no richesse” (WBP 526). The Wife’s Prologue has, indeed, charted the “wo that is in marriage” (WBP 3), but it also acknowledges the importance of marital affection.

Can we take this ideal of marital love seriously? How can the ending, with its fairy-tale language of happy ending, be reconciled with the depiction of her relationship to Jankyn as “dangerous” to her, a position validated by his reading misogyny to her and by his acts of domestic violence? How does the juxtaposition of love and hierarchy in medieval marriage sermons help us think about the ending? How do the complex and contradictory ideas about medieval marriage outlined in the “tools” section help to understand the contradictions at the end of the tale? Is it possible to love in a relationship that has not always been mutual?

Transformation

• To what extent should we understand the ending of the Prologue as a fantasy of the Wife? Can fantasy play a role in social change?
• If we consider the Prologue as a model for social change, can we see the temporary rule of the Wife over her husband in the end as a first step to mutuality in patriarchal society?
• Chaucer’s Wife fulfills negative contemporary medieval stereotypes about wives and women. Do you think Chaucer’s text perpetuates or criticizes these stereotypes? How can the Prologue help us think about how to respond to stereotypes in general?
• The Wife of Bath claims female “experience” as her authority, but then goes on to imitate male preachers in her interpretation of the Bible. Do you think the text validates experiential or textual authority? To what extent does the text embrace a stable model of gender, and to what extent does it show gender to be a potentially changeable social construct?
• The Wife celebrates marriage and links it to sexual pleasure, to love, and to her sense of selfhood. To what extent do you feel she shares familiar values? What perspective can the tale offer us on our own society? On modern ideas about marriage? On our ongoing political debates about the definition of marriage?
• Compare the depiction of marriage in the Wife’s Prologue and tale to the representation of marriage in other Canterbury Tales , such as the Clerk’s and Franklin’s tales. How does each vision of marriage fit the social values of the teller?

Works Cited and Suggestions for Further Reading: 

Brundage, James A. Law, Sex and Christian Society in Medieval Europe . Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987.

Blamires, Alcuin, ed. Woman Defamed and Woman Defended . New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Burger, Glenn. Chaucer’s Queer Nation . Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2003.

Delaney, Sheila. “Sexual Economics, Chaucer’s Wife of Bath and the Book of Margery Kempe.” Minnesota Review 5 (1975): 104-115.

Dinshaw, Carolyn. Chaucer’s Sexual Poetics. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1989.

Finke, Laurie. “‘All is for to selle’: Breeding Capital in the Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale” in The Wife of Bath: Geoffrey Chaucer , 171-88. Edited by Peter G. Beidler. Boston and New York: Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press, 1996.

Galloway, Andrew. “Marriage sermons, Polemical Sermons and the Wife of Bath’s Prologue: A Generic Excursus.” Studies in the Age of Chaucer . 14 (1992): 3-30.

Hansen, Elaine Tuttle. Chaucer and the Fictions of Gender. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992.

Helmholz, Richard. Marriage Litigation in Medieval England . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1974.

Lipton, Emma. Affections of the Mind: The Politics of Sacramental Marriage in Late Medieval English Literature . Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2007.

McSheffrey, Shannon, ed. Love and Marriage in Late Medieval London . TEAMS Kalamazoo: Medieval Institute, 1995.

Patterson, Lee. Chaucer and the Subject of History . Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1991.

— “‘Experience woot well it is noght so’: Marriage and the Pursuit of Happiness in the Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale.” In The Wife of Bath: Geoffrey Chaucer , 133-54. Edited by Peter G. Beidler. Boston and New York: Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press, 1996.

Payer, Pierre J. The Bridling of Desire: Views of Sex in the Later Middle Ages . Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1993.

Sheehan, Micheal M. Marriage, Family and Law in Medieval Europe: Collected Studies . Edited by James K. Farge. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1996.

Smith, Warren S. “The Wife of Bath Debates Jerome.”  The Chaucer Review  32.2 (1997): 129-145.

Saint Jerome, from The Epistle Against Jovinian in Chaucer: Sources and Backgrounds , 415-36. Edited by Robert P. Miller. New York: Oxford University Press, 1977.

Theophrastus, from the Golden Book on Marriage in The Canterbury Tales: Fifteen Tales and the General Prologue , 357-59. Edited by V. A. Kolve and Glending Olson. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 2005.

[1] In George Lyman Kittredge, Chaucer and His Poetry (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 185-210) reproduced in The Canterbury Tales: Fifteen Tales and the General Prologue , ed. V. A. Kolve and Glending Olson (New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 2005), 539-46.

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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 Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer

• Literature Notes
• The Wife of Bath
• 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 Wife of Bath'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 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

Character Analysis The Wife of Bath

The Wife of Bath is intriguing to almost anyone who has ever read her prologue, filled with magnificent, but for some, preposterous statements. First of all, the Wife is the forerunner of the modern liberated woman, and she is the prototype of a certain female figure that often appears in later literature. Above all, she is, for the unprejudiced reader, Chaucer's most delightful creature, even if some find her also his most outrageous. Her doctrine on marriage is shocking to her companions, evoking such responses that the single man never wants to marry. For the Clerk and the Parson, her views are not only scandalous but heretical; they contradict the teachings of the church. In fact, her views prompt the Clerk to tell a tale of a character completely opposite from the Wife of Bath's tale.

Her prologue presents a view of marriage that no pilgrim had ever conceived of and is followed by a tale that proves her to be correct. She expresses her views with infinite zest and conviction, with such determined assurance in the correctness that no pilgrim can argue with her logic; they can be shocked by it, but they cannot refute it. As she unfolds her life history in her prologue, she reveals that the head of the house should always be the woman, that a man is no match for a woman, and that as soon as they learn to yield to the sovereignty of women, men will find a happy marriage.

In her prologue, the Wife admirably supports her position by reference to all sort of scholarly learning, and when some source of authority disagrees with her point of view, she dismisses it and relies instead on her own experience. Because she has had the experience of having had five husbands — and is receptive to a sixth — there is no better proof of her views than her own experience, which is better than a scholarly diatribe.

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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 Crucible
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• The Waste Land
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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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• Geoffrey Chaucer

What are the arguments of the Wife of Bath in relation to marriage? How do you integrate her Prologue and her story into a coherent whole?

Acclaimed as the “Father of English Literature” and “the English Homer” before William Shakespeare, Geoffrey Chaucer, the writer of The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale , was born to a middle-class family in ca. 1343 and was once a member of the house of Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster. Regarded as one of the most famous and significant poets in the medieval period, Chaucer was well-known for his use of dream-vision form, his masterpiece The Canterbury Tales (ca. 1387), and more importantly, his contribution to the English language by importing more than 1000 new words that were derived from foreign languages. In The Wife of Bath’s Prologue, Chaucer’s precise presentation of the Wife of Bath’s “experience” (line 1) of marriage, which she believes to be “right ynough for [her] to speke of wo that is [inside]” (lines 1 – 3), brings forth to her convincing arguments about marriage.

Obviously in the beginning of the Prologue , Chaucer suggests the idea of the Wife of Bath as being a five-time, experienced married woman, whose first marriage experience comes when she is only “twelf year of age” (line 4). The wise woman is without doubt an advocate of marriage, as she is always ready to ‘fight back’ all kinds of attacks concerning her marrying five times with her strong, convincing arguments with references to the Bible – although she “graunte it wel” (line 101) the truth that “[one] does well not to marry” (1 Corinthians 7.1), as “it would be better to continue to live alone” (1 Corinthians 7.8) as a widow, the Wife of Bath strongly believes that there is nothing wrong to marry more than once, as she always agrees with the idea that “to be wedded is no sinne” (line 57) as long as “[her] housbonde is fro the world agoon” (line 53) – according to her idea, it is of “no repreve” (line 90) and “withouten exception of bigamye” (line 92) to “wedde if that [her] make [dies]” (line 91). Despite the advices from other men, who “[keep on] [conseiling] [her] to be oon” (line 72), she is convinced that she does the right thing as there is no law that forbids her marrying, and whether to marry is up to her “owene juggement” (line 74) and decision. Her firm belief and strong arguments are, in my opinion, the results of her awareness of the law and her situation in the society, as well as her understanding of the Bible.

Regardless of the higher values of maidenhood, the Wife of Bath believes that marriage is of the same importance as virginity as it is God who “[tells] us to wexe and multoplye” (line 28) and it is impossible to do so without marriage. In her argument about virginity and marriage, she likens wives as “barly breed” (line 150), which “[the] Lord Jesu [uses] to [refressh] many a man” (line 152). Such metaphor, in my view, works well to emphasize the importance of wives (“barly breed”), despite its inferiority to the purity of virginity, which she likens as “breed of pured whete seed” (line 149).

The Wife of Bath, furthermore, believes that marriage suits her the best and is what she desperately needs, as it is her will to “bistowe the flour of al [her] age in th’actes and in fruit of marriage” (line 118 – 119) – it will definitely be a disaster for her if she has to “laden al [her] lif in chastitee” (line 100), despite the fact that “virginitee is great perfeccioun, and continence [is] with devocioun” (line 111 – 112), which is according to the Almighty God, the way to live a perfect life.

In my opinion, Chaucer succeeds in portraying the Wife of Bath as a wise woman with firm beliefs through ‘her’ sensible citations of statements of marriage from the Bible – her insisting on referring to the Bible is to her benefit as it becomes a strong defense against the negative comments on her successive marriage as a “vilainye” (line 34). For example, her asking people for “where [they] can saye in any manere age that God defended marriage by expres word” (line 65 – 67) will for sure be condemnable if the idea that marriage is acceptable comes from herself. However, here the argument and idea comes from the Almighty God (through the Bible) and there is no way for a person to argue against God’s words and opinions as He is the “welle of [all] perfeccion” (line 113). God’s words, as a result, become the ‘shield’ of the Wife of Bath’s arguments that protects her from the objections of the others. Moreover, with her sensible citations of the Bible, she can make other strong statements as long as they are “a Goddes half” (line 56).

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Chaucer’s delicate portrayal of the Wife of Bath as a wise woman, from my point of view, does not only lie with her sensible citations of the Bible, but also with her good and tactful use of humans’ ‘freewill’ provided by God. According to the Bible, “there is freedom [when] the Spirit of the Lord is present” (2 Corinthians 3.17) and as the “creation” of God, human beings “share the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Romans 8.21). The Wife of Bath, in my opinion, makes good use of the “freewill” to claim that she has received the “freedom” and “[blesses] [from] God [to] have wedded five” (line 44). Even though God hopes that people “[live] in parfit chastitee” (line 147), she defends her view of marriage by raising the idea that “the dart [that is] set up for virginitee” (line 81) is “[not] [set] [for] every wight” (line 83). Moreover, as “Crist [does] [not] [command] [that] every wight sholde go selle al that he [has] and yive it to the poore” (line 113 – 115), she finds the best ‘excuse’ not to give up her marriage and follows God’s way

As we can always refer to the affairs the Wife of Bath has with her five husbands as a reference, her argument about what a perfect marriage should be is the most powerful and convincing argument among all the others. In my opinion, although her first four marriages are full of repentance, the affairs do show us her most tactful means to deal with her husbands in order to achieve a happy and perfect marriage – the use of clever manipulation. From the Prologue , it is no doubt that the Wife of Bath “[has] the power [to] [manipulate] [men] during al [her] lif” (line 164) as she always knows the way to “use [her] instrument (her sexual favours) as freely as [she] [desires]” (line 155 – 156) to please her husbands “both eve and morwe” (line 158) so as to make them “paye [their] dette” (line 159). She is so confident with her “instrument” that she finds no reason why she “[needs] [to] do [any] lenger diligence to winne hir love or doon hem reverence” (line 211 – 212) so as to “[have] [them] [give] hir land and hir tresor” (line 210).

In addition, the Wife of Bath is keen in “[governing] [her] [husbands] after [her] lawe” (line 225) as she always makes them her slaves – in exchange for a ‘rare’ “faire” (line 227) chat, and in avoidance for a ‘usual’ “spitous chide” (line 229), her three husbands have to “bringe [her] gaye things fro the faire” (line 227) and are forced to work all night just to please her. In fact, the Wife of Bath is not only good at “governing” men, but also at “[speaking] and [accusing] men wrong” (line 232) as a means of gaining the upper hand in marriage, especially when things turn out to be not in her favour. For example, she becomes flattering and accuses her husbands for having an affair with the neighbour’s wife, when it is in fact herself who is unfaithful. As a result, when they are busy defending themselves, they will have no time to consider her affair. Actually, she uses similar ‘technique’ when she deals with her fourth husband – having known that he is being unfaithful to her, she tactfully hides her anger and jealousy, and “[makes] him of the same wode a croce” (line 490) by “[making] folk swich cheere” (line 492). Here the use of the “devious system” ( Theodore Morrison: 5)  turns the submissive and passive wife into “[the] purgatorye” (line 495) of her husband, who arouses his absolute “anger and jalousie” (line 494) and “twists” (line 500) him into his final fate – dies of anger.

Being a clever-manipulation practitioner, the Wife of Bath’s ‘formula’ of a perfect marriage works best when she is with her fifth husband. Her fifth husband, who is only twenty years old, is of remarkable contrast to the four preceding husbands – he is “so fresh and gay in [the] bed” (line 514), has “legges and feet so clene and faire” (line 604), and does well in “glosing [her]” (line 515). According to the Wife of Bath, he meets her requirements as he is sexually energetic and attractive. As a result, the man is capable of “[winning] [her] love anoon” (line 518), and the Wife of Bath herself feels strongly that “[she] [loves] him best” (line 519), even though “his love [is] of daungerous to [her]” (line 520). Chaucer, through the description of the Prologue , suggests that the Wife of Bath feels satisfied with her husband and she is married for love – she loves him so much that “[she] yaf al [her] herte unto his hold” (line 605), and even “yaf al the land and fee that evere [is] [her] yiven therbifore” (line 636 – 637). The husband, however, struggles to convert her to be a more ideal wife by reading the book “Valerius” (about wicked women), which is to me, a means to practice manipulation. Here we expect to see the husband gaining the absolute control over the Wife of Bath, who is then timid and submit to her beloved. Nevertheless, when things turn out that the Wife of Bath cannot withstand the ‘torments’ anymore, and dares to ‘fight back’ to hit her husband and tear three pages out of the book, we know that she has ‘got used’ to be under control, and is ready for a ‘rebellion’. Her pretending to be dead afterwards, which makes him “agast” (line 804) and nearly “[flees] away” (line 804), brings forth to her most tactful device that enables her to ‘regain’ her control over her husband, as he feels so grateful about her ‘survival’ that he abandons his manipulation, and submits to his wife willingly – he lets her be the owner of his estate and most importantly, he does not hit her anymore, and even burn the book, which used to be his powerful means of manipulation, to show his complete obedience to her. The Wife of Bath is now his “trewe wif [who] [can] do as [she] lust the terme of al [their] lif” (line 825 – 826). However, even though the Wife of Bath gains the upper hand over his husband at last, she is kind to him and does not attempt to mistreat him. Both of them are faithful to one another and live a happy life onwards. The ‘happy ending’ of their affairs, is thus, in my view, the most successful example of an effective practice of the ‘formula’ for a perfect and happy marriage.

There are critiques that state that The Wife of Bath tale  is not suitable for the Prologue , especially to its teller, the Wife of Bath. Some people, in addition, suggest that “Chaucer may have originally written the fabliau that became The Shipman’s Tale  for the Wife of Bath, [which] develops [the] [ Tale ] [to] [a] [state] even beyond [to] the complexity already revealed in her Prologue ” ( The Norton Anthology English Literature Volume 1 : 272). Nevertheless, in my opinion, the Tale is necessary as to be in support of the Prologue , especially in points which helps expressing the Wife of Bath’s views of people’s attitudes towards the qualities of women, and the effectiveness of her ‘formula’ of a perfect marriage.

In the Tale , when the Old Wife argues about how her ugly outlook and age, which is the main “[causes] of unreste” (line 1110) of the knight, are related to her loyalty to him, she suggests the idea that ugliness and age, unlike youth and beauty, are “grete wardeins upon chastitee” (line 1222) – although she is old and ugly, she will always be “[his] trewe humble wif” (line 1227), and will “nevere displese [him] in al [his] lif” (line 1228). A young and fair woman, however, can fail her husband by “[taking] [her] aventure of the repair in some other place” (line 1230 and 1232). The Old Wife’s argument is similar to the view of the Wife of Bath in that they both agree that youth is one of the main factors for a woman to find her husband or lover – the Wife of Bath, in the Prologue , claims that her youth – the “flour of al [her] age”, which “[tackles] [her] aboute [her] herte roote” (line 477), “[does] [her] herte boote” (line 478) “in th’actes and in fruit of mariage” (line 120). Beauty, according to the three husbands of the Wife of Bath, can be an obstacle to a loyal marital relationship, and a diminishing factor of the love between the couples – “every holour [will] have hire if [the] [woman] [is] fair (line 259 – 260), and she will have no more chastity as she “is assailed upon eech a side” (line 261). In fact, we can see coherence in the Prologue and the Tale  from the similar views shared by both the Wife of Bath and her husband (the Prologue ), and the Old Wife (the Tale ) – the coherence is essential here as to strengthen the convincing power of Chaucer’s description of age and outlook as an important feature of a woman, with special attention to the chaste quality of old age and ugliness, and in some sense, the corrupting quality of youth and fairness.

Besides the argument about age and outlook, we can find other examples of similar views between the Prologue and the Tale  that helps to bring them into a coherent whole. Take nobility as an example – From the Old Wife’s view, people with noble names – possesses wealth and blood which “claime [them] to [be] of heigh parage” (line 1126) are not of true nobility unless they “do no vilainye or vice” (line 1144). Here her argument is that people is not worth claiming true nobility just because of their wealth and noble birth, as they can also lead a shameful life like their elders. In her opinion, true nobility belongs to those who live a “virtuous living” (line 1128) and they are worth to be the “gretteste gentilman” (line 1122). In fact, although there is not any direct mention of the quality of nobility in the Prologue , we know, from the comment of the Wife’s three husbands, that even a rich woman of “heigh parage” (line 256) can be a “tormentrye” (line 257) to her husband as he has to “suffer hir pride and hir malencolye” (line 258). The use of the quality of nobility in both the Prologue  and the Tale , in my view, emphasizes that even people of “heigh parage” (appear in both the Prologue  and the Tale ), regardless of the place and the time they belong to (there is no evidence that shows that the Prologue  and the Tale  are based on the same time phase in the history), are not necessarily worth claiming true nobility unless they live virtuously – it adds information to Chaucer’s definition of nobility.

One of the most distinctive examples of the similarity between the Prologue  and the Tale  is the “sovereinetee” (line 1044) that both the Wife of Bath and the Old Wife use to “wel over [their] [husbands] as [their] love” (line 1045). From The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale , we know clearly that they are similar in that they both have wit, keen in argument and are energetic and eager for sexual affairs. In the Prologue , as mentioned above, the fifth husband of the Wife of Bath finally submits to her devious, clever-manipulation device and yields the sovereignty of their marriage as well as the control over his possession up to her. We can find similar plot in the Tale  – even though the Old Wife saves his life, the knight feels awkward to keep his promise to “take [her] upto [his] wif” (line 1061) because she is old and ugly. Fully aware of “the cause of [his] unreste”, the Old Wife, based on her life experiences (what she learns from her society), raises her wise argument about how her ugliness, poverty, low birth and old age are to the benefit to their happy marriage, which finally, convinces the knight to tender his love towards her.

Despite the different settings of both stories, they share a similar ending – both husbands willingly “putte [their] [life] in [their] [wives’] wise governaunce” (line 1237) and “holde it best” (line 1244) that their wives take the sovereignty in their marriage. The similar ending, to me, is the ‘fruit’ of their hard work – they gain the ‘victory’ of their ‘battle of marriage’ with their patience and the use of convincing, tactful devices. As mentioned above, the Wife of Bath is satisfied with “[her] power [to] [manipulate] [men] during al [her] lif” (line 164), and her ‘formula’ of a perfect marriage works effectively with her five husbands. Therefore, Chaucer’s use of the tale is without doubt a strong support of the Wife of Bath’s arguments, as he has presented here a ‘real-life’ example of the effective practice of the ‘formula’. The existence of both stories is, to me, the best example of the integration of the Prologue  and the Tale  – they are so well integrated that their existence is of mutual benefit to each other – with the story of the Old Wife, we are convinced that though the Wife of Bath’s arguments about marriage are in some sense, subjective, she really has the “experiences” in marriage that enable her to design her ‘strategies’ to cope with different husbands of different characteristics. In addition, as we benefit from our preceding reading of the Prologue , we understand the arguments of the Old Wife better, and find the ending of the Tale  more acceptable.

Chaucer suggests in The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale  that when women get everything, including the sovereignty over the marriage, they will be kind to their husbands as they will not abuse their authority and mistreat their husbands. However, in the real life, women are usually morally and physically inferior to men, and thus, the Wife of Bath’s ‘formula’ of a perfect marriage is only good for her case. Despite the truth, we benefit from Chaucer’s tactful use of the tale as a support of the arguments written in the Prologue . In conclusion, the Prologue  and the Tale  are well-integrated that they express ideas coherently, which makes their existence a lot more valuable.

         Bibliography

Abrams, MH. (2000) in Greenblatt, Stephen The Norton Anthology English Literature Seventh Edition Volume 1  UK: W.W Norton & Company pp 156-210

Morrison, Theodore Prologue to the Wife of Bath’s Tale Rendered into Modern English

Editor Unknown (1984) Good News New Testament Today’s Chinese / English Versions  Hong Kong: Baptist Press pp 454, 487 – 488 and 521

Document Details

• Word Count 3319
• Page Count 12
• Subject English

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Analysis Of The Wife Of Bath’s Knowledge Of Marriage In The Prologue

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