We have started reading
the “Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer and I have to say
that it is a doozey. I have actually read this story twice before, once with
Dr. MB and another time in high school. Luckily, because of this, the Middle English
did not scare me as much as it did the first time. But a word to the wise- the
notes and translations on the side of the page help immensely! But anyways,
back to the Wife of Bath. What is everyone’s opinion of her? I confess that my
opinion of her has changed after having read the story several times now. My
first impression was to thrust the story aside because the ease with which the
Wife flouted her escapades and manipulations over the men in her life made me
sick. However, I have begun to wonder if she was not just a product of her time
period? Like we have been saying in class, women had little to no power in
medieval times. Maybe the Wife of Bath’s prologue and her life’s accomplishments
are just an over exaggeration of what she really wants in life- power. The Wife
has had five husbands- not too farfetched a fate in this day and age to be
honest. She said that she has had three good husbands and two bad. (197) What I
found most saddening about this prologue was the story about the one husband
that she married for love. His name was Janekyn and he was her fifth husband (303).
How cruel it must be, (though she was twice his age) to love someone and marry
them for love and then to find that love to be imperfect.
But I digress, there is
so much to say about the Wife’s actual tale, and I still cannot tell you
whether I like it or not. I suppose I am relieved that the knight in question
actually learned that what women want most is a choice, a chance for equality.
However, do I believe he deserved redemption for his crimes in the beginning of
the story?
Absolutely not. I really just do not believe that he, at the end of
the story, deserved to have a wife that was both beautiful and good. I mean…he
raped a young maiden for the love of Pete! Perhaps some of my group members
could share their opinions on this? Does this knight deserve his rewards at the
end of the story? OR am I missing the point completely…maybe it is about the
woman? Maybe she chooses to be beautiful and good, not for him, but for
herself?
