Chaucer's narrator briefly describes the Wife of Bath in the General Prologue to
The Canterbury Tales. In the Prologue to the Wife of Bath's own tale (pages 257-74), he lets her tell her own story. Today's question is this: In her Prologue, does Chaucer reveal a fictional character that readers are meant to
laugh at, or to
admire? Or is she a mixture--a comic character with some admirable qualities? (Remember the rules for posting: For full credit, your comment must be 250-300 words long and must be posted before our class on September 12. In addition, you must include at least one substantial quotation from the text to back up your answer, and unless you are the first person to post you must refer to the comment of another classmate. (Saying, "As so and so said, . . ." is not really a reference. Enlarge upon another comment, or disagree with it, and tell why.)
The wife of Bath is meant to be laughed at and admired both. She is to be laughed at because she has been married five times at this point. I feel that Chaucer is almost having her make fun of herself for being married so many times. He also has a man asking her about marriage on lines 170-174 which is ironic humor. I also believe however that she is to be admired. She may be a bit of an outcast being wed so many times but she does consider herself wise. She is wise because of the choices she has made in the past. Line 180 she states "...I am expert in al myn age". So she does know what she is talking about. Also, those that are listening to her start want her to continue with her tale. On lines 856-859 they are telling wanting her to continue. They are also drunk which can give us once a gain not only that she should be admired because they want to hear more but somewhat humorous because her audience is drunk so of course they would listen to a woman talk that is know for being married five times. The fact that a woman is telling the tale also gives a reason for this character to be laughed at. In this time period women were not highly thought of. Chaucer shows us that this belief is somewhat wrong and taken too seriously by people so in his story the Wife of Bath has reasons to be admired.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Wife of Bath is meant to be admired more than laughed at. She goes against many cultural standards by having had five husbands. It was considered shameful for women to get have sex before marriage, according to the Church. The Wife of Bath confronts this in lines 65-70, “Where can ye say in any manere age That hye God defended marriage by express word? I pray you, telleth me. Or where he commanded he virginitee.” This statement shows some interest in questioning the interpretation of the bible. In the period of time that this story is set in women did not have many rights. So when she discusses the way she treated her early husbands to the pardoner. This admiration of the wife of bath comes from an almost fearful place in men like the pardoner. She made the early husbands work for her affection, but, she sayson line 209, “I tolde of it no stoor” which means she put no meaning behind their actions. I partially agree with Young September when she says that the Wife of Bath’s story is meant to be laughed at. Although a majority of her stories are considered crass for the time, they are presented in a loud voice since they are told over drinks. I think that as her story goes on the subject matter gets more serious. She begins telling stories of her later husbands. One account tells about one husband hitting her and describes his funeral. I think the Wife of bath seems like a jovial character but deals with some real concerns of the common man in the time period
ReplyDelete