The Wife of Bath’s Prologue

1. The Wife of Bath’s Prologue (In short, easy to understand note format!)

2. Experience rather than authority • She has had 5 husbands (at the church door) • Discounts Jesus’ rebuke to the woman at the well who had 5 husbands; instead quotes the Bible when it says, “increase and multiply” • Not a bashful woman – prepared to “do the duty” whenever her husband demanded

3. Her Methods • Claims that she was able to control each of her husbands in a specific way • Her first three husbands were old, good, and rich. • To control them, she often accused them of being at fault for whatever issue was at hand. • She yelled at her husband who scolded her for showing off – saying that it was only for him • She belittled her husband when he refused to tell her his worth, demanding that women be treated equally with men • She railed against herhusband who believed the sacredness of their marriage bed was in danger of infidelity on her part and found witnesses to testify on her behalf • Each time she would gain “mastery” over one of her husbands, (1-3), he would die.

4. Husband #4 • Her fourth husband kept a mistress • As a result, she made him believe that she was unfaithful: “ in his own grease, I made him fry” • When he died, she fell in love with one of the young clerks who attended the funeral named Jankin

5. Husband #5 – Jankin • Married Jankin 1 month after the death of her fourth husband • She was twice his age • She married for love and not money • Following the honeymoon she was discouraged to find that he spent most of his time reading books that contained disparaging remarks about women

6. She Couldn’t Take It Any More! • One night as Jankin read from his collection of stories, the wife couldn’t stand it anymore. • She grabbed the book and hit him so hard that he fell into the fire. • He jumped back and hit her with his fist. • When she fell to the floor, she hit him in the face and then pretended to be dead • Feeling bad, he promised her anything if she would live • This is how she gained “sovereignty” over her husband, and she has been a true and faithful wife ever since.

7. To sum everything up… • The Wife of Bath is a strong woman • Her life illustrates that (in her opinion) most men desire “complete control over their husbands” • She is particularly unique (among women, at least) in her views on sexuality. • Essentially, she asserts that because she is a woman is no reason that she (or any woman) should be submissive to men in any way • She is in opposition particularly against the church, and by association, the authorities of the state. • Chaucer would seem to approve of this view based on his earlier descriptions of pilgrims (particularly of the clergy and the Wife of Bath herself).