Canterbury's Tale, “The Wife of Bath”

 

Plot and Major Characters

The Canterbury Tales, the work usually considered as Chaucer's masterpiece, was likely started round 1386. The work is coordinated as an assemblage of tales notified by a assembly of pilgrims on their way to the shrine of Thomas à Beckett in Canterbury. Within this general structure are 10 components, which emerge in distinct alignment in distinct manuscripts. Many detractors thus accept as factual that Chaucer not ever recognized his last design for the work. (Carruthers, 209 -345)

The work undoes with the General Prologue, inserting the pilgrims with short, vivid sketches. Twenty-four tales pursue, interspersed with short spectacular “links” giving alert swaps amidst the pilgrims. The tales are highly varied in method, subject issue, and theme; they encompass courtly romance, allegory, sermon, fable, and occasionally a blend of genres. The Wife of Bath's Tale is one of only three tales by women, and the only tale proposing insight into the life and passions of a woman in the secular world. The Wife's Prologue is layered with twice entendres and witty wordplay, supplying comic respite for the pilgrims and the readers. (Cooper, 15-123)

In The Wife of Bath's Tale Alisoun boasts an article of a Knight who, while strolling in an area, spies a juvenile maiden and rapes her. The Knight is endeavored before King Arthur for his misdeed and is punished to death. Queen Guenevere pleads on the Knight's behalf and King Arthur permits her to mete out the Knight's punishment (Carruthers 209-899). The Queen devotes the Knight twelve months and a day to find out what women really want. He is needed to report back to the Queen at his end of this time and supply an answer. He scours the land inquiring the inquiry of each woman he meets. Women give him distinct attitudes in return: cash, apparel, sexy approval, but no one can offer the definitive answer. His allotted time sketches to a close, and he has not discovered a response to this question. (Dinshaw, 20-233)

As he recognizes that he has failed, he arrives upon a vintage and unattractive crone and inquires her inquiry of what women really yearn overhead all. She acquiesces to supply him with the response in come back for his promise that he will allocate her wish—a desire that will be notified to him at a subsequent time. He journeys back to the palace with the crone, and consigns his answer to the Queen: “The Queen permits the Knight to proceed free, but then the crone steps ahead and assertions the right to have the Knight fulfill his promise. The crone needs the Knight to wed her. The Knight is aghast but eventually agrees. (Cooper, 15-677)

When they come back to the crone's dwelling for their marriage evening, the crone talks about factual gentility and benevolent humanity with the Knight. He sees the mistake of his modes and reconciles himself to the marriage. The crone then boasts him a choice: she can either stay vintage and unattractive but an ...