History Learning Unit

The Wife of Baith

the canterbury tales

Marta Fichera,Alfredo Ballo Agate, Pietro Mazzara & Arianna di Franco

Index

canterbury tales

1

women in the middle age

2

3

the wife of baith

4

analysis

5

modern connections

6

conclusion

The Canterbury Tales

The 'Canterbury Tales' is a collection of stories written between 1387-1400 by the outstanding English poet Geoffrey Chaucer

Written in Middle English, it is one of the earliest works to use the vernacular (the language of everyday people).It's a collection of 24 stories, presented as part of a storytelling contest among a group of pilgrims.The Canterbury Tales provides a vivid snapshot of medieval society through the stories andit’s celebrated even nowday for its rich language, humor, and insight into human behavior.

WHAT ARE THE CANTERBURY TALES?

THE PREMISE

A group of pilgrims travels from London to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket, a famous religious site in medieval England. To pass the time during their journey, their host suggests a storytelling contest, with each pilgrim sharing a tale. These stories cover a wide range of genres, including romance, comedy, fables, and moral lessons, offering both entertainment and insight into medieval society. Each tale reflects the personality, background, and social status of the storyteller, creating a rich and varied depiction of life during Chaucer’s time.

Women in the Middle Ages

In the medieval period, a woman’s role and status were largely determined by her class, marital status, and the societal expectations of the time.

rules and duties

Treatment and Rights

Challenges and Stereotypes

women and literature

TheWife of Baith

A Key Figure in The Canterbury Tales

The prologue

In the prologue of her tale, the Wife of Bath begins by boasting about her five marriages. She dismisses Christian principles regarding marriage, emphasizing the importance of procreation instead. By citing King Solomon, who had multiple wives, she argues that Jesus never condemned sexuality, thereby justifying her own experiences and choices. As she recounts the stories of her husbands, it becomes clear that her relationships are marked by manipulation and power struggles. Three of her husbands were kind and wealthy, while the other two were younger. She adeptly uses tactics such as guilt and jealousy to extract riches from her partners, showcasing her cunning nature.Her fourth husband was young and a reveler, but he died shortly after they married. The fifth husband, however, was cruel and even struck her, which led to her losing her hearing. This episode of violence ultimately results in her regaining control over the marriage, as Jankin becomes repentant and submits to her authority.

The Wife of Bath is a complex character within "The Canterbury Tales," embodying confidence, liveliness, and a strong voice. She actively opposes the devaluation of women and challenges the taboos surrounding female sexuality.Through her narrative, she critiques strict religious norms that dictate chastity and monogamy, employing biblical examples to support her views.

Analysis

Authority through Experience

Unlike other characters in The Canterbury Tales, the Wife of Bath doesn't rely on formal education or religious teachings. Instead, she uses her personal experience (for exemple her five marriagesto claim authority. This self-assuredness in her expertise on marriage and relationships highlights the importance of lived experience over societal norms, positioning her as a feminist figure who rejects traditional sources of authority.

Critique of Religious and Social Norms

In her prologue, the Wife of Bath critiques the Church’s portrayal of women as morally weak, arguing for women’s natural desires and rights to happiness. She challenges the idea of celibacy and instead promotes marriage as a space for mutual pleasure and equality. Her rebellion against these established norms shows her as a progressive figure, advocating for a more liberated view of women’s roles in society.

Subversion of Gender roles

The Wife of Bath challenges medieval gender norms by asserting her sexual autonomy and control in marriage. She flips the traditional view of women as submissive, using her multiple marriages to argue that women should have sovereignty over their husbands. Her confidence in discussing sexuality and power directly confronts the Church’s ideal of female submission.

Humor and Irony

Feminist Themes in her Tale

The Wife of Bath’s Tale explores feminist themes by placing women’s autonomy at its core.The knight’s journey to discover what women want their sovereignty symbolizes a shift in power dynamics. The tale critiques the patriarchal view of marriage as a structure of male control, presenting instead a vision of partnership where women’s desires are valued. The knight’s eventual submission to the old woman reflects a broader lesson: men must renounce their dominance to achieve harmony. This message aligns with the Wife’s belief in balance and respect, challenging the oppressive structures of her society.

Analysis

The Wife of Bath uses humor and irony to expose the absurdity of rigid gender roles. Her exaggerated confidence and bold claims, like boasting about her five marriages, highlight the double standards women face while also entertaining the audience. In her tale, the transformation of the knight—an aggressor who learns humility—is deeply ironic, as it flips the traditional narrative of male superiority. This clever use of irony reinforces her message while softening its delivery, making her critique of societal norms both impactful and engaging.

Modern connections

In the world nowday, the role of women has undergone significant changes over the years, but critical aspects and forms of discrimination still persist. Despite progress in gender equality, women still face challenges in various environments, such as work, where they are often underpaid compared to their male counterparts and struggle to reach leadership positions. Additionally, gender-based violence remains a serious issue, with a high number of women being victims of abuse. Society continues to fight against stereotypes and prejudices that limit women's opportunities, highlighting the need for ongoing commitment to promote true equality.

The Wife of Bath stands as one of Geoffrey Chaucer’s most dynamic and revolutionary characters, embodying a bold challenge to the societal norms of her time. Her unapologetic voice, her lived experience as her source of authority, and her tale of female sovereignty offer timeless commentary on gender, power, and equality. Through humor and complexity, she continues to provoke readers to reflect on the roles of women in relationships and society.The Wife of Bath reminds us that conversations about gender equality, though centuries old, remain relevant today. Her voice echoes a call for respect, partnership, and freedom—values we continue to strive for in the modern world.

Conclusion

"The Wife of Bath is a figure of both empowerment and contradiction, offering a radical voice for women while still navigating the limitations of her time.”

-Carolyn Dinshaw

The End

thank you for you attention

While medieval society often silenced women’s voices, some managed to make their mark through literature. Women like Christine de Pizan challenged traditional views of women’s roles by writing works that advocated for their rights and education. These rare but significant voices in literature allowed women to express their ideas, challenge societal norms, and promote gender equality. Though female authors were few, their contributions were important, showing that women could defy the stereotypes of the time and carve out a place in intellectual and cultural life.

Medieval society imposed strong stereotypes about women, often limiting their roles and abilities. Women were generally viewed as weak, emotional, and inferior to men, which reinforced the belief that their primary role was in the home. The Church played a major part in these stereotypes, teaching that women were either virtuous and pure like the Virgin Mary or sinful like Eve, reinforcing the idea of women's moral fragility.These stereotypes led to women being kept out of education, politics, and much of public life. They were expected to be obedient and submissive, and any deviation from this ideal was often criticized. However, some women managed to challenge these stereotypes by gaining power in unusual ways, such as becoming powerful abbesses, managing estates, or even participating in intellectual life, but these were exceptions rather than the rule.

Women in medieval society had very limited rights and were considered legally and socially subordinate to men. Their status was closely tied to their father, husband, or son, and they were rarely allowed to act independently. In most cases, women could not own property outright, as inheritance laws favored male heirs. Widows had slightly more freedom and they could inherit and manage their late husband’s property,but their independence often depended on remaining unmarried. Legally, women had little voice. Their testimonies in court were often considered less credible than men’s, and their ability to make decisions was restricted by male guardianship. The Church played a complex role in shaping women’s lives. On one hand, it emphasized their subordinate position, citing biblical figures like Eve. On the other hand, religious institutions provided unique opportunities for women. Convents allowed nuns to live independently, gain education, and sometimes even hold positions of power, like abbesses who oversaw large religious communities.

Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340-1400) was an English poet, known as the "Father of English Literature." He worked as a courtier, diplomat, and civil servant, experiences that influenced his writing. His most famous work, The Canterbury Tales, is a collection of stories about pilgrims from different backgrounds, written in Middle English. Chaucer used everyday language and created vivid characters, making literature more relatable. He was influenced by classical writers and Italians like Dante and Boccaccio. Chaucer’s mix of storytelling, humor, and social critique transformed English literature and left a lasting legacy.

GEOFFREY CHAUCER

In medieval society, a woman’s primary role was centered around family and household responsibilities, especially marriage and motherhood. Marriage was often not about love but arranged by families to secure alliances, wealth, or land. Once married, women were expected to run the household, which included managing servants, cooking, and ensuring the well-being of the family. For peasant women, life was even more demanding. In addition to their household duties, they worked alongside men in the fields, tending crops, animals, and doing physical labor. Their work was essential to the survival of the family, yet it was undervalued. Noblewomen, on the other hand, had more influence within their households. They supervised large estates, handled finances, and sometimes acted as regents for their husbands or sons during absences. Despite these responsibilities, they were still expected to conform to societal ideals of obedience and virtue.