Introduction to Chaucer's The Wife of Bath

Welcome to your study guide for Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale. This text is a cornerstone of English Literature and a key part of your Paper 4: Pre-1900 Poetry and Prose. Chaucer is often called the "Father of English Literature," and in Alisoun (the Wife of Bath), he created one of the most vibrant, controversial, and "modern-feeling" characters in history. While the Middle English might look intimidating at first, don't worry! Beneath the old spellings is a hilarious and sharp story about power, sex, and who gets to tell the truth. In this guide, we will break down the complex arguments of the Prologue and the magical transformation of the Tale, helping you prepare for the AO1 through AO5 assessment objectives.

The Context: The Pilgrimage and the World

To understand the Wife of Bath, you first need to understand where she is. She is one of many pilgrims traveling from London to Canterbury Cathedral. The Framework: Chaucer uses a "frame narrative." This means the Canterbury Tales is a story about people telling stories. The pilgrims have a competition to see who can tell the best tale.
The Three Estates: In medieval times, society was divided into those who pray (the clergy), those who fight (the nobility), and those who work (the peasantry). The Wife of Bath represents a rising "middle class" of wealthy cloth-makers. She is financially independent, which gives her the power to speak her mind. Key Takeaway: Alisoun is a woman who refuses to fit into the neat boxes society has made for her. She is wealthy, has traveled the world, and has been married five times.

The Prologue: Experience vs. Authority

The Prologue is much longer than the Tale itself because Alisoun has a lot to say! Her main argument is a battle between Experience and Authority.

1. The Power of Experience

Alisoun begins by stating that "Experience" is enough for her to speak about the "woe that is in marriage." In the medieval world, "Authority" meant books written by men (clergy and scholars). Alisoun argues that her lived life as a wife is just as valid as anything written in a dusty book.

2. Defending Her Five Husbands

She defends the fact that she has had five husbands. She uses her own interpretations of the Bible to argue that God told humans to "increase and multiply" and that there is no specific number of times a person can marry. Tip: Notice how she uses the tools of the "Authorities" (scripture) to dismantle their own arguments!

3. The Five Husbands: A Breakdown

Alisoun categorizes her husbands into two groups:
  • The Three "Good" Husbands: They were old, rich, and submissive. She gained their wealth and land by using her wit and her sexuality. She controlled them.
  • The Two "Bad" Husbands: The fourth husband had a mistress, so she made him jealous to get back at him. The fifth husband, Jankyn, was the one she actually loved, but he was also the most difficult.

4. The Battle with Jankyn

Jankyn was a young scholar who owned a "Book of Wicked Wives." Every night, he would read stories to Alisoun about how terrible women are. The Turning Point: Alisoun eventually gets so fed up that she tears three pages out of his book and punches him. He hits her back, making her deaf in one ear. Seeing her "dead," he is overcome with guilt. They eventually reach an agreement where he gives her the "sovereignty" (control) over their marriage and burns the book. Key Takeaway: The Prologue establishes Alisoun's central theme: marriage is a power struggle, and happiness is only possible when the woman has the upper hand (sovereignty).

The Tale: What Women Most Desire

The Tale is an Arthurian Romance, but it’s a bit different from the usual stories of knights and dragons.

The Plot

A knight in King Arthur’s court rapes a young woman. Instead of executing him immediately, the Queen asks for the power to judge him. She gives him a riddle: he has one year to find out "what thing it is that women most desire."

The Quest

The knight travels everywhere, getting different answers: riches, honor, beautiful clothes, or being "oft times widowed and wed." None of these are quite right.

The Loathly Lady

On his way back to certain death, he meets an old, ugly woman (the "Loathly Lady"). She promises him the answer if he agrees to grant her one request. He agrees. The Answer: "Women desire to have sovereignty / As well over her husband as her love, / And to be in mastery over him."

The Transformation

The knight is saved, but the old woman's request is that he must marry her. He is horrified but forced to comply. In bed, she gives him a long lecture on "gentillesse" (true nobility comes from virtue, not wealth or birth). She then gives him a choice:
  1. She can stay ugly but be a perfectly loyal and humble wife.
  2. She can become beautiful but he must take his chances with her being unfaithful.
The Knight's Decision: He tells her to choose for herself. Because he gave her the "sovereignty" to choose, she becomes both beautiful and loyal. Key Takeaway: The Tale mirrors Alisoun's life. When the man surrenders power, the "monster" (the Loathly Lady or the Wife of Bath) becomes a source of happiness.

Analysis of Language and Form (AO2)

When writing your essay, you must analyse Chaucer’s choices.
  • The Verse: Chaucer writes in iambic pentameter and rhymed couplets. This gives the text a rhythmic, conversational flow that suits the Wife's "confessional" tone.
  • Tone: The tone shifts from bawdy and humorous to serious and philosophical (especially during the Lady's speech on poverty and nobility).
  • Imagery: Alisoun uses earthy, domestic imagery. She compares virgins to "wheat bread" and wives to "barley bread." Barley bread might be coarser, but it "nourished many a man."
  • Structure: The Prologue is a literary confession. By sharing her "sins" and tactics, she makes the audience her co-conspirators.

Evaluating Different Opinions (AO5)

For Paper 4, you must be able to discuss and evaluate varying opinions. Here are two ways to look at the Wife of Bath:

Perspective 1: Alisoun as a Feminist Icon

Some critics argue that Alisoun is a revolutionary character. She challenges the patriarchal (male-dominated) church, asserts her right to sexual pleasure, and achieves financial independence. She "rewrites" the male narrative to give women a voice.

Perspective 2: Alisoun as an Anti-Feminist Caricature

Other critics suggest that Chaucer is actually making fun of women. In the Middle Ages, there were many "anti-feminist" stereotypes: that women are talkative, greedy for power, and obsessed with sex. By having Alisoun admit to all these things, Chaucer might be confirming the very prejudices she claims to fight. Your Task: In your essay, don't just pick one! Discuss how the text allows for both interpretations. Is she a hero or a warning?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Confusing the Prologue and the Tale: Remember that the Prologue is Alisoun's "real life" (biography), while the Tale is the fictional story she tells. They reflect each other, but they are separate.
  • Thinking she hates men: Alisoun doesn't hate men; she has had five husbands and says she is looking for a sixth! She loves the "game" of marriage; she just wants to win.
  • Ignoring the "Gentillesse" speech: Many students focus only on the sex and the fighting. Don't forget the Loathly Lady's speech at the end of the Tale—it's a serious piece of social commentary on class and virtue.

Quick Review Box

The Goal: Sovereignty (maistrye).
The Conflict: Experience (life) vs. Authority (books).
The Style: Rhymed couplets, first-person confession.
The Result: When the knight gives up control, he gets everything he wants.
Don't worry if the Middle English text feels difficult at first. Focus on the themes of power and gender, and look for the moments where Alisoun's humor shines through. Like any great character, she is complicated, and that complexity is exactly what examiners want you to explore!