These stories along wither her clothes illustrate her rare position of self-agency. The wife boastfully recounts how she acquired money, property, and marital power from her husbands through the calculated use of her wit and sexual charm.
In her prologue, the wife entertains her fellow pilgrims with anecdotes of her five marriages and her domination over her husbands, or “maistrye” in Middle English (Poetry in Translation). The illustration of the Wife of Bath in the Ellesmere Chaucer declares her power and upper hand within marriage, that the wife describes having achieved in her own life and champions in her subsequent tale. Her whip further reinforces the notion of the Wife of Bath rejecting the Medieval way of life and bears strong resemblance to images of Phyllis dominating Aristotle, a popular Medieval tale (Fig. This choice of posture not only distinguishes the secular wife from her monastic counterparts but also demonstrates her control in marriage and life in general. Illustrations of the Prioress and the Second Nun in the same manuscript show the women riding side-saddle, while in contrast the Wife of Bath rides astride her horse (Figs. The Wife of Bath’s riding position and her whip reinforce her dominance over her husbands and role-reversal in her marriages. These sparsely decorated qualities of the manuscript are further demonstrated in the illustration on the right of the text: the Wife of Bath astride her horse, wearing regalia, brandishing a whip, and wearing spurs. Its simplicity is not reminiscent of femininity, but rather masculinity. While being decorative, the manuscript is not overly floral or “soft,” featuring an abundant use of negative space. In quintessential Medieval manuscript style, the parchment showcases stylized curvilinear lines, consisting of abstract and natural ornamentation-such as the intertwining gems, vegetal floral patterns, and shell formations. The bold use of varying colors provided multiple layers of dimension to the illumination. This deliberate choice to write in the language of the masses, his history of writing about the working class, and his illustration of social commentary, prove his intent to challenge the status quo.Īn illuminated Medieval manuscript in its simplest sense, “The Prologue of the Wife of Bath’s Tale” showcases text supplemented with decoration such as borders, initials, and a miniature illustration. French was the language spoken by elite aristocrats in the centuries following the Norman invasion, whereas English was the language of the common working-class people.
Chaucer also made the controversial decision to write in English as opposed to French. The characters’ tales range from being humorous, rude and naughty, to moral and reflective. These characters highlight Chaucer’s ability to speak in many different perspectives. Chaucer introduces us to a dynamic cast of characters that come from all corners of fourteenth century society, including a merchant, a prioress, a cook, a monk, a carpenter, a knight, a dyer, a clerk, a miller, and, of course, the wife in question.
TAVERN KEEPER PARDONERS TALE PILGRIM FREE
Beginning at a London inn, the innkeeper proposes that during their journey each pilgrim tell two tales to help pass the time, and the best storyteller will be rewarded with a free supper on his return. Written in Middle English, the story follows a group of pilgrims who are travelling the lengthy journey from London to the Canterbury Cathedral. “The Prologue of the Wife of Bath’s Tale” challenges this double standard and the Medieval social belief that women are inherently inferior, attempting to establish a defence of secular women’s sovereignty that opposes the conventions available to her.Ĭhaucer’s choice to focus on the proletariat in the stories of The Canterbury Tales validate that he is purposefully writing about women to challenge the norms in Medieval society. Women were not identified by their occupations or social status, but solely by their affiliations with men a woman was either maiden, spouse, or widow, who was solely capable of ‘women’s work’ such as bearing children and cooking. He addresses this change of events through “The Prologue of the Wife of Bath’s Tale,” which illustrates the unequal distribution of power within the male governed Medieval society. Chaucer wrote the Tales during the fourteenth century, a time when the social structure was rapidly progressing. The exquisitely decorated Ellesmere Chaucer is considered to be one of the most significant and high quality illuminated manuscripts of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, currently owned by the Huntington Library in California.
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