Lack Of Knowledge In The Wife Of Bath's Tale
In the Wife Of Bath’s Tale, Geoffrey Chaucer highlights both the power of knowledge and logic as well as the negative consequences of ignorance. The type of knowledge that Chaucer decides to discuss extends well beyond factual sapience to encompass argumentative skill, the ability to manipulate others, and general wisdom. As represented through her lengthy prologue, much of what Chaucer wishes to expose to his audience is first introduced with the main character: the Wife Of Bath. The Wife Of Bath has the clear opinion that it is innate for women to deceive; she says “…God has given women by nature deceit, weeping, and spinning, as long as they live…” (313). Her power to manipulate those around her never fails; she is able to control her
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The plot in itself has the gaining of knowledge at its core: with the Rapist Knight needing to find out what women desire most in order to save his life. In his particular case, finding the answer to the question has an obviously positive result: his life is spared and he is married to a beautiful, young woman in the end. However, the Wise Old Woman’s possession of knowledge is perhaps more emphasized (keeping with the theme of extraordinary women). She is able to grasp the young knight’s attention with her promising wisdom- not with her beauty. All other main characters that are women in the Wife of Bath’s tale are supposedly beautiful and young. Including the Wise Old Woman seems to juxtapose the situation. Chaucer may be alluding to the fact that knowledge is more valuable than looks; beauty can fade but knowledge can only grow. The Wise Old Woman also reflects the Wife Of Bath on a smaller scale. She is able to argue with the knight against every one of his objections on their wedding night. She uses Jesus as an example of how poverty isn’t necessarily negative; she points to the wrongs of the nobility when accused of being of a lower class (the knight raped a girl); she promises to be faithful due to her unattractiveness; and she points out that she is wise and experienced to her age. In the end, the knight’s satisfactory answer to the Wise Old Woman’s choice leaves both with a “happily ever after”
The plot in itself has the gaining of knowledge at its core: with the Rapist Knight needing to find out what women desire most in order to save his life. In his particular case, finding the answer to the question has an obviously positive result: his life is spared and he is married to a beautiful, young woman in the end. However, the Wise Old Woman’s possession of knowledge is perhaps more emphasized (keeping with the theme of extraordinary women). She is able to grasp the young knight’s attention with her promising wisdom- not with her beauty. All other main characters that are women in the Wife of Bath’s tale are supposedly beautiful and young. Including the Wise Old Woman seems to juxtapose the situation. Chaucer may be alluding to the fact that knowledge is more valuable than looks; beauty can fade but knowledge can only grow. The Wise Old Woman also reflects the Wife Of Bath on a smaller scale. She is able to argue with the knight against every one of his objections on their wedding night. She uses Jesus as an example of how poverty isn’t necessarily negative; she points to the wrongs of the nobility when accused of being of a lower class (the knight raped a girl); she promises to be faithful due to her unattractiveness; and she points out that she is wise and experienced to her age. In the end, the knight’s satisfactory answer to the Wise Old Woman’s choice leaves both with a “happily ever after”