Marriage In The Wife Of Bath's Tale

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer has remained as one of the most developed pieces of satirical work. Each of Chaucer’s pilgrims depict traits that often conflict with the positions they hold in society. Between four particular tales, the characteristics of their statuses become sardonic over exaggerations of the traditional roles found in marriage. The speakers of each fable portray their perspectives on the institution, showing the complexity in defining the fundamentals of a successful marriage. Throughout these tales, Chaucer shows contrasting perspectives on where governance lies in a marriage and how to achieve bliss in such a custom. In “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”, Chaucer promotes a modern feministic perspective as he implements
women who claim greater control in their marriages. The female protagonist is an elderly woman who later transforms into her youthful self after her husband becomes submissive to her. The portrayal of a successful marriage in this tale appears to stem from rewarding the wife with the power and control in the relationship. At the start of the tale, the man undergoes a journey to educate himself on the wants of women in order to avoid execution. The old woman’s proposal of marriage to the ignorant man becomes his own salvation from certain death. As he continuously refers to her as a foul creature, she proposes an ultimatum to her husband: “You have two choices; which one will you try? / To have me old and ugly till I die, / But still a loyal, true, and humble wife / … / Or would you rather I were young and pretty / And chance your arm what happens in a city” (Chaucer 291). When struck with the choices, the husband subsides to the old woman’s cunningness, and replies that she “won the mastery” of the marriage. The moral becomes evident within the final lines of the tale, “And – Jesu hear my prayer! – cut short the lives / Of those who won’t be governed by their wives” (292). The Wife of Bath vividly declares that a blissful marriage must have a sense of dominance awarded to the wife. Without the elevation of power to the woman, the relationship is destined for failure and perpetual unhappiness for the remainder of the couple’s lives. In contrast to the Wife of Bath’s protagonist, the woman named Griselda presented in “The Clerk’s Tale” exhibits a submissive attitude inherently.
Throughout the story, she undergoes a series of trials put forth by her husband, known as the marquis Walter, in order to test her dedication in the marriage. The marquis goes as far as to take her first born child from her, to which Griselda responses with the persistent devotion she always bequeathed to him. As Griselda consistently demonstrates these behaviors, Walter becomes more inclined to assess her wifehood, later speaking of marrying a younger wife. Griselda agrees favorably to this proposal by her husband. However, she proceeds to kindly advise Walter on the treatment of this new bride: “One thing I beg of you, and warn you too, / Never to goad her, never put on trial / This tender girl as I have known you do; / For she was fostered preciously, a vial” (Chaucer 350). Griselda acknowledges her own strength in maintaining a supportive persona to her husband’s horrid deeds, and seeks to protect the new wife by merely asking Walter to be cautious of the delicate temperament most women were expected to possess. The marquis finds Griselda to be wholeheartedly pure in her intentions, announcing her to be the epitome of wifehood. The Clerk’s insight on the institution of marriage is described through Griselda’s persistence: “For since a woman showed such patience to / A mortal man, how much the more we ought / To take in
patience all that God may do!” (Chaucer 354). The lesson bestowed by the Clerk proclaims patience as vital to a prosperous marriage, alluding to the tests of virtue by God as the primary examples of the trials endured through the custom itself. Unlike the previous two tales, “The Merchant’s Tale” does not follow the pattern of presenting a blatant resolution for readers to receive the moral objective Chaucer established. Instead, it produces an argumentative approach on the complexity of the institution of marriage. The male protagonist, January, seeks to marry a young wife with a wide range of commendable characteristics in his old age. He becomes acquainted with May, described often as possessing a fresh beauty that could challenge the splendor of a new spring. The two eventually marry, but May becomes involved in an affair with another shortly afterwards. January remains ignorant of the relationship, as his blindness prevents him from seeing the imperfect nature of his wife that diverges from her physical beauty. He ends up regaining his sight later, and in so, catches May in the act of cheating. However, May takes advantage his new sight, accounting the event as merely him not seeing correctly. January does not question his wife, and the marriage between the two survives.
Theresa O’Byrne produced a critical analysis on the concept of marriage through “The Merchant’s Tale”, presenting it as Chaucer’s argument for the prudence required with intentions to marry: “Usually these take one of two forms: an argument against marriage altogether or an argument that offers a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of marriage, ultimately advising for marriage” (O’Byrne 152).
The tale takes the latter approach, as January is confronted with a series of characteristics that a worthy wife should possess. Vice versa, he becomes conflicted with the cons of women and marital duties. Justinus provides this wisdom of marriage through describing it as a lengthy process: “I’d like to warn you; it is no child’s play / Choosing a wife. It needs consideration, / In fact it asks a long investigation” (Chaucer 364). Even though Justinus counseled him well on the matter, January proceeds to take beauty as the vital trait he seeks in a wife, leading him to May. Ironically, her youthful sexuality is distinctively the flaw in which January previously upheld, and later falls victim to through her affair. The argument persists through the fable as to if whether or not a wise man should marry. The pessimistic perspective on marriage may be perceived as condemnable, but the actions of May and her lover provide “a strong argument in favour of [Justinus’s] negative views of marriage, an argument that Januarie’s scholarly thesis is ultimately unable to overcome” (O’Byrne
155). The contradictory case of January and May establishes the story as a stab at the impossible expectations of marriage, and satirizes the attributes of what delegates a man to choose his wife.
As if to level both the deceptiveness to the loving nature of marriage, Chaucer bestows readers with the couple in “The Franklin’s Tale”. The fable is described as a Breton lai, focused upon the emotional journey the characters endure. The husband and wife, Arvéragus and Dorigen, possess a marriage that is genuine and equal, stating that “When mastery comes the god of love anon / Stretches his wings and farewell! he is gone” (Chaucer 410). Love becomes the feature of marriage treasured in the tale, as the concept of awarding the wife with equal power and releasing the belief of dominance in a relationship appears to be the key to a successful matrimony. The wife eventually is tested by an adulterous man, Aurelius, as he professes his own love for Dorigen. She rejects him immediately, but in a lighthearted demeanor, proclaims that when he is able to “clear the coast / So clean there’s not a single stone to boast, / I’ll love you more than any man on earth” (Chaucer 416). Aurelius succeeds in this through creating an illusion of the rocks disappearing, to which Arvéragus tells his wife that she must abide by her oath in order to protect their honor. Aurelius releases Dorigen from their contract though, convinced that her husband’s nobleness “would have preferred to die in his distress / Rather than that his wife should break her word” (Chaucer 432). The pure generosity established in the marriage by Arvéragus and Dorigen exhibits marital trust and freedom being the most admirable goals to achieve. However, it is questionable as to who practiced the most charitable persona: Arvéragus through accepting the shame of an adulterous wife, or Aurelius by releasing Dorigen from her promise due to the honorable behavior of her marriage.
The conclusions of the four tales each present the audience with a variety of traits that could be the foundations of a successful marriage. The underlying key to achieving such an institution seems to be permitting equal governance between both wife and husband. Ultimately, Chaucer conducted a dynamic feministic approach in these tales, awarding women with more power than the era was offering them initially. Through the four contrasting perspectives in his tales, Chaucer directs his readers to understand that a fruitful relationship is produced through a division of governance between husband and wife. In sustaining the equality of authority in marriage, both individuals can achieve a sense of bliss and honor in the marital roles he or she declares.