What does the Wife of Bath establish herself as an authority of?
Marriage
How old was the wife of bath when she first got married?
Twelve
How many marriages has the wife of bath had?
Five
Why did a lot of people criticize her for getting married so much?
Christ only went to one wedding, at Cana in Galilee --> ie. multiple marriages is frowned upon in Christianity, destroys sanctity of marriage
How does the wife of bath defend herself?
By saying you can interpret the Bible any way you want, and that God made people to multiply
What does the Wife of Bath use to "control" her husbands?
Her sexual power
What is the Pardoner worried about?
That his soon to be wife will try and control him and his body like the Wife of Bath does to her husbands
How many of the wife's husbands have been "good" and how many have been "bad", according to her?
3 "good", 2 "bad
Why were the "good" husbands good?
They were rich, old and submissive (did what she wanted)
How did the wife manipulate her husbands?
Often accused the husbands of having an affair, claimed every wife wanted to destroy her husband while they were drunk, making them do what she wanted
What did the Wife of Bath do to her husbands in bed?
Teased them then wouldn't satisfy them until they paid her
Why didn't the wife like her fourth husband?
He was a rebel and had a mistress
What did the wife constantly do to her fourth husband?
Try and make him jealous
What did she consider herself to her fourth husband?
His "purgatory
How did her fourth husband die?
On a pilgrimage to Jerusalem
What did her fifth husband do to her?
Beat her often
Did the wife love her fifth husband?
Yes, despite his violent nature
How did the fifth husband always win her back?
By being coy and flattering in bed
What does the wife say about women?
That they desire what is forbidden to them, and runs away from things pursuing them or forced upon them
How was her fifth husband different from her other four husbands?
She married him for love and not money
What did the fifth husband do for work & where did he stay before he met the Wife?
Poor ex-student, boarded with the Wife's close friend
What was the fifth husband's name?
Jankyn
Why did the Wife tell the fifth husband she'd marry him only if she were widowed?
She was already married to her fourth husband
What lie did the wife tell her fifth husband after meeting him?
That she dreamt he would kill her in her sleep
What did the blood filling the bed symbolize?
Gold
Why didn't the wife really feel like crying at her fourth husband's funeral?
Because she already had a new husband lined up
When did the wife really fall in love with Jankyn?
When he carried her fourth husband's casket
What was the age difference between the Wife and Jankyn?
Wife was 40, Jankyn was 20
Why did the wife regret the age difference between her and Jankyn?
Because he wasn't old enough to take her abuse, and even returned it
What was Jankyn's book of "five wicked wives" called?
Valerie & Theofraste
What did Jankyn's book contain?
Information & stories about the five most deceitful wives in history
Who were the most deceitful wives in history & why?
Eve (took the apple from the Garden of Eden), Delilah (betrayed Samson), Clytemnestra (murdered Agamemnon), etc.
What did Jankyn do to torment the wife?
Read aloud from his book
What is the Wife of Bath's name?
Alisoun
What does the Wife do out of anger one night?
Tears 3 pages out of the book and punches Jankyn in the face
What does the Wife claim is the reason she is deaf in one ear?
Jankyn strikes her on the head
What is the Wife & Jankyn's truce?
He hands over his estate to her and she acts kind and loving to him
What is the setting of the Wife of Bath's Tale?
In King Arthur's days, on an isle of Britain
What did the friars and mendicants replace on the island?
The faeries and elves
What was the difference between the friars and incubi?
They both raped women/faeries but the friars only caused women dishonor and did not impregnate them like the incubi
What does the young lusty knight in King Arthur's court do to the beautiful young maiden who walks in one day?
Rapes her
What does the court think they should do to the young knight?
Be put to death by decapitation
What do Arthur's queen (Gunievere) and the ladies of the court want for the knight?
To give him one more chance to redeem himself
What is the challenge that the queen presents the knight with?
He gets one year to find out what women want the most in the world and to report his findings to the court, and may be able to keep his head
What answers does the knight find at the beginning of his journey?
All the women he asks give him different answers to what they want most
Why does the Wife of Bath not agree with women wanting to be considered secretive?
She believes that women cannot keep secrets
What story does the wife of Bath retell to prove her point that women can't keep secrets?
Ovid's story of Midas
What did Midas have growing under his hair?
Two donkey ears
Who was the only person Midas told about his "condition"?
His wife
What did Midas's wife do?
Could not hold in the secret so she ran down to the water and whispered it
What did the Wife of Bath say about the ending of Ovid to the pilgrims?
They should read it
What does the knight see as he rides past a forest?
A group of women dancing
What does the group of women turn into?
An old ugly woman
What does the old ugly woman ask of the knight?
That in exchange for an answer to his question, he'd protect her
What does the knight tell to the court when he returns that the old lady supplied him with?
That the thing women most want is to be in charge of their lovers and husbands
What is the reaction of the women in the court when the knight gives them his answer?
They all agree with him and spare his head
What does the old hag do publicly after the knight is spared his life?
Asks him to marry her
What is the knight's reaction to the old hag's proposal?
He is disgusted, asks her to take his possessions instead of his body, etc.
How does the old hag eventually get her way?
He finally consents and they marry in a small private ceremony
How does the knight feel while married to the hag?
Miserable
What does the knight say to his wife when she asks him why he is sad?
That he is ashamed to have such an ugly wife
What does the knight's wife (basically) say to him at the end of the tale?
That beauty does not matter and personality outshines it
What does the old hag offer her husband?
A chance for her to be ugly but nice and loyal, or beautiful but unfaithful and bad
What does the knight say to his wife after her offer?
That she can choose whatever she thinks is best
What ends up happening to the old woman?
She got what she most desired (ability to have authority over her husband) and turned beautiful and young, and stayed married to the knight for many years
What does the Wife of Bath conclude her tale with?
A plea that Christ sends all women young, handsome, long-lasting in bed men that will not outlive them