Literary critics and historians have tended to partition Chaucer’s literary career into three major periods: the French, the Italian and the English, of which the last is a development of the first two. French Period What is referred to as Chaucer’s French period lasted until 1372. The poems of theContinue Reading
Of her fifth husband,Jankyn, the Wife of Bath has the most to say. She loved him, even though he treated her horribly and beat her. He was coy and flattering in bed, and always won her back. Women, the Wife says, always desire what is forbidden them, and run awayContinue Reading
The Wife of Bath’s relationship with her first three husbands in her Prologue serves the Wife’s purpose of describing the “wo that is in mariage” because of how badly she mistreats them. It also provides the Wife to air her views on the role and power of women in maritalContinue Reading
Based on the tradition of the medieval genre of allegorical “confession” where a personified vice such as Gluttony or Lust “confesses” his or her sins to the audience in a life story, the character of the Wife of Bath is exactly what the medieval Church saw as a “wicked woman.”Continue Reading
A. 1 “Experience, though noon auctoritee “Experience, though no written authority2 Were in this world, is right ynogh for me Were in this world, is good enough for me3 Continue Reading
In the General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer follows the tradition of medieval estate satire to portray the characters. Following the tradition, Chaucer both relies on and exploits the medieval social and hierarchal stereotypes. In order to achieve the purpose of estates satire, Chaucer offers an ideal example of each estate andContinue Reading
Primarily, there are two women characters introduced in the General Prologue of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales: the Prioress and the Wife of Bath. Critics have often categorized both of them as “misfits” – women unfit for the role they represent. This is obvious, considering the fact that the GeneralContinue Reading
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343–1400) was an English poet, author, and diplomat, often called the “Father of English Literature.” He is best known for The Canterbury Tales, a collection of stories told by a group of pilgrims traveling to Canterbury. Written in Middle English, it showcased Chaucer’s skill in character development,Continue Reading
