The Canterbury Tales/The Wife of Bath

• Literature
• HBO
• Studiejaar 2

The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer's 

The Wife of Bath

Middle English Period

• Late Middle Ages 1066 - 1500 
• 1066: William the Conqueror - Norman Conquest  
• Changes in language and culture: 
• Political: feudalism 
• Cultural: from Saxon (Germanic) to Norman (French) 
• Language: French dominant until late 14th century 

The Canterbury Tales

• written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400
• a collection of 24 stories
• tales are part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together from London to Canterbury

Chaucer

• Chaucer : page, soldier, diplomat, justice of peace
• Wanted to write in the vernacular =  language that is commonly spoken
• Called " Father of the English Literature"
• Link-and-frame story 
• Pilgrim tells two tales
• panoramic view of medieval society > depicts different classes & social order, feudal system (land/aristocracy/church)
• Information lower /middle classes

Middle English 

1.  amydde 

2. abedde

3. anyght

4. eek

5. ich

6. nay

7. seken

Canterbury
Cathedral

Became popular pilgrimage site after the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170

Why is this tale fit for the The Wife?

In The Wife's Tale, what does the Knight do to merit punishment?

1. lies to the king
2. rapes a girl
3. steals from the Queen
4. cheats on his wife

What is the Knight's original sentence by King Arthur?

1. beheading
2. banishment
3. imprisonment
4. he has to apologize

Who decided that the Knight should have a different sentence?

1. His victim
2. The knights
3. The Queen
4. An old hag

What quest is the Knight sent on?

1. He needs to find a wife
2. He needs to slay a dragon
3. He needs to find out what women most desire
4. He needs to find a magic sword

What troubles his quest?

1. because every answer he hears is different
2. because he is unable to speak to women
3. because the women all lie to him
4. he lost his way

What are some of the answers that the knight receives as he goes around England looking for the answer to his challenge?

In exchange for giving the knight the correct answer & saving his life, what does the hag want?

1. money
2. marriage
3. a child
4. nothing

What does the old woman tell the knight she will be if she remains old and ugly?

1. good and faithful
2. rich
3. very wise

So what do women really want according to this story?

How does the woman’s appearance change at the end of the story?

How do you interpret the final resolution?
Is she giving in to male dominance? Is he giving her the upper hand?

What's the lesson to be learnt from this tale?