wife of bath key quotes ★

'Experience, though noon auctoritee… is right ynogh for me’

• the wife admits the does not have religious authority, but her experience qualifies her to speak on love and marriage

• hint: etnairyfm

‘Wo that is in marriage'

• the wife seems to have a negative view of marriage, wo = sadness

• hint: wtiim

'But of no nombre mencion made he… Why sholde men thanne speke of it villeynie?'

• the wife questions why men slander women who have married multiple times when God makes no mention of how many times a person should marry in the Bible

• bonnmmh… wsmtsoiv

'Yblessed be God that I have wedded five! Welcome the sixte…’

• the wife unapologetically celebrates her five marriages, and looks forward to her sixth husband, suggesting a lack of shame and even pride in her relationships

• hint: ybbgtihwf!wts

'I pray tow, telleth me, Or where comanded he virginitee?'

• the wife rejects the notion that women must be virgins to be married, she mocks those who condemn her intimate marital experience

• hint: ipttmowchv

‘wherwith sholde he make his paiement, If he ne used his sely instrument?’

• payment suggests a transactional relationship between husband and wife, ‘sely instrument’ is an innuendo, sely = blessed

• wshmhpihnuhsi

"I have the power duringe al my lyf Upon his propre body, and noght he.'

• the wife wants control over her husband, which links to her later tale on how women want authority and autonomy more than anything.

• ihtpdamluhpbanh

‘The thre were goode men, and riche, and olde’

• the wife expresses what she looks for in a husband

• ttwgmarao

‘kan ther no man Swere and lyen, as a womman kan’

• the wife boasts of women's abilities to manipulate men and celebrates female wit.

• ktnmsalaawk

‘It is my good as wel as thyn, pardee!’

• the wife feels that she is entitled to her husband’s wealth, she scolds him for keeping it from her

• iimgawatp

‘Thou seyest, right as wormes shende a tree, Right so a wyf destroyeth hire housbonde’

• the wife quotes her husband, who criticises women and claims that they ruin their husbands.

• tsrawsatrsawdhh

‘Deceite, weping, spinning God hath yive To wommen’

• God has given these things to women in order to bless them and give them control over their husbands

• hint: dwsghytw

‘For if I wolde selle my bele chose, I koude walke as fressh as is a rose…’

• bele chose = innuendo

• the wife believes she is being good to her husband by remaining loyal to him

• hint: fiiwsmbcikwafaiar

‘Wel koude she laughe and carpe’

• the Wife is a jolly character, she likes to talk as is seen in the length of her prologue.

• hint: wkslac

‘Of remedies of love she knew per chaunce, For she could of that arte the old daunce’

• the wife is well versed in love and sex, she likes to talk about love which is evidenced throughout her prologue and by the contents of her tale

• hint: orolskpcfscotatod

‘God bad us for to wex and multiplie’

• links to the Bible verse ‘be fruitful and multiply’, the wife uses scripture to justify her numerous marriages

• Gbuftwam

‘to be refresshed halfe so ofte as he!’

• the wife references the Biblical character Solomon, who had 700 wives. the wife celebrates his marriages and wishes to be ‘reffreshed’ as much as he was.

• hint: tbrhsoah

‘I wol nat keepe chaste in all’

• the wife does not express shame about her sexuality, she boldly proclaims that she will not remain chaste all her life and will fulfill her desires freely if she takes a sixth husband

• hint: iwnkcia

‘bet it is to be wedded than to brinne’

• although virginity is noble, the wife uses biblical scripture to assert her view that it is better to marry than to burn in lust or hell. this is a catholic idea + links to the teaching of St Paul

• hint: biitbwttb

‘Al nys but conseil to virginitee.’

• whilst it is honourable to remain in ‘virginitee’, the wife asserts that t is the choice of the woman whether she wishes to marry or remain chaste

• hint: anbctv

‘I wol bistowe the flour of al myn age, In the actes and in fruyt of mariage.’

• the wife does not feel shame, she proclaims that in marriage she will freely enjoy herself. ‘flour’ has positive connotations as does ‘fruit’, links to the Bible

• hint: iwbtfoamaitaaifom

 ‘In wyfhod I wol use myn instrument, As frely as my Makere hath it sent.’

• the wife is unashamed of her ‘instrument’, will use it in marriage and sees it as a gift.

• hint: iwiwumiafammhis

‘pay his dette’

• transactional relationship with the men the wife marries

• phd

‘Of tribulcacion of marriage… of which I am an expert in al myn age’

• the wife again speaks of the pain caused by marriage and asserts that she is qualified to speak on it, as she has suffered and has experience with it throughout her life

• otomowiaaeiamy

“They loved me so wel, by God above, That I ne tolde no deyntee of hir love!”

• the wife does not think highly of her husbands, she knows they love her very much but she is not particularly in love with them/ only uses them for her gain.

• hint: tlmswbgatintndohl

“I hadde hem hoolly in myn hond”

• the wife had control and autonomy over her husbands, ‘in her hand’

• hint: ihhhimh

“myn profit and myn ese”

• these are the wife’s top priorities, possessive pronoun suggests self-sufficient nature

• hint: mpame

“I goverened hem so wel, after my lawe…”

• the wife has control over her husbands, she is proud of her dominance over them

• hint: ighswaml

“chiding wives maken men to flee”

• the wife quotes her husband, who criticises women for scolding men- hypocritical.

• hint: cwmmtf

“olde dottard shrew”

• the wife means ‘oh doddering scoundrel’, she says this when her husband compares women to objects and laments that he cannot ‘test’ them before committing to them. she finds this ridiculous, and so insults him.

“Thou shalt not… be maister of my body and my good”

• the wife refuses to give her husband control over her body or property, she sees both of these things as rightfully hers.

• hint: tsnbmombomg

‘incubus… dishonour’

• the wife’s tale criticises friars who seek money in order to grant repentance to ‘sinners’. Chaucer is likely criticising corrupt clergymen, as he has done throughout the text.

• incubus = evil spirit, contrasts with the position of friars and summoners in the Catholic church.

‘lusty bacheler… by verray force, he rafte hire maydenhed’

• Here, the Wife is describing a knight who raped a young woman. mayden = maiden = virgin.

• As this is one of King Arthur’s knights, the presentation here is shocking. King Arthur is a character in English legend often living in a utopian, lawful kingdom, which the knight has destroyed.

‘yaf hym to the queene, al at hir wille’

• the Queen is given the power to decide the knight’s fate. this is an unusual portrayal of female monarchs as women were severely oppressed in the Middle Ages.

‘sorwefully… He may nat do al as hym liketh.’

• The Knight shows entitlement here, he is irritated at having to submit to the Queen as he is perhaps not accustomed to female authority or being deprived of autonomy (women know this feeling all too well).

‘somme seyden lust abedde… And oftetyme to be wydwe and wedde.’

• When travelling, the Knight meets women who desire lustful marriages and to be married many times, reflecting the Wife’s desires.

‘We wol been holden wise and clene of synne.’

• The Wife is expressing her own opinion here, asserting that women want to be respected. This is particularly impactful when considering women during this time faced calumny and disrespect, often undeservingly.

‘Pardee, we wommen konne no thyng hele’

• The Wife asserts that women can never keep a secret. This could be an example of misogyny in the tale.

‘Withinne his brest ful sorweful was the goost… But hoom he gooth; he myghte nat sojourne’

• The Knight cannot discover what women want, and is unable to escape his fate. He goes home, believing he is destined for death.

‘A fouler wight ther may no man devyse.’

• Hyperbolic description, could be interpreted as misogynistic from Chaucer.

• As the old woman later offers the Knight wisdom which saves her life, perhaps Chaucer seeks to communicate to readers that appearance can be deceiving and we should not judge a person’s morality based on their looks.

‘My leeve mooder… What thyng it is that wommen moost desire.’

• The Knight shows respect for the woman by calling her his ‘dear mother and asks her what women desire most.

‘I wolde wel quite youre hire.’

• The Knight promises to repay the old woman if she can tell him what women desire most. This is important later in the tale, as the Wife requests to marry him.

"Plight me thy trouthe heere in myn hand,"

• The Old Woman makes the knight swear on his hand so that he may not break his promise.

• Imperatives show authority.

• The idea of pledging invokes ideas around knightliness and chivalry.

 ‘Thy lyf is sauf… Upon my lyf, the queene wol seye as I.’

• The Old Woman is confident in her message. She promises the Knight that his life will be protected.

‘And bad hym to be glad and have no fere.’

• Confident, in control.

• Imperatives used.

‘The queene hirself sittynge as a justise’

• The Queen is presented as the primary source of authority, suggesting power and control.

‘Wommen desiren to have sovereynetee… to been in maistrie hym above.’

• The Knight proclaims that women desire to have sovereignty over their husbands and be in a position of power above him. This is a controversial view, even by the standards of the 21st century.

‘I am heer at youre wille.’

• the Knight gives complete authority to the Queen willingly, contrasting with his previous treatment of the young maiden.

‘For wel thou woost that I have kept thy lyf.’

• The Old Wife asks for the Knight’s hand in marriage, using the fact that she saved his life to justify this. She expresses confidence.

 ‘“My love?" quod he, "nay, my dampnacioun!’

• The Knight sees the old woman’s love and desire to be married to him as a curse.

‘Thou art so loothly, and so oold also… comen of so lough a kynde’

• The Knight expresses that he hates the Old Wife because she is poor, old and of a low lineage. He could be perceived sympathetically by some and ungrateful by other readers.

‘Crist wole we clayme of hym oure gentillesse’

• The Old Wife claims that God wants us not to seek nobility and status in riches, but the good deeds of our hearts.’

‘A lordes sone do shame and vileynye’

• The Old Wife criticises lords and noblemen who do shameful, villainous things. Chaucer could be critiquing the class system here.

‘Glad poverte is an honest thyng,’

• The Wife suggests that excessive riches are condemned by God.

‘For filthe and eelde… Been grete wardeyns upon chastitee.’

• The Old Woman claims her age and ugliness serve as guards of chastity. This could be interpreted by modern audiences as misogynistic.

‘My lady and my love, and wyf so deere… I put me in youre wise governance’

• The Knight allows the Old Wife to choose whether she remain ugly and faithful or beautiful and unfaithful. This suggests that he has learnt to respect women and give them their autonomy.

‘And she obeyed hym in every thyng’

• By giving his wife autonomy, the Knight is also able to give input on the relationship.

‘Jhesu Crist us sende Housbondes meeke, yonge, and fressh abedde’

• the Wife prays that Jesus send all women submissive, young and sexually satisfying husbands.

‘Jhesu shorte hir lyves… That noght wol be governed by hir wyves’

• the Wife prays that men who do not submit to their wives be struck down, demonstrating her belief in the importance of female autonomy and, perhaps, misandry.