The Wife of Bath [Canterbury Tales] by Geoffrey Chaucer - Analysis

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THEMES/MOTIFS/STYLE

Bath's Prologue

Outspoken woman

Quoting from the bible, to support her view which is certainly not mainstream- a parody on church people who quote from the bible to support true holy causes, showing that the bible can be used to support any argument thus diminishing from the value of the bible as a tool of truth.

Polygamy for women- it is men who usually have multiple husbands and not vice versa, so the Wife of Bath breaks that convention.

Explicit sexuality- "Al were it good for no woman for to touch (He mente as In his bed or in his couche)"

Experience is a key word

Inaccurate bible quoting

Criticism of the Church!


Bath's Tale

Criticism of the church

Satire/ contradictory behavior to courtly decorum

Fairy tale with a moral and psychological relevance

Geoffrey Chaucer

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