THE WIFE OF BATH

The wife of Bath is an extract from the Canterbury tales by G. Chaucer. It consists of the characterization of one of the most important pilgrims of the book. The extract is in verse, rhyming ABAB. The description of the Wife draws on the anti-feminist medieval tradition; therefore, it is characterized by a humoristic tone. It is made by an external narrator.
The characterization starts with a sentence which recalls the opening of fairy tales (There was a ...). The protagonist is immediately depicted as a business woman; this creates suspicions in the reader, since in the Middle Ages women usually were allowed only to be mothers and housewives. The text does not provide an explanation for this, and therefore the reader is encouraged to go on with the reading. In addition, the narrator specifies she came from Bath, and not from Southwark (the place in which all the 29 pilgrims had gathered).
After that, the narrator seems to be sorry that she is a bit deaf. This aspect of the character may have been added in order to diminish her importance, which is already over the average for a medieval woman.
In the following line the narrator tells about her skills: she was an experienced clothmaker and could outdistance even the weavers of Ypres and Ghent. To reinforce her ability, ellipsis and alliteration are employed: the subject and the verb of the sentence are understood and the sound "s" is repeated. As for the rhetoric level, the narrator uses a hyperbole, comparing her to the weavers of Ypres and Ghent. These lines explain the definition of "business woman"; however, the term "wife" is still not justified.
Afterwards, the narrator tells the reader nobody dared precede her at the almsgiving; otherwise, she would have been furious and would not have given offerings any more. From this we understand she always wanted to be the first and the centre of attention. The inversion of the word order in line 7 underpins her furious reaction; therefore, she was also aggressive and instinctive. Besides, she would become furious inside a church, which should be the house of peace and modesty.
In the following lines her clothing for Sundays is described. Also through her outfit the reader can understand her will to be always the centre of attention. This concept is highlighted also by the frequent use of superlatives. She wore heavy headkerchiefs, scarlet red tight-fitting stockings, new and pliable shoes. Her clothes are expensive and various in styles; they are juxtaposed, although they have nothing in common. From this we can understand her portray is a caricature and wants to ridicule her presumption through irony.
After that, the narrator inserts a physical description; she was bold, handsome and florid. The inversion in line 14 underpins the word "bold", which is the main feature of her personality. "Handsome" is a term usually referred to male people; maybe it is employed here to underline her huge frame. Moreover, in the Middle Ages being "florid" meant being attractive and wealthy.
Later, the narrator says she had been "respectable"; however, this adjective is employed in an ironical tone, since in the following line it is specified that she had been married five times (in church) and had had many loves in her youth. The five marriages could be legitimate only if the previous husbands had died. This finally explains the word "wife" in her introduction. However, there is not a justification for her loves in youth; this further ridicules her.
Despite not obeying all religious principles, she had set off many times in pilgrimage: she had been three times to Jerusalem, she had wandered to Rome, to Boulogne, to St. James of Compostella and to Cologne. She was very experienced in pilgrimage and travelling, as stated in line 20. However, she knew all also in straying. The narrator affirms she was gap-toothed to prove this, since teeth widely spaced were considered a sign of lasciviousness. He expresses the concept ironically, saying "if you take my meaning". The humoristic tone is given also by her contradiction: on one side she seems to be devoted to Christianity and respecting fidelity, but on the other she did not hesitate to have another temporary and secret love relationship.
Afterwards, the narrator underlines her experience in wandering and riding: she sat comfortably on horse and wore sharp spurs on her feet. Even while she was riding she wore eccentric and strange clothes: in particular, the text focuses on a hat similar to "a shield in size and shape". Also her enormous size is reasserted (huge hips).
Finally, the narrator concludes saying she was tongue-in-cheek and cheerful and she knew all of love affairs, since "she was a past mistress at that game".

The characterization may represent the idea of women during the Middle Ages. They were depicted as material, irrational, instinctive, aggressive, conceived and interested only in seducing men. The text may also convey the message that, if a woman had gained importance, she would have behaved even worse, as the Wife of Bath did.