THE WIFE OF BATH

In the present characterisation I would like to underline how the poet relies mainly on irony to create the character of the wife of  Bath.  Indeed irony is a figure of speech according to say something to mean its exactly opposite.

 In the woman’s characterisation the poet stars with giving the reader ideas about her reputation, indeed he associates to the woman the adjective  “Worthy”, that means “Respectable”. In addition the allitteration of the sounds “W” and “B”sticks the line in the reader’s mind. Then the poet makes a reference to her ability in making cloth, that surpasses even the rinomate centers of Ypres and Ghent. As a consequence the intelligent reader has a positive first impression of the women, even if in the second line the poet underlines her physical problem, that is deafness, also connoted by the allitteration of the sound “W”, that occurs many time in the economy of the poem.

Line five is extremely important, because the poet conveys some information about the woman’s behaviour. Indeed the poet says that if someone dares to precede her to the offertory, she becomes furious and the poet highlights the woman’s aggressiveness throgh the expression “To be quite put out of charity” and the allitteration of the sound “D”.

As a consequence the reader starts re-evaluate the woman who initially appears innocent.

In line 9 the poet makes a reference to the woman wearing style, that is  expensive and eye catching, so the intelligent reader understands that she wants to be noticed. This fact was unaccettable for a woman of the middle ages who had to be humileand shy, especially a wife. In addition the colour red, that reminds the reader of passion and anger, occurs many time in the economy of the lines, thus conveying some aspects of the woman’s personality.

In the following lines the poet conveys some information about her face, that is handsome and red in hue, but from line 24 he makes a reference to her ugly physical features that create a constrast with the previous image he created of the woman.

In line 15 the poet uses one more time the adjective “Worthy” but the intelligente reader undestands the poet is using the ironic tone, just reading the following lines, where the poet makes clear that the woman got married 5 times apart from other company in youth, and this wasn’t a respectable fact for the middle ages woman, who had to be chast.

Then the poet makes a deviation from the topic and starts telling the reader about her travels, thus making clear the woman’s independence and initiative, another bad qualities for woman, who had to be docile and stay at home.  

In the following line the poet makes a reference to her posture and uses the allitteration of the sound “W” to convey her confidence, but to tell the truth she is completely covered by the veil and skirt. As a consequence the reader understands that she wants people to have a different image of her, that doesn’t match with her real personality.

Eventually, in the last line the poet makes fun of the woman, just using an ironic tone to conveys is ability in love, borned after all her weddings.

It goes without saying that the poet with the wife of Bath wants to present a female character that doesn't match with the stereotype of the medieval woman.