The Wife of Bath

Characteristics Hometown-Bath, a seaport Physical Features –Slightly deaf –Physically imposing—other women never got in her way in church –Face was Bold with a red hue –Gap between her teeth, set widely –Flowing mantle concealed wide hips Personality –Other women afraid of her –Wrathful to those in her way –Likes to laugh and chat –Knows all remedies of love’s mischance

Characteristics (cont) Attire –Hose, finest scarlet red and tightly gartered –Finely woven kerchiefs on her head –Shoes, soft and new –Big hat Occupation –Exceptional weaver of fine cloth –Better than famous Flemish craftsmen Family History –5 Husbands –Married all in the church (“no need to speak of that”)

Characteristics (cont) Extensive Religious Travel –Jerusalem –Rome –Boulogne –St. James of Compostella –Cologne Her Horse –She sits side saddle –The horse is gentle, it ambles –She wears spurs that are concealed to urge the horse to move

Quotes of Note Others assert we women find it sweet When we are thought dependable, discreet And secret, firm of purpose and controlled, Never betraying things that we are told. But that’s not worth the handle of a rake; Women conceal a thing? For Heaven’s sake.

And when I’ve finished telling you my tale Of tribulation in the married life In which I’ve been an expert as a wife, That is to say, myself have been the whip. So please yourself whether you want to sip At that same cask of marriage I shall broach. Be cautious before making the approach, For I’ll give instances and more than ten.

Connections Ongoing verbal jousting with the Friar throughout the trip to Canterbury Gives advice to the Pardoner concerning marriage and he says “there’ll be no marrying for me this year.” Speaks after the Pardoner and thus her tale is compared to his Stark comparison with the other woman of the tale—the nun

Upon an amblere esily she sat, Ywympled wel, and on hir heed an hat As brood as is a bokeler or a targe; A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large, And on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe. The Real Chaucer’s English