“Wife of Bath”Prologue

Calling Dr. Wife of Bath!

• What subject does the wife feel that she has expert knowledge?

• Marriage- she has been married 5 times

Key to a happy marriage…

• What did the first three husbands have in common?

• Older

• Wealthy

• “Good” ones

• Controlled them

Silly men!

• Line 99 – 111 What is she saying?

• In order to gain control over one’s husband a wife must be able to turn arguments around so that the husband is the one at fault, even if he is not.

Number 4 has entered the building

• What did he do wrong?

• Cheats on her

• What has happened to her?

• WOB Characterization- She has gotten older, lost her beauty, youth,

#5 is slime…

• What did her fifth husband do to her?

• Beat her

• What does she say about women when they are not able to have something?

• The more something can’t be had, the more it is desired.

Who did she love the most?

• # 5

• At first she handed over everything to him

• Why did she probably do this since she never had before?

• Her age, felt that she could not hold onto him

The Wife of Bath’s Tale

…and oh what a story she tells!

What do we learn from the Wife of Bath’s (WOB) prologue?

• How is satire used?

• Chaucer uses female stereotypes- ex: controlling woman, using sex to gain control, etc.

• What does technique does the WOB use to gain control?

• Manipulation

Bad knight!

• What did the Knight do?

• What was the King punishment?

Fair lady!• Who intervened and why did the king

allow this?

• The queen wanted the knight to learn a lesson. WOB is demonstrating how a smart man gives over control.

That’s a tough question!

• What question did the knight need to find the answer to?

• What was the condition?

• Why was he having trouble?

Sad, sad knight• Who helps him with the answer?

• The old hag will give him the answer to his question, as long as he promises to give her anything she asks for.

Phew, that was close!

• What is the answer to the question?

• Wives want to be listened to by their husbands.

• What does the hag ask for?

• What happens after they are married?

Let’s Make a Deal!• What choice does the hag give the knight?• What is his choice?

• What happens?

• The old hag becomes young, beautiful and faithful because he allowed her to make the choice. He now fully understands what women really desire in life.

Who is the hag?

• Who is the old hag like and why?

• The WOB is like the old hag. Even though she has aged on the outside, if the right man comes along she can be beautiful and faithful once again.

What is the Moral of the story?

• Women want an equal voice in their relationships.

• What kind of story does she tell?

• Fable- has mystical elements, is fictional and has a moral.