Kerri Scales

11/10/06

Engl. 310

Dr. Kennedy

Geoffrey Chaucer’s Wife of Bath’s Tale is largely concerned with the subject of authority and where it lies in marriage. The Wife spends much of her prologue telling of the lessons she has learned from her previous marriages, five to be exact. However, when you get past her very lengthy prologue, her tale begins. Chaucer dedicates a passage (lines 1099- 1136) to the idea of nobility, as the Wife tells the “noble” knight of the levels of nobility. The structure of her passage, more specifically where her lines begin and end offer a rhythm to her speech. Chaucer also references Christ and takes from Dante’s poem La Divine Commedia, as images the Wife references.

In relation to the overall theme of the narrative, Chaucer begins to foreshadow the behavior of the knight, as he is first told the levels and ways of nobility and then later in the tale exemplifies those same values. Staggered by the Wife’s appearance, “It wol nat been amended nevere mo. Thou art so loothly, and so oold also, And thereto comen of so lough a kynde, That little wonder is though I walwe and wynde” (Chaucer 119), the knight is persuaded by the Wife as she begins to improve his uneasy feelings towards her. “That therefore sholden ye be gentil men, Swich arrogance is nat worth an hen. Looke who that is moost vertuous alway, Pryvee and apert, and moost entendeth ay To do the gentil dedes that he kan; Taak hym for the grettest gentil man” (Chaucer 120). Chaucer sets up this passage in rhyme, which helps the Wife’s speech have a natural flow to it as well as create emphasis and connections among the words in the text. However, the use of rhyme makes her speech sound un-developed and almost childish. The Wife is speaking of nobility as an inherent virtue, not affiliated with riches or noble birth but interestingly enough, the Wife gained her riches through multiple marriages. The use of rhyme in her speech sounds superficial, as if she is using it as a ploy to lure the knight into doing what she wants him to do. The Wife speaks of being noble no matter if it is seen publicly or privately, yet she herself does not lead a noble life.

As the Wife continues her speech she speaks of God, and that it is from him who we claim our nobility. “Crist wole we clayme of hym oure gentilesse, Nat of oure eldres for hire old richesse” (Chaucer 120). Although our ancestors can give us their heritage and possibly a noble birth, they can not pass on a virtuous life, for it is in the eye of the beholder. In her speech, the Wife also references Dante’s epic poem, La Divina Commedia, a comedy about the allegory of life and God. “Ful selde up riseth by his branches smale Prowesse of man, for God, of his goodnesse, Wole that of hym we clayme oure gentillesse” (Chaucer 120). In-bedded within Dante’s comedy are the ten circles of hell. More appropriately, the second and fourth circles which are concerned with those overcome by lust and those concerned with material goods. The Wife is an example of both of these sins, as she takes lengthy pilgrimages but is more concerned with people admiring her wealthy manner of dress and for men to admire her as a sexual being than she is of serving her lord. Using images of both Christ and the circles of hell (referenced in the connection to Dante) Chaucer sort of makes the Wife’s speech negate itself. She speaks of the virtue of nobility as one inherent and given by Christ, as opposed to passed down through family lineage, however he also points to the circles of hell when quoting Dante’s epic poem, which exemplify the sinful ways of the Wife.

The Wife of Bath’s Tale explores female and male power through a love relationship. The Wife spends much of her lengthy prologue exploring her past marriages but she also spends a passage on the idea of nobility. She begins to explain to the “noble” knight the levels of nobility, even though she herself does not lead a noble life. The use of rhyme in the structure of the passage offers a childish connotation to the text, downplaying the serious tone the Wife thinks she is using. Chaucer’s cross reference of the ten circles of hell and Christ also deprecate the Wife’s knowledge of nobility as she explains it to the knight.

The Lais of Marie de France explores love relationships through a series of stories which test the behavior of those caught up in the pursuit of love and lust. Marie de France uses language as a tool, in which using it out of truth and honor is just as easy as using it for lies and deceit. And example of this is the story entitled Bisclavret, in which a “good, handsome and noble knight” (68) is betrayed by his own adoring and caring wife. Paying close attention to the second and third passages (lines 15-56), the way attitude towards the use of language becomes evident.

In connection to the overall theme of Bisclavret, this passage exemplifies the relationship between man and wife as well as the role of love. More importantly how it is valued by men versus how it is valued by women. The noble lord believes he has found his perfect wife. She is a suitable woman who is described as “worthy and attractive” (68), yet this proves to be deceiving for the good knight. Women are categorized into two parties, those who are good looking and those who are mean. However, the role of his wife seems to fall under both as she is beautiful to him but proves that she can use her beauty to deceive and gain what she wants. “…I have such a fear of losing you that I shall surely die shortly from this unless I soon get help” (68). In connection to the overall theme of the story, she is foreshadowing her behavior later in the story, when she takes on another lover. The language Marie de France chooses to use for the wife is also interesting in the sense that she intertwines words that imply doubt with words that signify passion. By placing “shall” before “die” it resonates as implying that she could die from her fear but it is not something she is guaranteeing. Also, the placement of “shortly” after “die” sounds as if she is implying that her grief from this will only last briefly, as she will soon find another lover.

Marie de France also does something interesting in how she chooses the language for the wife when she begins to ask her husband what becomes of him that he is gone for days at a time. “Please tell me where you go, what becomes of you and where you stay. I think you must have a lover, and if this is so you are doing wrong” (68). As opposed to just accusing him of being with another lover, she also asks where he goes and where he stays. What is interesting about how this line is set up is that the wife is asking these questions that seem to be excessive and unnecessary while at the same time accusing him of being with another woman, so that he will sympathize with her. Marie de France is exploring the love relationship that exists between a man and wife and also what happens when one person begins to doubt that relationship. Rather than leave her husband, which would be regarded as unacceptable for a woman, she begins to place the doubt on her husband. Again, Marie de France is foreshadowing what will come next in the story, when the wife tricks her husband and finds another lover.

At the end of the passage the husband is attempting to redeem himself for his odd behavior, and to try and erase the wife’s superstitions. “If I tell you this, great harm will come to me, for as a result I shall lose your love and destroy myself” (68-69). Marie de France uses “shall” again as she did before, which implies the attitude of not being certain or making something an option. Almost as if he is saying that losing her love is something he will decide upon, as if he has that power.

The story Bisclavret as a whole is a portrayal of a love relationship, however as opposed to her other stories this one does not end positively. The use of language as truth and language as deceit proves how easy it is to use both and how hard it is to determine one from the other. The wife learns this tool and thus begins to trick her husband to begin a new relationship. Marie de France chooses her words wisely as well as the placement of the words which can changes their meaning in certain lines.