“The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale”
Square parenthesis ([...]) include additions to amend grammar and improve
clarity.
The Wife of Bath’s Prologue
Experience, although no authority
Was in this world [that would attest to it], is right enough for me
To speak of woe that is in marriage,
For, gentlemen, since I was twelve years of age,
Thanks be to God who is eternal in life,
Husbands at church door I have had five-
If so often I can have been considered married-
And all were worthy men in their degree.
But I was told, certainly, not long ago,
That since Christ never went but once
To wedding, in the Cane of Galilee,
That by the same example he taught me
That I should be wedded but once.
Listen as well, lo, what a sharp response immediately,
Beside a well, Jesus, God and man,
Spoke in scolding to the Samaritan:
“You have had five husbands”, said he,
“And that same man that has you [now]
Is not your husband”, this he said certainly.
What he meant by that, I can not say;
But that I ask, why the fifth man
Was not husband to the Samaritan?
,How many might she have in marriage?1
Yet I’ve never heard defined in my life
Of this proper number [of husbands].
Men may guess and pass comment, up and down,
But I was well accustomed, clearly, without lie,
God bade us to increase and multiply;
That gentile text I can well understand.
Also I know, he said my husband
Should forsake [his] father and mother, and take to me.
But he made no mention of number [of permitted husbands],
Of bigamy, or of octogamy2 [having eight spouses];
Why then should men speak of it as villainy?
Then, what, about the wise king, named Solomon3;
I promise he had more than one wife.
Would to God it were allowed for me
To be refreshed half as often as he!4
What a gift from God he had for all of his wives!5
No man alive of this world has such a gift.
God knows, this noble king, as I think,
The first night [he] had many a merry fit6
With each of them, such a blessed life he enjoyed.
And blessed by God that I have wedded five!
Welcome the sixth, whenever he happens to show.
1
Her questioning attacks the arguments of the men. She hopes to convince the pilgrims of her
innocence, to believe that her reality is no less righteous than that of the clerics.
2
Refers to the OT- why is it condemned as villainy if holymen do it?
3
Biblical exemplum- she questions why she cannot be like Solomon, spreading God’s gifts with her
sexual prowess.
4
Innuendo- biblical hypocrisy through euphemism.
5
However, the Wife is poorly informed- Solomon rejected his wives when he turned to God. However,
many of the pilgrims could not read, and the Wife’s mistake may go unnoticed.
6
Euphemism for orgasm- she has a lecherous style. She makes them laugh to gain the audience’s
approval. She has a performative aspect to her character.
,For truthfully, I do not wish to remain chaste at all.7
When my husband is gone from the world,
Some Christian man shall marry me shortly,
For then, the apostle8 sees that I am free
To marry, in God’s name, wherever it pleases me.
He sees that to be married is no sin;
Better to be married than to burn [lust].9
What does it matter to me, that folk are scandalised
By wicked Lameth, and his bigamy?
I know well that Abraham was a holy man,10
And Jacob as well, as much as I can;11
And each of them had more than two wives,
And many other holymen also.
Where can you say, in any time in history,
That high God defended marriage
By clear word? I pray you, tell me.
Or where did he command virginity?12
I know as well as you, there are no two ways about it,13
The apostle, when he speaks of maidenhood,
He said that he had no divine precept of it [his speech].14
Men may council a woman to remain virginal,
But council is no commandment.15
7
Boldness
8
Paul- he suggests celibacy is the best, but marriage is better than sexual transgressions outside of
marriage. (Link to 47 and 83). She is “free to wed”.
9
Either in hell or with desire. However, marriage needn’t quench lust.
10
Further biblical exemplum
11
Extended list of biblical figures
12
Moves from the concept of marriage to the concept of virginity. Thoughts on the “Wife of Bath”-
strong-willed, and independent, denying the need for men. If women were to speak at all, they would
have to preserve their reputation for marriage. Her persuasive use of rhetorical questions. She directly
addresses her listeners.
13
There is no explicit mention of the wife commiting adultery
14
Paul spoke of his own beliefs of morality, and admitted he had no command for God (another
example of experience being more important)
15
Men can attempt to use their authority and advise what they like, but they lack the actual power to
control her wonton existence. They cannot enforce this authority upon her experience. Paul’s image of
the ideal woman in the holy virgin, and the wife condemns this for its impracticality. Men’s opinions are
not representative of reality.
, He put it to our own judgement;
For had God commanded virginity,
Then he had damned marriage with that act [procreation]16.
And surely, if there were no seed to sow,
Virginity, then from where should it grow?
St Paul dared not command, at least,
A thing of which his master gave no bidding.17
The prize is set up for virginity:
Catch it he who may, let’s see who runs best.18
But this word is not taken by every person,
But only where God is pleased to give it through his divine power.19
I know well that the apostle was a virgin;
But nevertheless, through what he wrote and said
He wished20 that every person was such as he,
It’s nothing more than advice to virginity.
And to be a wife he gave me leave
Of indulgence; it is not a matter for reproach
To marry, if my husband dies,
Without being accused of bigamy.21
Although it’d be laudable no woman because to have intercourse with,-22
He meant as in his bed or in his bedroom;
For it is dangerous to bring fire and flax together:23
16
Procreation
17
They cannot command a contradiction to God (“go forth and multiply”)
18
Double meaning- you run so you can be caught (sexual transgression). The initial meaning is that
virginity is something that not all are good enough to “win” virginity.
19
God is the only, ultimate authority.
20
A wish, rather than a commandment
21
She has his permission to remarry (in her view). She is not to be blamed.
22
In accordance with the advice of St Paul, it is better for a man not to have intercourse with a
woman.
23
Passion- one lustful person can corrupt their partner and bring them to burn in damnation. However-
although it is dangerous, neither the fire nor flax can be condemned for following their nature. The fire
is the woman- a corrupting, seductive influence.
Square parenthesis ([...]) include additions to amend grammar and improve
clarity.
The Wife of Bath’s Prologue
Experience, although no authority
Was in this world [that would attest to it], is right enough for me
To speak of woe that is in marriage,
For, gentlemen, since I was twelve years of age,
Thanks be to God who is eternal in life,
Husbands at church door I have had five-
If so often I can have been considered married-
And all were worthy men in their degree.
But I was told, certainly, not long ago,
That since Christ never went but once
To wedding, in the Cane of Galilee,
That by the same example he taught me
That I should be wedded but once.
Listen as well, lo, what a sharp response immediately,
Beside a well, Jesus, God and man,
Spoke in scolding to the Samaritan:
“You have had five husbands”, said he,
“And that same man that has you [now]
Is not your husband”, this he said certainly.
What he meant by that, I can not say;
But that I ask, why the fifth man
Was not husband to the Samaritan?
,How many might she have in marriage?1
Yet I’ve never heard defined in my life
Of this proper number [of husbands].
Men may guess and pass comment, up and down,
But I was well accustomed, clearly, without lie,
God bade us to increase and multiply;
That gentile text I can well understand.
Also I know, he said my husband
Should forsake [his] father and mother, and take to me.
But he made no mention of number [of permitted husbands],
Of bigamy, or of octogamy2 [having eight spouses];
Why then should men speak of it as villainy?
Then, what, about the wise king, named Solomon3;
I promise he had more than one wife.
Would to God it were allowed for me
To be refreshed half as often as he!4
What a gift from God he had for all of his wives!5
No man alive of this world has such a gift.
God knows, this noble king, as I think,
The first night [he] had many a merry fit6
With each of them, such a blessed life he enjoyed.
And blessed by God that I have wedded five!
Welcome the sixth, whenever he happens to show.
1
Her questioning attacks the arguments of the men. She hopes to convince the pilgrims of her
innocence, to believe that her reality is no less righteous than that of the clerics.
2
Refers to the OT- why is it condemned as villainy if holymen do it?
3
Biblical exemplum- she questions why she cannot be like Solomon, spreading God’s gifts with her
sexual prowess.
4
Innuendo- biblical hypocrisy through euphemism.
5
However, the Wife is poorly informed- Solomon rejected his wives when he turned to God. However,
many of the pilgrims could not read, and the Wife’s mistake may go unnoticed.
6
Euphemism for orgasm- she has a lecherous style. She makes them laugh to gain the audience’s
approval. She has a performative aspect to her character.
,For truthfully, I do not wish to remain chaste at all.7
When my husband is gone from the world,
Some Christian man shall marry me shortly,
For then, the apostle8 sees that I am free
To marry, in God’s name, wherever it pleases me.
He sees that to be married is no sin;
Better to be married than to burn [lust].9
What does it matter to me, that folk are scandalised
By wicked Lameth, and his bigamy?
I know well that Abraham was a holy man,10
And Jacob as well, as much as I can;11
And each of them had more than two wives,
And many other holymen also.
Where can you say, in any time in history,
That high God defended marriage
By clear word? I pray you, tell me.
Or where did he command virginity?12
I know as well as you, there are no two ways about it,13
The apostle, when he speaks of maidenhood,
He said that he had no divine precept of it [his speech].14
Men may council a woman to remain virginal,
But council is no commandment.15
7
Boldness
8
Paul- he suggests celibacy is the best, but marriage is better than sexual transgressions outside of
marriage. (Link to 47 and 83). She is “free to wed”.
9
Either in hell or with desire. However, marriage needn’t quench lust.
10
Further biblical exemplum
11
Extended list of biblical figures
12
Moves from the concept of marriage to the concept of virginity. Thoughts on the “Wife of Bath”-
strong-willed, and independent, denying the need for men. If women were to speak at all, they would
have to preserve their reputation for marriage. Her persuasive use of rhetorical questions. She directly
addresses her listeners.
13
There is no explicit mention of the wife commiting adultery
14
Paul spoke of his own beliefs of morality, and admitted he had no command for God (another
example of experience being more important)
15
Men can attempt to use their authority and advise what they like, but they lack the actual power to
control her wonton existence. They cannot enforce this authority upon her experience. Paul’s image of
the ideal woman in the holy virgin, and the wife condemns this for its impracticality. Men’s opinions are
not representative of reality.
, He put it to our own judgement;
For had God commanded virginity,
Then he had damned marriage with that act [procreation]16.
And surely, if there were no seed to sow,
Virginity, then from where should it grow?
St Paul dared not command, at least,
A thing of which his master gave no bidding.17
The prize is set up for virginity:
Catch it he who may, let’s see who runs best.18
But this word is not taken by every person,
But only where God is pleased to give it through his divine power.19
I know well that the apostle was a virgin;
But nevertheless, through what he wrote and said
He wished20 that every person was such as he,
It’s nothing more than advice to virginity.
And to be a wife he gave me leave
Of indulgence; it is not a matter for reproach
To marry, if my husband dies,
Without being accused of bigamy.21
Although it’d be laudable no woman because to have intercourse with,-22
He meant as in his bed or in his bedroom;
For it is dangerous to bring fire and flax together:23
16
Procreation
17
They cannot command a contradiction to God (“go forth and multiply”)
18
Double meaning- you run so you can be caught (sexual transgression). The initial meaning is that
virginity is something that not all are good enough to “win” virginity.
19
God is the only, ultimate authority.
20
A wish, rather than a commandment
21
She has his permission to remarry (in her view). She is not to be blamed.
22
In accordance with the advice of St Paul, it is better for a man not to have intercourse with a
woman.
23
Passion- one lustful person can corrupt their partner and bring them to burn in damnation. However-
although it is dangerous, neither the fire nor flax can be condemned for following their nature. The fire
is the woman- a corrupting, seductive influence.
