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The Complex Feminist Ideal in the Wife of Bath’s Prologue

(Erin Ross, 2017)

The Wife of Bath defies the stereotype that women are inferior to the men who surround

them. Alexandra Losonti, in her article “Discourse and Dominion in Chaucer’s Wife of Bath

Prologue,” argues “In the Middle Ages women were identified by their roles in life and society

as wives, widows, mothers or maidens and were portrayed in relation to a man or group of men”

(5). This identification is exemplified in the Wife of Bath’s title. She is most often referred to as

a wife, rather than by her name. This portrays the image that her status as a wife is more

important than her individuality as a person. Yet the Wife of Bath works to defy this standard in

which she is defined only by her association with men. Women of the Middle Ages were not

traditionally taught literature and proper speech. Yet the Wife of Bath’s lengthy prologue

prompts the Friar to comment, “So have I joye or blis, this is a long preamble of a tale!"

(Chaucer 321). Despite speaking to a primarily male audience, the Wife of Bath is able to

capture their attention for longer than any other speaker. “Medieval books of advice for women

recommended them not to speak much and not to laugh or joke” (Losonti 7). Nonetheless, the

Wife of Bath speaks with confidence and poise. She is not intimated by her male audience, or by

the notion that women should not be eloquent. She defies gender roles of women who are

submissive to the men that surround them and speak only when spoken to. In this sense, she is a

radical feminist.

The Wife of Bath is also considered a radical feminist due to her relationships with men and

her openness with sexuality that were inconceivable for the time period. The Wife of Bath speaks

freely of her sexual history, confidently announcing that she “Wol bistow the flour of al myn age
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in the actes and in fruit of mariage” (Chaucer 313). She is not ashamed to admit that she enjoys,

and will always enjoy regardless of her age, the sexual aspects of marriage. Sexuality in the

Middle Ages is one of countless qualities that was praised in men and condemned in women.

Losonti illustrates that “The Wife of Bath conversely snipes at the binary division, a female

whose forthright speech argues her frank sexuality” (11). The Wife of Bath consistently

demolishes gender stereotypes. She neglects the negative light in which men view women who

are open with their sexuality. She shows no regard for the status quo. The Wife of Bath views

herself not necessarily as a woman, but as any other member of society. Seeing no difference in

the lives of men and women, she speaks of sexuality in a way that was only socially acceptable

for men. Her sexuality also allows to her gain unprecedented power in her marriages. “She is

able to see that the route to power and sovereignty in marriage is through gaining control of her

husband’s property by ransoming her sexual favors” (Losonti 14). The Wife of Bath’s sexuality

is not at the mercy of her husbands, as it was for the majority of women in the Middle Ages.

Alternatively, she is aware of her desirability and uses it to her advantage. Unlike the typical

woman of the time period, the Wife of Bath is in control of her own sexuality. She is not

manipulated by men, but rather manipulates them. A unique feminist quality, the Wife of Bath

recognizes her own worth, and does not let her husbands belittle it. She questions, “Why sholde

men elles in hir bokes sette, that man shal yelde to his wyf hire dette?” (Chaucer 312). She

completely disagrees with the standard debt of marriage, in which a woman owes her sexuality to

her husband. As a strong feminist, the Wife of Bath does not believe that she owes anything to

her husband, and uses her sexuality only as she sees fitting for herself.

The Wife of Bath is often thought to be an ideal and radical feminist. Her knowledge and

education defy those of typical women of the Middle Ages. She rejects the notion of constantly
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looking to men for approval. Despite being condemned for it she is open with her sexuality. The

Wife of Bath is also acutely aware of her own desirability, and uses it to her advantage. She

thinks of herself as a valuable person, rather than a piece of her husband’s property. Yet Chaucer

also displays the Wife of Bath as an antifeminist character who conforms to negative female

stereotypes. She is often irrational in her manipulation of her husbands. At the end of her

prologue, she is extremely submissive to her fifth husband and loses all her power in the

relationship. By surrendering the qualities that once made her a resolute feminist, she becomes

an instrument for Chaucer to convey his misogynist views. This contradiction in her character

makes the Wife of Bath a complex interpretation of the feminist ideal.

Works Cited

Baumgardner, Rachel Ann. "I Alisoun, I Wife: Foucault’s Three Egos and the Wife of Bath’s

Prologue." N.p., 15 Jan. 2006. Web. 31 Oct. 2015.

Chaucer, Geoffrey. "The Wife of Bath's Prologue." Canterbury Tales. The Norton Anthology of

English Literature: The Major Authors. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. 8th ed. New York: Norton,

2006. 226-234.

Losonti, Alexandra. "Discourse and Dominion in Chaucer's Wife of Bath's Prologue." Journal for

Communication and Culture. N.p., Winter 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.