ENGLISH 45A Lecture 4: Chaucer Canterbury Tales Wife of Bath’s Prologue
Document Summary
English 45a lecture 4 canterbury tales wife of bath"s prologue. The clump of this tale doesn"t have connections made around it because chaucer is never finished. Wife is responding to some comment about marriage. Text not necessarily true but worthy of respect. Contrast wife makes of her lived experience versus abstract authoritative text. Not wife against traditional authority it"s more complicated that he makes it out to be. Wife referring to texts with anti-feminist traditions. Writers would try to persuade men to philosophy/wisdom. Part of this persuasion was to have men not get involved in marriages. Would characterize women with negative traits to further persuade. Argument also to persuade celibacy and monastic, religious life. Would do same to women to persuade them to monastic life. Wife of bath embodies the worst nightmare of the anti-feminist movement but is aware of it. There are moral commandments for all to follow. Then those communicate for those who desire a perfect life.