The 15th Century Woman

Paper Summary:

When considering the presentation of Chaucer's "Wife of Bath" in his "Canterbury Tales", the intention of the author should be kept in mind. The paper shows that because Chaucer's character is illustrated in a humorous way, it can be assumed that historical accuracy was not the aim. Margery Kempe's autobiography, "The Book of Margery Kempe", is used in this paper to discuss the validity and accuracy of the portrayal of the Wife of Bath by Chaucer.

From the Paper:

"Thus, authority plays a dual role in the tale of the Wife of Bath. First, she is an authority on the subject of marriage, since she has been through it many times. Secondly, the Wife of Bath cites the woman as the proper authority in the marriage itself, if the marriage is to be a happy one. One could infer that her husbands didn't last because they were trying to be the sole authority in each separate marriage, although the Wife of Bath does concede that each of them were worthy in their own way."

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