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The Wife of Bath's Prologue A-level revision notes (A* grade)
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PEARSON (PEARSON)
English Literature 2015
Unit 3 - Poetry (9ET0/)
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Wife of Bath’s Tale summary and analysis
Introduction
Lines 857-881
o Set in legendary time of ‘Kyng Arthour’ when country was ‘fulfild of faierie’.
Set ‘manie hundred years ago’ in King Arthur’s court- common technique with medieval writers as King
Arthur was popular legendary figure.
Arthurian fairy-tale- common trope of medieval Literature.
Facilitates W’s manipulation of her tale.
Criticism to society/church- at a careful distance- clever way of satirising society at a distance.
o Opens in more formal fairy tale-like discourse/courtly diction than naturalistic Prologue (conversational).
‘Once upon a time’ style- associated with children’s fairy stories.
o Medieval Courtly Romance genre- refers to popular courtly stories e.g. King Arthur.
Contrasts with abrupt conversational opening of prologue.
o Reference to ‘fairie’- draws attention to pagan society- suggesting more idyllic than Christian medieval society.
Blames religion for loss of romance in society
o C soon defies/undermines this- changes tone and mood early on by introducing ‘modern’ friars whose
Christianity W says drove fairies out.
‘lymytours and othere hooly freres’- W’s anti-clericalism surfaces as she launches attack on friars-
responsible for ridding land of fairies and guilty of luring under bushes to dishonour maidens.
Friars swore oaths of poverty, chastity and obedience to their religious order.
Wyclif- complained medieval church was increasingly materialistic.
Simile and listing ‘as thikke as motes in the sonne-beem/Blessynge halles, chambres, kichenes,
boures’- emphasises view of friars as invasive plague on society.
C uses W as vehicle through which to criticise church’s corruption.
o ‘incubus’ = malignant spirit believed to have sex with women as they sleep- highlights friars’ poor reputation
in this era.
W states friars seduce and dishonour women.
o Critique of 2 key male figures in society- friar and knight in quick succession highlights purpose of opening to
tale = discrediting men.
Nameless knight’s rape of innocent women therefore intended to be seen as common aspect of men.
Defying conventions and using as prism to criticise men.
o Wife’s purpose = to discredit men in general so the crime that follows seems a common aspect of male
behaviour.
Knight rapes young women
Lines 882-888
o ‘lusty batchelor’- can mean energetic/vigorous not just lascivious.
Knights not as idealised in late 14thC- more of a military figure.
o W describes way one of King Arthur’s knights rapes a young maiden.
Central event of tale and provides basis for all that follows.
Blunt terms ‘by verray force, he rafte hire maidenhead’.
C’s use of word ‘rafte’ derived from ‘reeve’- meant ‘to spoil’ property- shows how K views maiden
as piece of his property.
Rhythm stresses young women’s purity making emphasis placed on knight’s violent force all the
more shocking/immoral.
‘rafte’- connotations of criminal/sinful behav.
‘maidenhed’ = young, pure, virginity.
Would have been ruined socially- considered tainted, unclean and idyllic purity valued by society.
o A knightly romance- subverts conventions of genre as instead of honourable knight rescuing damsel in distress-
dishonourable knight is ‘rescued’ by foul old women.
Crime made more awful but fact its committed by one of King Arthur’s knights who were sworn to
protect the innocent.
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