Wife Of Bath's Fifth Husband Essay
In the Wife of Bath’s prologue, she details her past and former five husbands. She did not wed any but one for love, and that they had all passed away. The first three were “good”; they were submissive older men.
She attempts at justifying promiscuity with biblical verses. The Lord gave us reproductive organs for a reason, and though with chastity may be preferred, it must be left to the perfect so that the imperfect may be fruitful and create more virgins.
She based the argument of why marriage of many is not a sin; one can interpret in many ways what Jesus told a woman about her fifth husband, being that “her fifth husband was not her husband.” She believes that we are made to marry freely as men with concubines did and that men should be …show more content…
She attempted to string him with jealousy and desire. He died however, when she was on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Her fifth was married for love, half her age; he was a cleric at Oxford, but had dropped out. He was coy in bed, which drew her back though he he abused her and was obsessed with terrible wives through history. During an argument, he struck her on the side of the head, leading to her deafness. The Friar interjects, however Harry Bailey allows her to begin her tale.
In King Arthur’s time, a knight rapes a courtly woman. Instead of being beheaded, the court ladies beg to spare him. His punishment is put to the queen, who tells him that he must find what all women desire in one year or face death. Many women say riches, or love, but nobody agrees. At the end of his journey, he finds an old hag formed from a fairy circle. This old hag tells him the truth, but only if he agrees to do as she wishes. The wish is for all women to control their husbands. This is correct, but the knight must marry the old …show more content…
The Wife of Bath attempts to sound intelligent, using multiple verses of the Bible and the stories of great rulers in biblical times such as Solomon and his many wives; however, in medieval times, taking multiple wives was a sin according to Catholicism. The only ones who were considered “OK” to take even mistresses were men of high rank, who had a duty to produce many heirs, especially
She attempts at justifying promiscuity with biblical verses. The Lord gave us reproductive organs for a reason, and though with chastity may be preferred, it must be left to the perfect so that the imperfect may be fruitful and create more virgins.
She based the argument of why marriage of many is not a sin; one can interpret in many ways what Jesus told a woman about her fifth husband, being that “her fifth husband was not her husband.” She believes that we are made to marry freely as men with concubines did and that men should be …show more content…
She attempted to string him with jealousy and desire. He died however, when she was on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Her fifth was married for love, half her age; he was a cleric at Oxford, but had dropped out. He was coy in bed, which drew her back though he he abused her and was obsessed with terrible wives through history. During an argument, he struck her on the side of the head, leading to her deafness. The Friar interjects, however Harry Bailey allows her to begin her tale.
In King Arthur’s time, a knight rapes a courtly woman. Instead of being beheaded, the court ladies beg to spare him. His punishment is put to the queen, who tells him that he must find what all women desire in one year or face death. Many women say riches, or love, but nobody agrees. At the end of his journey, he finds an old hag formed from a fairy circle. This old hag tells him the truth, but only if he agrees to do as she wishes. The wish is for all women to control their husbands. This is correct, but the knight must marry the old …show more content…
The Wife of Bath attempts to sound intelligent, using multiple verses of the Bible and the stories of great rulers in biblical times such as Solomon and his many wives; however, in medieval times, taking multiple wives was a sin according to Catholicism. The only ones who were considered “OK” to take even mistresses were men of high rank, who had a duty to produce many heirs, especially