Geoffrey Chaucer\'s Tales of Marriage

Geoffrey Chaucer's Tales Of Marriage

The Wife

The Merchant

The Franklin

Geoffrey Chaucer's Tales of Marriage

Geoffrey Chaucer wrote the Canterbury Tales, which is a collection of stories told by a set of thirty pilgrims to Canterbury Cathedral, to the shrine of Thomas of Canterbury, martyred in 1170. Most of the tales deal with the question of the correct attitude toward marriage, love, sex, and the connections between them. In Chaucer's day, most people believed that it was a man's highest privilege to select a lady and lay his heart at her feet, viewing her smile as a sufficient reward for years of faithful service.

This paper discusses three of these tales, "The Wife of Bath," "The Merchant's Tale" and "The Franklin's Tale," to determine Chaucer's views on marriage. This paper argues that Franklin's Tale suggests what Chaucer thinks of as the ideal marriage.

The Wife

In the prologue of Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath," the wife starts her story by boasting of her vast experience in marriage (Classic Notes, 2004). Despite the fact that her actions go against Christian value, she proudly brags that she has been married five times. In her mind, she is simply following the Christian principle that states that she should "be fruitful and multiply." She discusses the story of King Solomon, who had multiple wives, and tells her audience that she warmly anticipates her sixth husband.

The Wife of Bath argues that Jesus never really laid down a law about virginity. Instead, she feels that we were given the parts for sex and thus should use them (Classic Notes, 2004). The Pardoner objects to her opinions on marriage, but she decides to describe each of her husbands anyway. In her opinion, three were good. All the good ones were kind, rich and old. She describes how she withheld sex from these husbands to get whatever riches she could from them. In her marriages to these men, she used guilt, temptation, jealousy and manipulation to get what she wanted.

Her fourth husband was young; he was a reveler and had a mistress, as well as a wife. He was a match for his wife, sharing many of her qualities, but he soon died. The fifth husband, Jankin, was the cruelest to her -- excellent in bed but otherwise violent and rude. He had once been a student at Oxford, and was a boarder of the Wife's best friend, Alison, while the Wife was still married to her fourth husband.

When her husband died, she married Jankin, who at the young age of twenty, was half her age. The Wife aimed to please Jankin, relinquishing everything she owned to him, but it was never enough. He was abusive to her, once even hitting her so hard on the ear that she lost her hearing. He did this simply because she tore a page from one of his books. Jankin frequently recited examples from Roman history and the Bible that indicated a wife should be submissive, and it was one of these passages that she ripped from the book.

In Chaucer's tale, the Wife argues that men who have no experience with women write the Bible's stories, so many of these stories degrade women (Classic Notes, 2004). She believed that the Bible would be much different if women had written it. After Jankin struck her, she looked dead, and he panicked. When she was revived, he felt so guilty that he ceded all authority in the marriage to her. From that moment on, she was kind to him, for he had finally given her what she truly wanted.

The Wife of Bath is one of the strongest characters in the Canterbury Tales (Classic Notes, 2004). Headstrong, loud and opinionated, she represents a major struggle against the degradation of women and the taboos against female sexuality. She presents many strong arguments against rigid religious rules for chastity and monogamy, using Biblical examples, such as the tale of King Solomon, to show that the Bible does not actually condemn sexuality, even outside of marriage.

The Wife of Bath argues that people who use religion to encourage submission in women are wrong (Classic Notes, 2004). She says that the reason for the bias against women in many Biblical stories is due to the lack of experience with women of those who write these stories.

While the Wife of Bath is a strong feminine heroine, she is not without her flaws (Classic Notes, 2004). She is extremely manipulative, using her sexuality against her husbands to get what she wants. This is something that feminists have been fighting for years. However, as the Wife boasts of her manipulative strategies, she indicates that they were a necessity, citing that her sexuality is the one thing that gives her dominance over her husbands. It soon become clear that she is in a desperate situation, as she is aging and losing her appearance. She uses her intense personality to hide the fact that, as an aging woman, she is in danger of losing her place in society.

The Wife of Bath uses a language of commerce in her story when referring to marriage (Classic Notes, 2004). While this often seems like a comparison of marriage and prostitution, it better refers to her idea of the marriage 'debt.' The Wife's manipulations can be seen as an economic strategy. She sees marriage for what it is and understands that she must protect herself and secure her future. She even seems to understand that her life has been filled with sins and that she may have built a poor reputation for herself. However, this quality of perception is most important for allowing her to realize what marriage truly means for her.

The theme of the Wife of Bath's Tale is not female equality in marriage, but rather the power struggles that exist between a husband and wife (Classic Notes, 2004). The Wife does not seek an equal partnership with a husband, but rather a situation in which she has control over her husband. She even goes so far as to suggest that it is only in a marriage where the wife has control over her husband that true happiness can exist.

When Jankin tried to control her and struck her down, she manipulated the situation, gaining control over him through guilt (Classic Notes, 2004). This manipulation led to her first truly happy marriage. Since she became the dominant partner in the marriage, she no longer saw it necessary to fight with her husband or withhold sexual favors from him. According to her, even her husband was happier with this arrangement.

The Merchant

In Chaucer's "The Merchant's Tale," the merchant claims that he knows nothing of long-suffering wives (Classic Notes, 2004). However, he says, if his wife were to marry the devil, she would overmatch even him. The Merchant claims that there is a major difference between Griselde's occasional obedience and his wife's more common cruelty. The Merchant has been married two months and has been miserable the entire time. The Host asks the Merchant to tell a tale of his awful wife.

According to Classic Notes (2004): "The prologues that link the various Canterbury Tales shift effortlessly from ponderous drama to light comedy. The lamentable tale of Griselde gives way to the Host's complaint about his shrewish wife. This prologue further illustrates how each of the characters informs the tale he tells. The travelers largely tell tales that conform to their personal experiences or attitudes, such as the Merchant, whose awful marriage is the occasion for his tale about a difficult wife. In most cases the influence of the narrator on his tale is apparent, but the authorial touch lightly felt. The Merchant's Tale, for example, gains little from the prologue's information that the Merchant is disenchanted with his own marriage. Only a few of these tales exist largely as extensions of the characters who tell them; the Wife of Bath's Tale is the most prominent of these stories."

When asked to tell as tale of his awful wife, the Merchant tells a tale of a wealthy knight named January from Lombardy who was unmarried (Classic Notes, 2004). However, eventually, at the age of sixty, he decided to get married for the first time. He searched for potential wives, convinced that marriage would equate to paradise on Earth.

And certainly, as sure as God is King,

To take a wife, it is a glorious thing,

Especially when a man is old and hoary;

Then is a wife the fruit of wealth and glory.

Then should he take a young wife and a fair,

On whom he may beget himself an heir (Chaucer, 2004)"

The knight's brother, Placebo, warned him not to be too hasty in his decision, describing the advice of the scholar Theophrastus, who advised men never to wed, for servants show more obedience and do not claim nearly as much. The knight argued against this statement, citing Biblical stories that state a man without a wife is doomed. The Bible, he argued, cites the creation of Eve for Adam as proof that a wife is man's support, as well as many other examples of humble and devoted wives.

The knight told his brother that he desired a young wife, who was no older than thirty, for she would be more pliable. Placebo cautioned that it takes great courage for an older man to marry a young woman (Classic Notes, 2004). He warned him that a young woman who married an older man may have ulterior motives, which the man would never know until he was married. Despite the fact Placebo has a wonderful wife, he understands what faults she has and advises January to be aware of who he marries.

The brothers argue about the merits of marriage, with Placebo predicting that January would not please his wife for more than three years, but Placebo eventually agrees to January's plan (Classic Notes, 2004). January finally selected a young and pretty wife, foolishly thinking that nobody would find fault with his choice. He spoke to Placebo and his friends about his choice, praising his future wife. January, however, expressed concern that a man who finds perfect happiness on earth as he would likely find with his wife would never find a similar happiness in heaven, for one must choose between one perfect happiness and another. Justinus countered this statement by arguing that it is more likely that married men will get to heaven than single men. He muses that marriage would more likely be January's purgatory.

January married May, his young bride, in a marvelous ceremony. On their wedding night January, consumed with lust, forced himself on her, justifying this act with their marriage (Classic Notes, 2004). Meanwhile, Damian, January's squire, became infatuated with May. He wrote a love letter to May, which he pinned in a silk purse next to his heart. One day Damian called in sick to work. May and January went to visit Damian, and during this visit Damian gave May the purse with his love letter. She read it and then destroyed the evidence. May pitied Damian and sent him a letter in return.

Damian recovered the next day, and straightened up for May. January's house had a magnificent garden, which he loved so much that that only he was allowed to touch the key to it (Classic Notes, 2004). In the summer, he would take May there and have sex with her. January became increasingly possessive of his wife, causing Damian great grief. May made a copy of the key to the garden in warm wax and gave it to Damian. January entered the garden looking for May, when Damian covertly entered. Damian hid in a tree.

At this time, Pluto, the king of fairies, and Queen Proserpina were walking in January's garden, discussing the injustices that women do to men, saying that while one man in a thousand is good, no woman is worthy (Classic Notes, 2004). He uses Damian, May and January as an example. Damian stayed hidden in the tree, while January had sex with May. May the said that she was hungry and wanted a pear. Since January was blind and could not climb the tree, he hoisted her up so that she could climb to where Damian was hiding. While she was there, she and Damian had sex.

At this point Pluto stumbled upon them and witnessed this injustice. He restored January's sight immediately. Trying to deny what had happened, May argued that he must still be blind, for if he truly had sight he would never had seen her having sex with Damian. Foolishly January believed her.

Although the Merchant prepares his audience for a story of a villainous wife, he instead starts by discussing the pros and cons of marriage (Classic Notes, 2004). The debate between January and Placebo frames the comical sex farce that leads to a more serious look at marriage. The beginning passages of the tale can be seen as a warning against marriage.

When the old knight decides to take a wife, he is already sixty and near senility. His wish to marry comes more from a realization of his own mortality than any love for a wife. This is supported by the fact that he chooses to get married before he finds someone to marry.

In addition, January holds ridiculous expectations for his wife (Classic Notes, 2004). He expects to marry a young and beautiful woman who will love him and care for him, not expecting any drawbacks to this arrangement He is so foolish that he convinces himself that he will be so happy that he may ruin his chances for heaven. In this light, the Merchant dooms the marriage of January and May from the start.

According to Classic Notes (2004): "Proserpina and Pluto discuss the virtues of men and women in marriage, coming to the conclusion that few men are commendable, but absolutely no women are worthy. Their intervention in the situation gives divine sanction to the condemnation of women, purposely giving January his sight so that he can condemn his wife (although in a mordant twist, January can literally not believe his eyes)."

The Franklin

In the prologue to "The Frankin's Tale," Franklin praises the Squire for his eloquence, despite his youth (Classic Notes, 2004). He tells the Squire that he is better than most people and that he wishes that his own son were as commendable as the Squire. The Host asks Franklin to tell the next tale. The Franklin starts his tale with an apology in advance for his poor speech and lack of education.

The Franklin's Tale starts with the courtship of the Breton knight Arviragus and Dorigen, who are soon married happily (Classic Notes, 2004). Their marriage is based on equality, and neither of the two is dominant or submissive. However, shortly after their marriage, Arviragus is sent away to Britain to work for two years.

Dorigen misses him terribly, despite the letters that he writes to her (Classic Notes, 2004). Her friends frequently take her for walks, where they pass the cliffs overlooking the ocean and watch ships enter the port, hoping that one of them would carry her husband home to her. However, the rocks that sit near the shore distress her. She obsesses over the danger of these rocks, afraid that her husband's ship would crash on these rocks and sink.

Dorigen's friends also invite her to their garden parties, in which singers and squires are invited to dance (Classic Notes, 2004). One of the squires, Aurelius, confesses that he has been in love with her ever since she first came to Brittany. She agrees to be his lover if he can find a way to clear the rocks that endanger the incoming ships. Aurelius becomes distressed at this request, thinking that such a task is impossible. His brother suggests that Aurelius consult a student of law at Orleans who studied sciences of illusion.

Aurelius goes to Orleans to meet this student, who charges him one thousand pounds to remove all of the rocks from the shore off of Brittany (Classic Notes, 2004). The student consults his tables and creates a plan to make the rocks disappear for a week. When Dorigen hears what he has done, she is overcome with grief, realizing that she must forfeit either her body or her reputation. She recalls countless times in which a faithful wife destroyed herself rather than submitting herself to another man.

My life than of my body come to shame,

or know myself untrue, or lose my name;

By death I know it well, I may be freed;

Has there not many a noble wife, indeed,

And many a maiden slain herself- alas!-

Rather than with her body do trespass? (Chaucer, 2004)"

When Arviragus comes home, Dorigen tells him the truth of what she has done (Classic Notes, 2004). He tells her that he will bear the shame of her actions, and that keeping her promise is the most important thing. He then sends her to submit to Aurelius. When Aurelius learns how well Arviragus accepted his wife's promise, Aurelius decides to excuse her from her promise, bragging that a squire is as honorable as a knight. Aurelius then goes to pay the law student, who forgives Aurelius' debt, proving himself honorable. The tale ends with this question: who was the most generous? Is it Arviragus, Aurelius, or the student?

The Franklin's Tale is one of Chaucer's few examples of a functional marriage (Classic Notes, 2004). There is no major difficulty in the marriage between Dorigen and Arviragus. The only problems that their marriage faces are external to the couple, and the problem that drives the plot of this story is rooted in the deep love and concern that Dorigen feels for Arviragus.

The relative idealization of the marriage extends to the sense goodwill that the Franklin demonstrates in each of his characters (Classic Notes, 2004). Arviragus and Dorigen are both strong and good characters. Dorigen's biggest fault is her dramatic nature, which is first seen in her display of sorrow when her husband leaves.

For all his absence wept she and she sighed,

As noble wives do at a lone fireside.

She mourned, watched, wailed, she fasted and complained;

Desire for him so bound her and constrained (Chaucer, 2004)"

Arviragus is noble and generous, treating his wife as an equal. Even Aurelius is a good man. He does not force his way into the marriage; he is honest about his love for Dorigen, but never pressures her.

Arviragus and Dorigen his wife

In sovereign happiness led forth their life.

Never did any anger come between;

He cherished her as if she were a queen;

And she to him was true for evermore (Chaucer, 2004)."

Dorigen makes a promise to be Aurelius' lover, but her promise is intended to ensure her husband's safety (Classic Notes, 2004). She promises to risk her marriage by submitting to an affair if Aurelius helps her keep her marriage safe. Dorigen's promise, in this light, is an innocent one. She promises to sacrifice her honor in exchange for her husband's safety. Thus, she is showing a commitment to the marriage, even in this case.

Discussion and Conclusion

The Wife of Bath introduces herself as the authority on marriage and marital life. She comments on the social and legal position of women in marriage and daily life. She claims she has her knowledge from experience, not from scriptural authority. Rather than rejecting scriptural authority, she appeals to logic, rejecting too strict interpretations of scriptural rules and commandments.

Although it seems that the Wife is trying to assert female dominance over men, what she really wants is to bring men and women to a more balanced level of power (Blake, 1993). She believes that this can only be done when the woman has most of the power.

The Wife cites many examples of how her society currently treats women unfairly. She believes that double standards for women and men are too common and are deeply rooted in society. In her opinion, the teachings of Christ tell her, "That by the same ensample taughte he me / That I ne sholde wedded be but ones" (Norton, 1993, p. 117, ll. 12-13). She believes, however, that many holy men have had more than one wife and states:

woot wel Abraham was an holy man,

And Jacob eek, as fer as evere I can,

And eech of hem hadde wives mo than two,

And many another holy man also. (p. 118, ll. 61-64)"

Therefore, she confronts and dispels the justification for society looking down on women who have been married more than once. She shows that they are comparable in morals to men who have been married many times.

The Wife's experiences with her five husbands are all apparent in the witty tale she tells (Blake, 1993). She starts her tale by showing her audience that, even under the rule of King Arthur and his chivalrous knights, women are at the mercy of men. She does so by having the knight rape a young maid. Immediately, she weaves in her philosophy by showing that the queen could convince the king to leave the knight's life in her hands. In addition, the task given the knight by the queen, to find out "What thing it is that women most desiren" (p. 136, l. 911), is important because, in society, little attention is paid to what women want. This part of the story intends to shift the focus of the story on women's need's rather than men's.

The relationship that develops between the knight and the hag shows the Wife's intention of showing that submission to the desires and needs of women does not result in her domination of men (Blake, 1993). Her main point is that it actually results in two people who are happy and secure in their love for one another and respectful of one another's power. The knight says in the end that he cannot choose between having his wife ugly and trustworthy or beautiful and lecherous. He gives her the power to decide for the two of them what they should do:

My lady and my love, and wif so dere, putte me in you're wise governaunce:

Cheseth yourself which may be most plisaunce

And most honor to you and me also." (Norton, 1993, p. 143, ll. 1236-39)"

With this relinquishing of power to the queen, the Wife shows how the knight gains both choices and they become happy together:

For by my trouthe, I wol be to you bothe

This is to sayn, ye bothe fair and good..." (Norton, 1993, p.143, ll. 1246-47)

And she obeyed him in every thing

That might do him pleasance or liking

And thus they live unto hir lives ende

In parfit joye. (p. 144, ll.1261-64)"

According to Blake (1993): "After the men in her accounts have succumbed to the powers of the women, the power-pendulum comes to a rest in the middle. The wife explains that she and her husband no longer fought and that they lived in peace until he passed on. The knight, by letting down his guard to the hag, also gains wedded bliss. Of course the wife has to explain the circumstances which make the world unfair for women. This makes her case for equality even more convincing to anyone who appreciates fairness. Nevertheless, the ultimate goal for her is not merely to engage in man bashing. Therefore, writing off the wife as merely bombastic, lewd and domineering is only skimming the surface of her obviously deeper mental waters. Underneath the rhetoric and clever reasoning is a more sensitive person who understands the value of balancing the power in relationships."

While the Wife's position of marriage was flawed, it was not as awful as the Merchant's. Considering that the Merchant chose to tell this tale in the first place is no accident. His tale can be read in terms of what the Merchant tells the audience about his own experience with marriage. He says that he has had an extremely unhappy marriage.