Table of Contents
What does the wife of Bath wear?
The Wife is dressed expensively in scarlet stockings and shoes of soft, new leather, and she has a penchant for fine, large headgear that Chaucer estimates weighs about ten pounds.
What color was the Wife of Bath’s clothes?
Rich and tasteful, the Wife’s clothes veer a bit toward extravagance: her face is wreathed in heavy cloth, her stockings are a fine scarlet color, and the leather on her shoes is soft, fresh, and brand new—all of which demonstrate how wealthy she has become.
Why do you think it’s important that all five of her marriages were at the church door?
Having already had five husbands “at the church door,” she has experience enough to make her an expert. She sees nothing wrong with having had five husbands and cannot understand Jesus’ rebuke to the woman at the well who also had five husbands. Instead, she prefers the biblical command to go forth and multiply.
At what age was the Wife of Bath first married?
twelve
Since her first marriage at the tender age of twelve, she has had five husbands. She says that many people have criticized her for her numerous marriages, most of them on the basis that Christ went only once to a wedding, at Cana in Galilee. The Wife of Bath has her own views of Scripture and God’s plan.
What was the age of Wife of Bath at the time of her fifth marriage?
He was only twenty and she forty, but she was always a lusty woman and thought she could handle his youth.
Why was the Wife of Bath’s so angry with her 4th husband?
Near the end of her Prologue, the Wife announces that she will speak about her fourth husband. Husband #4 had a lover in addition to the Wife. To punish him for this, the Wife convinced him that she, too, was cheating. Husband #4 was so consumed by jealousy that it was his purgatory on earth.
What did the wife of bath wear on her head?
The clothing of the Wife of Bath is decorative to the point of being ostentatious. She is a skilled sewer, and obviously enjoys showing off: Which, of a Sunday, she wore on her head. Close gartered, and her shoes were soft and new. Bold was her face, and fair, and red of hue. She used the best fabrics and used a lot of those fabrics.
Why does the wife of bath wear red clothing?
The red clothing that the Wife of Bath wears signifies her lusty nature. An overemphasis on clothes and physical appearance usually indicates the hypocritical nature of that vain pilgrim. The The Canterbury Tales quotes below all refer to the symbol of Clothing and Appearance.
How does the wife of Bath support her position?
In her prologue, the Wife admirably supports her position by reference to all sort of scholarly learning, and when some source of authority disagrees with her point of view, she dismisses it and relies instead on her own experience.
What did the wife of Bath believe about virginity?
If everyone was supposed to be chaste, then there would be no people and hence, no seed for virginity to grow from. The Wife of Bath believes that everyone has a gift from God, and she thinks her sexuality is her gift. People are called to different works by God, and hers is her sexuality.