Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales demonstrate many different attitudes toward and perceptions of marriage. Some of these ideas are more liberal thought such as the marriages portrayed in the Wife of Bath, the Clerk’s and Merchant’s Tales. Then there are those tales that are very traditional, such as that discussed in the Franklin’s and the Squire’s tales. And lastly there is a tales of that of the Friar and the Summoner which aren’t really involved with marriage but are in the middle of the marriage group to show the fighting between two men and to prove the Wife of bath right.
While several of these tales are rather comical, they do indeed give us a representation of the attitudes toward marriage at that time in history. Marriage in Chaucer’s time meant a union between spirit and flesh and was thus part of the marriage between Christ and the Church. The Canterbury Tales show many abuses of this sacred bond and different views on how a marriage should work. The Wife of Bath’s tale, in which she says that one spouse, preferably the wife, must have mastery over the other. The Wife of Bath obviously has a rather carefree attitude toward marriage.
She knows that the woes of marriage are not inflicted upon women; rather, women inflict these woes upon their husbands. In setting forth her views of marriage, however, she actually proves that the opposite is true. “Experience, though noon auctoritee Were in this world, is right ynough for me To speke of wo that is in mariage… ” (Chaucer 105). The Wife of Bath, in her Prologue, proves to her own satisfaction that the Miller’s perception of marriage is correct, and then declares that it is indeed acceptable for a woman to marry more than once.
She claims that chastity is not necessary for a successful marriage and that virginity is never even mentioned in the Bible. Wher can ye seye in any manere age That hye God defended mariage By expres word? I praye yow, telleth me. Or where comanded he virginitee? I woot as wel as ye, it is no drede, Th’apostl, whan he speketh of maydenhede, He seyde that precept therof hadde he noon: Men may conseille a womman to been oon, But conseillyng is no comandement.
He putte it in oure owen juggement. For hadde God comanded maydenhede Thanne hadde he dampned edding with the dede; And certes, if ther were no seed ysowe, Virginitee, thanne whereof sholde it growe? (Chaucer 106) She later asks where virginity would come from if no one gave up their virginity. Clearly, the Wife of Bath is largely an argument in defense of her multiple marriages than an attempt to prove her idea that if society was reorganized so that women’s dominance was recognized.
She depicts women as a commodity to be bought and used in marriage, one whose economic and religious task was to pay the debt in a society although she claims to have control over this process. For example, her first three husbands gave her economic security in exchange for the sexual use of her body. This degradation of sexual life in the culture is greatly evoked, and supported by the Church’s command to ‘pay the debt’. The Wife of Bath clearly rebels against male domination with regard to her first three husbands but still accepts the ways in which she survives economically.
Overall, marriage for the Wife of Bath is much more than sexual pleasure; it provides her with a vast sense of power in the exercise of her sovereignty. “That nogh wol be governed by hir wyves” (Chaucer 122). Through obstinacy, the Wife of Bath declares that a wife will achieve sovereignty in marriage, which is good for both wife and husband as a woman’s sovereignty provides for peace. She also sees women as objects and commodities to be purchased, which is probably why she has such a great lack of respect for marriage. The Friar’s and Summoner’s Tales come right in the middle of the marriage groups tales.
These two tales come right after the Wife of bath’s tale to connect them to the marriage group. Both of these tales connect in different ways to these tales and how the relate to the marriage group. The Friar’s Tale is connected to The Wife of Bath’s Tale in that the Wife discusses the problem of authority, that is, the husband or the wife, and the Friar deals with the relative authority in terms of the church and demons. “And somtyme be we servant unto man, As to the erchbisshop Seint Dunstan, And to the apostles servant eek was I” (Chaucer 125).
In The Wife of Bath’s Tale, authority is given over to a womana violation of medieval sense of hierarchy. The Friar continues the theme of authority by first describing the evil machinations of his superior, the archdeacon to whom the summoner is supposedly a vassal. Disposeth at youre hertes to withstonde this feend thatyow wolde make thrall and bonde. He may nat temper yow over youre might, For Christ wol be youre chamion and knight. And prayeth that thise somonours hem repente Of hir mysdedes, er that the feend hem hente” (Chaucer 128).
The summoner, in turn, has his own servants and spies in the form of whores and thieves. Likewise, the demon falls into a hierarchy in that he is assigned by a higher power the responsibility of capturing his prey, the soul of the summoner. Then in the episode of the farmer and his cart of hay, the reader learns that the authority of the demon is limited, just as that of that authority in a marriage, but that authority still has power over that one who has none. “That hadde almost as lief to lese hire nekke As for to yeve a peny of hir good”(Chaucer 127).
The Summoner’s tale follows that of the Friar mainly to get back at the Friar for saying what he has about the Summoner and to also show another aspect of marriage in a different way then just talking about a man and a woman. The Summoner’s tale relates to marriage in the fact that the Summoner talks about the lies and the adultery that happens in marriages. In the Summoner’s tale Thomas wife has an affair with a friar, who is suppose to be good and holy. This is also to get back at the friar for the story that he told about the Summoner.
The Summoner shows these lies that are told by the Friar to get the wife to sleep with him. This is how they show the deceitfulness that happens between people especially between a man and women when they are not faithful. So didde oure sexteyn and oure fermerer, That han been trewe freres fifty yeer; They may now – God be thanked of his loone” (Chaucer 131). The Summoner’s tale teaches the reader something elae that should be learned form the mistakes from others, and is told to teach about what he thinks of marriage.
The Clerk’s tale is next and however it has more liberal views like that of the Wife of Bath it is very different in the thoughts and ways that things should go in a marriage. The Clerk’s Tale is told as a result of the Wife of Bath’s story about women who desire sovereignty over their husbands. Thus the Clerk tells a story with the opposite view: that of a woman who is completely submissive to her husband, never loses her patience, and remains steadfast through all adversities. “And here I swere that nevere willingly, In werk ne thogh, I nyl yow disobeye, For to be deed.
Though me were looth to deyue” (Chaucer 142). The Clerk’s Tale treats a large range of loosely feudal interrelationships, both on a social and private level. Initially, the central focus is on the lord, Walter, who consents to marry at the desire of his people, a sign of a good ruler is one who is concerned for the happiness of his subjects. He breaks with the strict traditions of his time and chooses a peasant girl for his bride, thus violating the social distinctions. He then violates humane standards by cruelly and needlessly testing his wife to prove her worthiness.
What interests the Clerk as he tells his story of patient Griselda, judging from his asides to the pilgrims, is the contrast between Griselda’s almost superhuman and determined patience contrasted with Walter’s insufferable tests and his sad deficiency in that virtue of patience. The main thought that goes against the Wife of Bath is that of envoy. Here Envoy carries the meanings: that, it is a term used to infer subtlety and authority; thus, Chaucer here instructs the husband to in force this and for the wife to obey showing this as proper marriage behavior.
This is yough Grisilde myn. Quod he. And forth he gooth with a ful sobre cheere Out at the dire, and after that came she, And to the peple he seyde in this manere: this is my wyf” (Chaucer 142). The Merchant views on marriage are not the ones that we would normally think of. He tells a story that ends up backing up what that of the Clerk has said. The Merchant has a cynical and bitter view of marriage. This tale, it is instinctive to assume that the merchant is out rightly opposed to the marriage sacrament.
And certeinly, as sooth as God is kyng, To take a wyf it is a glorious thyng, And namely whan a man is oold and hoor; Thanne is a wyf the fruyt of his tresor. Thanne sholde he take a yong wyf and a feir, On which he myghte engendren hym and heir, And lede his lyf in joye and in solas” (Chaucer 154). None of the characters within this tale are portrayed as noble, and they seem to all commit significant sins that would deem them vulgar within society. For example, May is obviously deceitful and dishonest, but January is also rash and utilitarian in his thinking.
If marriage were portrayed in a manner that clearly showed it was a hindrance to one sex or the other, there would be a clear protagonist and antagonist. This is not so in the Merchant’s tale. The marriage between May and January also seems somewhat uncommon, due to the age difference and the classes of society involved. Certainly, a more common anecdote could be relayed if the Merchant’s true intent was to condemn the sacrament of marriage. Instead it seems more likely that this tale is accentuating the negative aspects of men and women. The woman in this story is plainly deceitful and full of lust and trickery.
She is portrayed in a negative light and is a hindrance to the man. In a similar manner, the man is portrayed negatively through his ignorance. January is rash and lacks that ability to perceive feminine cunning, most obviously demonstrated through his temporary blindness. The woman is able to use her cunning to convince the man that what his own eyes allow him to see is not true. This amazing feat seems to be a quality of women to which the Merchant is drawing attention.
Benyngnely to Januarie answerde, But first and forward she bigan to wepe. I have,” quod she, “a soule for to kepe As wel as ye, and also myn honour, And of my wyfhod thilke tendre flour, Which that I have assured in youre hond, Whan that the preest to yow my body bond; Wherfore I wole answere in this manere, By the leve of yow, my lord so deere: I prey to God that nevere dawe the ay That I ne sterve, as foule as womman may, If evere I do unto my kyn that shame, Or elles I empeyre so my name, That I be fals; and if I do that lak, Do strepe me and put me in a sak, And in the nexte ryver do me drenche. I am a gentil womman and no wenche (Chaucer 165).
This tale seems to be a warning to society to be aware of others motives as well as your own desires in marriage. Following the Merchant’s tale is the Squire’s Tale; this is where the thoughts of marriage take a different turn they go from liberal to more traditional way. The Squire talks about marriage in the way of romance and perfect relationships. This is somewhat naive of this young man. The Squire starts his story and is soon over whelmed with all the things that he wants to talk about on marriage and how the relationship should be for the husband and the wife.
The Squire has these wonderful notions of these unconditionally love for one another. “So didde oure sexteyn and oure fermerer, That han been trewe freres fifty yeer; They may now – God be thanked of his loone! Swich subtil lookyng and dissymulynges, For drede of jalouse mennes aperceyvynges? No man but Launcelot, and he is deed. Therfore I passe of al this lustiheed; I sey namoore, but in this jolynesse”(Chaucer 172). This story is soon so overwhelming that the Franklin decides to help out the Squire and try to say what he thinks they are both trying to say. The last in the marriage group is The Franklin’s tale.
This tale is thought to have been the thoughts of Chaucer and what he thought of marriage, but no one knows for sure. This tale is the most traditional to the way we and they value marriage. The Franklin’s tale is one of courtly love and gentillesse and the reader is asked after the tale to decide which of the three male characters has proved the most generous. The Franklin suggests a marriage of equality, a marriage where the laws of courtesy rule. The knight in the Franklin’s Tale promised his wife that he would never try to dominate her or show any form of jealousy, and at the same time he would obey any command she gave him.
Of his free wil he swoor hire as a knight That nevere in al his lif he day ne night Ne sholde upon hime take no maistrye Again hir wil, ne kithe hire jalousye, But hire obeye and folwe hir wil in al, As any lovere to his lady shal” (Chaucer) Arveragus’ and Dorigen’s love and respect for each other is apparent at many times throughout the course of the tale. The Franklin goes on to describe the blissful happiness between Arveragus and Dorigen and goes as far as to say that married couples share a happiness that someone who isn’t married couldn’t appreciate or measure.
Who koude telle, but he hadde wedded be, The joye, the ese, and the prosperitee That is bitwixe an housbonde and his wyf? ” (Chaucer). This couple’s happiness takes a turn for the worse when Dorigen makes a pledge of copulation to Aurelius in jest and Arveragus makes the noble decision to make Dorigen stand by her word. While one might say the knight was foolish not to fight for his beloved Dorigen, it can be argued that he knew the value of a promise and would go to great lengths to keep his word and honor; both of these views are appreciated by the Franklin.
However, in the end everything turns out for the best of all; which gives the impression that everything will work in marriage if you work with your partner. Though all of these stories Chaucer has shown the reader most of the aspects of different marriages. He has also shown how things should go in marriages depending on the situation that happens in our marriage. Chaucer tells these stories to teach others about marriage and how we should treat each other in these relationships.
