So basically what the Wife's tale says about her is that she herself wants to control her husbands, which is pretty self-explanatory because that's what she does. When the knight first sets out and asks women what they most desire in a man, however, they all say a lot of different things. I don't think that all women only want to control their man in life, at least I hope not. In the time The Canterbury Tales were written, maybe, deep down, but all of those women the knight first went to chose to answer with something else other than power over their husbands.
What the Wife is saying, which reflects more about her character and the time in which The Canterbury Tales were written, is that not all women want to control their husbands; she's saying that all women should control their husbands.
The Wife of Bath is an awesome character, especially set against the misogyny of the time in which the Canterbury Tales were written. She is in full control of her power over the men of the time. But, in the end of the story, the rapist knight is rewarded with a beautiful wife simply because he let her choose for herself whether she wanted to be ugly and loving or beautiful and unfaithful; and however great their relationship turns out, the wife still remains obedient to her husband. Personally, I had this feeling that the knight didn't learn anything, and let his wife choose for herself simply because he knew then that that was what she wanted to hear. It makes you wonder why the Wife chose to end the story this way, the knight seeming to prevail and all. Sure, maybe the knight learned something, but he's still a piece of crap. The Wife's praying to Jesus in the end solidifies the message she's trying to send, but why would the story she tells end with the knight, who's by all rights a scumbag, married to a beautiful, obedient wife? That was the part of the Wife's tale that I didn't understand and didn't really sit right with me. So yeahh. Leave comments and stuff if you have any idea why the rapist knight gets to have a happy ending.
I'm not sure on how seriously rape might have been taken in that time period normally. After all, after the incident the maiden is never mentioned in the story again. Even if the knight was just saying what the wife wanted to hear, I think that just admitting and pledging subservience to her may have been enough to get him what he wanted, just because that would have been much more big of a deal for a man to do something like that back then.
ReplyDeleteI really would be interested to find out how serious of a crime rape was when Chaucer was writing. My instincts tell me it would have been still serious but I don't have any historical evidence to back that up.
ReplyDeleteI love that someone else didn't understand why the knight got to have a happy ending. It seemed quite counterproductive to have the wife, who is supposed to be this extremely strong minded character, make her story end in that fashion. The knight should have gotten absolutely nothing in the end
ReplyDeleteSo I already posted this in response to Taylor's blog, but I actually feel like this addresses the issues you take up here in your own post. With that said, I am going to repost this in explanation of the way I react to the concerns you've brought up that most of us share in regards to the way the Knight sort of gets off rather easily at the end of the "Wife of Bath's Tale:"
ReplyDeleteObviously I will not argue that the Knight's fate is deservedly brought upon himself by his reprehensible treatment of the maiden. Rape simply cannot by justified and there should be repercussions. So know that I am in no way defending the Knight or his actions. I hold him in disdain just as you and most of us women do. But I believe there is more to the mission he was given by the Queen.
By sending the Knight out to determine what a woman most wants, the Queen, I would argue, discreetly does several things. For one thing, it forces the knight to view women as being more human - - - beings with thoughts, feelings, opinions, etc. In the patriarchal environment of this time, that was something women were not given credit for having. They were objectified as property, as reproductive tools and means of pleasure for their male counterparts. By sending the Knight out to determine what makes a woman "tick" so to speak, the knight is forced to reckon with the essence of humanity in existence in a woman, because he clearly has not done so up to this point - which is clearly displayed by his raping the maiden, thereby lowering and degrading her to a status of something for him to "use."
In addition, it opens up an opportunity for him to attempt to reprieve himself. Death is closure. In death, one cannot learn a lesson. While the victim might feel they have attained a status of vengeance for the harm done to them, the wrongdoer does not get to make amends or become a better person. Therefore, I would argue that, in fact, the Knight was graced with the resources to transcend and become a better human being.
While, we might all agree he does not deserve a beautiful wife, I believe that the transformed old hag illustrates self-sacrificing marital love - a love that the Knight needs to experience and learn to exhibit for others. By raping a woman, the Knight exhibits a selfish lust that seeks self-fulfillment and pleasure, which is inherently the opposite sentiments that are essential to marriage as it is meant to be. Therefore, by the Knight's handing over the decision of her appearance to his spouse, he is empowering her as a woman. He has come to realize her humanity and values her sense of self-worth. Furthermore, by her transforming herself into the kind of woman he desires, she is demonstrating a love that he can learn to emulate - the lesson that the story begs for him to learn.
In regards to a woman's desire to control their husbands, I don't think it is as much that wives "want to" or "should" control their husbands, but rather women should have more control. . . period - over their lives, their person, their societal role, etc. etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe the knight should get a happy ending. I think he is a terrible person, who had a brief moment of reflection where he decided he wasn't being nice. Other than moment, he did nothing that would make me believe he deserved to be spared. He raped a women, got punished, and then was terrible to his new wife who saved his life, so he didn't even learn from the experience. I felt like he just moved through the motion, so I feel pretty strongly that he does not deserve a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, I think the woman becoming beautiful is symbolic. As he offered himself to his wife, she gives him what he wants, a beautiful wife. I think it's representative of a partnership. They gave each other what they each needed as we try to do in equal relationships. So while I believe that he does not deserve anything good, the end represents their marriage to me.