“I have a wyf, the worste that may be,” says the merchant in his prologue of Chaucer’s
Canterbury Tales (E.1218). However, in the beginning of the Franklin’s Tale, the
narrating voice speaks of “the joye, the ese, and the prosperitee / That is bitwixe an
housbonde and his wyf” (F.804-05). This example shows how little unanimity there is
among the characters of the Canterbury Tales when it comes to marriage, be they the
pilgrims or be they the characters within the pilgrims’ tales. The aim of the present
paper is to show the various ways in which Chaucer represents marriage in the
Canterbury Tales. I will refer to The Miller’s Prologue and Tale, The Wife of Bath’s
Prologue and Tale, The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale and to The Franklin’s Tale. The
first three chosen tales show marriage in a deformed shape, as a relationship over which
predominance of one sex over the other and / or a strong economic interest are hovering
and lead to unpleasant incidences. The fourth tale depicts wedlock as an ideal kind of
marriage, a state of mutual connectedness in which values like patience, fidelity,
generosity and nobility can be explored (lecture). I will support those claims with an
analysis of the tales taken each by its own. I will also examine them as interrelated
elements of what is considered a “marriage debate” (Hussey 135). According to this
theory, the Franklin’s Tale is seen as the solution and final element of a debate which
begins with the Wife of Bath and runs through The Clerk’s Tale and The Merchant’s
Tale.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 The representation of marriage in The Miller’s Tale, The Wife of Bath’s Tale, The Merchant’s Tale and The Franklin’s Tale
2.1 The Miller’s Prologue and Tale – Marriage as male mastery
2.2 The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale – Marriage as female mastery and commerce
2.3 The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale – Marriage as male mastery, commerce and legitimisation of lust
2.4 The Franklin’s Tale – Love and “gentillesse”
3 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines how Geoffrey Chaucer portrays the concept of marriage throughout selected narratives in The Canterbury Tales, exploring the underlying tensions between gender dynamics, economic interests, and ideals of mutual devotion. The study aims to map a developmental "marriage debate" across these tales to identify whether a harmonious model of union is proposed.
- The representation of marriage as a power struggle (mastery) between spouses.
- The influence of economic transactions and social commerce on wedlock.
- The role of jealousy and age differences in destabilizing marital relationships.
- The concept of "gentillesse" and mutual respect as a resolution to marital conflict.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 The Miller’s Prologue and Tale – Marriage as male mastery
The Knight’s Tale, which precedes The Miller’s Tale, focuses - according to the genre of courtly romance - on the conquest of a woman and not on the actual togetherness. The Miller’s Tale, a fabliau, is the first tale to depict the life of a married couple. The objects of scrutiny are the carpenter John and his “yonge” and “fair” wife Alison (A.3233). It is already in the prologue that the reader gets to know one of the most detrimental of John’s characteristic traits: “An housbonde shal nat been inquisityf / Of Goddes pryvetee, nor of his wyf” (A.3163-64). In addition to his “possessiveness” and jealousy, the carpenter is described as old, which “is enough to label him as the typical senex amans [old man in love]” (Hussey 140).
As Alison is not only endowed with (dangerous) beauty but also with a lively nature (A.3257) that promises to make bad use of itself, the initial situation for the fabliau is set. John loves her more than his life (A.3221-22), yet it is this negative surplus of love called jealousy which finally triggers Alison’s decision to betray him with the clerk Nicholas: “Myn housbonde is so ful of jalousie / That but ye wayte wel and been privee, / I woot right wel I nam but deed” (A.3294-96). In addition, her surrender to Nicholas’ flatteries, and be they only spoken out of self-interest (Hussey 145), also suggests that her marriage does not yield what she might have hoped it would yield (A.3289). However, there is no hint that she actually loves Nicholas. It rather seems that to her, Nicholas is but a fellow conspirator who helps her to play a trick on John for revenge and who gives her physical pleasure.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter outlines the paper's aim to analyze the diverse representations of marriage in Chaucer's work, positioning the selected tales within a broader "marriage debate."
2 The representation of marriage in The Miller’s Tale, The Wife of Bath’s Tale, The Merchant’s Tale and The Franklin’s Tale: This section provides an analytical deep dive into four specific tales to demonstrate how marriage is defined through mastery, commerce, and eventually, through ideal mutual respect.
2.1 The Miller’s Prologue and Tale – Marriage as male mastery: This section explores how John’s jealousy and the age gap in his marriage lead to a failed, loveless relationship and eventual infidelity.
2.2 The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale – Marriage as female mastery and commerce: This chapter examines the Wife of Bath's view of marriage as a bargaining tool for power and economic security, contrasting it with the reality of her relationships.
2.3 The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale – Marriage as male mastery, commerce and legitimisation of lust: This section analyzes the ironic tone of the Merchant, highlighting how marriage is used to justify male lust and enforce economic control.
2.4 The Franklin’s Tale – Love and “gentillesse”: This chapter discusses the Franklin’s Tale as a potential solution to the marriage debate, where renunciation of mastery and the presence of "gentillesse" create a successful, loving union.
3 Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes how Chaucer contrasts dysfunctional, mastery-driven marriages with the harmonious, trust-based model presented in The Franklin's Tale.
Keywords
Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, Marriage, Mastery, Gentillesse, The Miller's Tale, The Wife of Bath, The Merchant's Tale, The Franklin's Tale, Gender Roles, Medieval Literature, Courtly Love, Economic Transaction, Senex Amans, Fidelity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores how Geoffrey Chaucer represents marriage in The Canterbury Tales, specifically focusing on the varying dynamics of power, love, and economics in different tales.
Which tales are analyzed in the document?
The analysis covers The Miller’s Tale, The Wife of Bath’s Tale, The Merchant’s Tale, and The Franklin’s Tale.
What is the primary thesis regarding the "marriage debate"?
The paper argues that Chaucer presents a "marriage debate" where early tales illustrate dysfunctional relationships based on mastery and commerce, while The Franklin’s Tale serves as an ideal solution built on mutual respect and "gentillesse."
What methodology does the author use?
The author performs a textual analysis of the tales, utilizing scholarly perspectives from critics like Hussey, Wetherbee, and Kittredge to interpret the characters' motivations and the narrative irony.
How is the concept of "mastery" defined in the tales?
Mastery is depicted as the struggle for dominance, where husbands try to restrict their wives, or wives exert control to gain power or security, often leading to unhappy or unharmonious unions.
What significance do the keywords like "gentillesse" and "senex amans" hold?
"Gentillesse" represents the ideal of generosity and nobility that fosters a successful marriage, while "senex amans" describes the classic figure of the old man in love, whose jealousy often precipitates the downfall of his marriage.
Why does the author consider The Franklin's Tale the "solution" to the marriage debate?
The author argues that in The Franklin's Tale, Arveragus and Dorigen abandon the struggle for mastery in favor of open communication and trust, successfully resolving the conflict between love and marriage.
How does the Merchant’s Tale contribute to the overall discussion?
The Merchant's Tale acts as a cynical continuation of the debate, highlighting how marriage is often reduced to an economic transaction, which contrasts sharply with the ideal presented in the final tale studied.
- Quote paper
- Anne Thoma (Author), 2004, "I have a wyf, the worste that may be" - The representation of marriage in the Canterbury Tales, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/22562
