Chaucer was heavily into numerology and astrology. Could this have an effect on why the Wife of Bath had 5 husbands? Could this new information make her trustworthy or less trustworthy?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3rd Quarter Blog Post 3
Step inside your mind and into the library of books you've read. Which one best represents the painting below and why? You must use a q...
Emily Beaupre
ReplyDeleteNovember 23, 2020
The Wife of Bath’s Tale is centered around a message about marriage. The Wife argues that she is an expert on marriage and tells the other characters through her tale that the thing wives desire the most is to have sovereignty over themselves or in others words have control. The fact that the Wife of Bath has 5 husbands could either make her a more trustworthy or non-trustworthy character depending on how you look at the information. At first glance, you wouldn’t think to trust marriage advice from someone who has been married 5 times as if she cannot keep a husband for herself, how could she offer an advice on having a successful marriage. Whether you want to deem her as trustworthy or not depends on if you characterize her as being honest or not. In the Prologue, the Wife of Bath is described as being an openly honest person but when you delve deeper into the definition of being honest you may not discern the wife as being so. In one sense, the Wife of Bath is not honest. She wears “hosen from scarlet red” to Church on Sunday, which is not appropriate clothing for church. Furthermore, the red suggests that she engages in sexual acts that are not approved by the church. In this way the Wife of Bath is not an honest, moral, Christian member of society.
However, the Wife of Bath is honest in the way that she does not tell lies. She openly states that she has been married 5 times, a fact she is very proud of although it a fact that is frowned up in society at the time. From this, one could argue that the Wife’s untrustworthiness is not apparent but rather is labeled onto her as her views go against society’s. The fact that the Wife of Bath has been married 5 times might make her even more trustworthy of a character as it has given her more experience and insight on marriage. In fact, some could argue that her being married 5 times does allow her to be an expert on marriage. The most important factor in deciding if the Wife is trustworthy or not is in her message itself. The Wife’s message is that women should have sovereignty and control and with that freedom, they will remain loyal. The fact that what women desire is sovereignty can be a trusted fact from the Wife as not only is she a woman in society, but she was able to effectively gain sovereignty and control over all 5 of her husbands, who she was happily married to. However, the Wife cannot be trusted in saying that with sovereignty, a woman will be loyal as she herself suggests that she was got with her 5th husband while still being married to her 4th showing that she has no loyalty even when she is obeyed.
Emily I think this is a really good response. I liked the part where you said that she was open about her marriages, which helps us to characterize her as confident, confident in her ability to be a marriage expert as she claims to be. I think this was implemented by Chaucer to show verbal irony.
Delete---- EVA HECHT
Thomas Stewart
ReplyDeleteThe Wife of Bath
I think astrology and numerology do have an effect on on why the Wife of Bath had 5 husbands because both ideologies directly relate to marriage. The Wife of Bath was known for wedding multiple men and holding multiple relationships. This would bring her to be seen as untrustworthy, because how could she be trusted if she cannot keep a husband for herself? This shows that her inability to maintain a steady relationship may prove that she cannot be trusted. However, she is open about her multiple marriages and does not tell a lie directly. While this may tie into her somewhat honesty and trustworthiness, her unusual actions are what cause her to be labeled as someone who is not trustworthy. In addition to this, her actions can convey her as someone who is not honest. She wears “hosen from scarlet red” to Church on Sunday, which is not appropriate clothing for church. Furthermore, the red suggests that she engages in sexual acts that are not tolerated by the church. Religion during this time period was an integral aspect of society and anyone who participated in sinful acts such as this, was almost always frowned upon. In this way, the Wife of Bath does not come across as an honest and devoted Christian like she may claim to be.
Thomas I agree with you on the part about her unusual actions, because she does do plenty of those. It is important that Chaucer depicted her this way because it helps us see the lack of correlation between her claims and her actions.
Delete----EVA HECHT
I like the red hosen quote because it shows that she using religion as nothing but a show.
DeleteEVA HECHT
ReplyDeleteChaucer, the author of Wife of Bath was heavily into astrology and numerology. From this statement in the blog, I found it necessary to do some research into the correlation between astrology and the number of husbands she, the Wife, has. I believe that this may have an effect on why he chose to attribute five husbands to the Wife of Bath. I am not too familiar with astrology and numerology, but I do know that the number five is associated with intelligence, logic, and communication. From this information, I can conclude that at this time, having five husbands may have been a more normalized thing and symbolized that she was a logical thinker with much intelligence. I am inferring that from this experience she deemed the authority and felt powerful over the manipulation of the men both physically and mentally. Chaucer’s fascination with these two studies may have contributed to his decision to give her five, not four or more. The story of the Wife of Bath reveals to the reader that there was also anti-feminism in the church at this time, highlighting the lack of respect in her relationships due to lack of singularity and individuality. As a result of this conclusion, I would say that this could make her seem more un-trustworthy because of her decisions being hypothetically founded on intelligence and logic. Ultimately, my opinion stands that she is untrustworthy because of how big of a role the approval of men plays into her life. This could distract her from narrating in a reasonable manner because she has a lot going on.
I really liked how you explained the meaning behind the number 5, and how it relates to The Wife as a person. -Brynn
DeleteEva, your additional research for this question makes your answer very intriguing! I did not know that the number 5 is associated with communication, intelligence, and logic. Coupled with Chaucer’s interest in numerology and astrology, that could have a definite impact on the Wife of Bath’s trustworthiness. Despite this interesting point, I do still believe that the Wife of Bath is ultimately untrustworthy because of her track-record with husbands. I do not believe an “expert” wife would need five. -Mary Claire Haldeman
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI enjoyed reading your post and how in-depth it was on number 5! This definitely gave me another side of number 5 that I would have never thought about.-Emily Ally
DeleteCaroline Hunt
ReplyDeleteThe Wife of Bath is considered an unreliable source of information because she constantly contradicts herself. She claims to be an "expert wife" which makes her qualified to give speeches about marriage, however, she also said, "And please don't only be offended at my views; They're really only offered to amuse…”. Through this quote, the audience can see that the Wife of Bath considers herself an expert wife, but does not feel that anyone should take what she says to heart. Furthermore if she were can “expert wife” she would not have had 5 husband, but would instead only one one true love.This shows that what she is preaching is not universally true because every relationship is different and there is no one perfect answer. The Wife of Bath also quotes a highly acclaimed mathematician, Ptolemy in order to attempt to establish credibility. However, because she claims to be an expert this reference goes against her argument that she is all-knowing in the topic of being a wife. Quoting Ptolemy ruins her argument, firstly because he is a man and it is hard for a man to explain how to be a truly good wife. Ptolemy is a famous mathematician, astronomer, and natural philosopher who all have nothing to do with marriage and being an expert wife. Through the Wife of Bath's contradictory establishments of credibility, she hurts her integrity, therefore making her an unreliable source of insight.
I liked how you brought in the allusion to Ptolemy into your explanation because it helps the reader's understand The Wife, and where her motivations are derived from. -Brynn
DeleteI like the saying that if she was an expert wife like she says then she wouldn't of had more than one husband, it's a funny part of the story.
DeleteEmily Ally
ReplyDeleteI figure astrology and numerology do affect on why the Wife of Bath had 5 spouses in light of the fact that the two philosophies straightforwardly identify with marriage. The Wife of Bath was known for wedding various men and holding numerous connections. The Canterbury Tales presents the Wife of Bath as an honest woman in conflict with her society. “Honest” here takes on two meanings. It either implies that the Wife of Bath is a moral and Christian member of society or, more literally, that she in fact speaks the truth. If the latter is true, then her views place her in conflict with her society. The Wife of Bath is by no means an “honest” woman in the first sense. In the first few lines of the prologue she is described as wearing “hosen... of fyn scarlet reed” to Church on Sunday. This choice of clothing is not appropriate for the occasion, showing that she shows little respect for formality. Furthermore, the choice of her “scarlet” clothing signifies her views towards intimacy, which we discover later. The scarlet somewhat relates a sense of a “red light” in the middle of what would be a church full of dark color's, perhaps alluding to her prostitute like ways. In addition, on the same page she is said to have had “housbondes at chirche dore she hadde five” and that “She hadde passed many a straunge strem”. The former tells us that she has been married five times, and the second suggests perhaps with some sexual connotations that she travelled around a lot. Ultimately, whether the Wife of Bath is telling the truth or not, her views remain in conflict with those of contemporary society. The views of society during which Chaucer said were deeply enrooted in the Christian faith, particularly Catholicism. The Canterbury Tales were written amidst a period of strict religious belief and morality. It is apparent from my reading of the Wife of Bath’s Tale and Prologue is not an “honest” woman in the sense of my first definition. However, it becomes harder to see whether or not she is “honest” in the case of the second definition. Although all that she says come from experience, she likely altered her stories to garner sympathy from other pilgrims; she hoped they would agree that society judges her too harshly. On the other hand, it is easy to see that many of the Wife of Bath’s views contradict the strict moral code and Christian faith of her society. In sum, it is the analysis of the Wife of Bath’s conflict with her society more than conceptions of honesty that aid my understanding of the Wife of Bath’s tale.
I enjoyed reading your analysis. I especially liked how you decided to give one word two different meanings, as this expanded your evidence past what was simply written down. Good job. - regan
DeleteBrynn Klaber: “The Wife of Bath” - Trustworthy? Or not trustworthy?
ReplyDeletePrompt 1
Chaucer was heavily interested in numerology and astrology, which most likely has a lot to do with the fact that the Wife of Bath had 5 husbands. The Wife considered herself an expert on marriage, and wanted more than anything to spread her knowledge to those around her. The fact that she had 5 husbands could make her trustworthy in the aspect of marriage; however, it can also make her a less trustworthy all around narrator. In lines 12-14 of the prologue, The Wife states, “In which I’ve been an expert as a wife, that is to say, myself have been the whip, so please yourself whether you want to sip.” The Wife is serious about her aspirations to discuss the possibilities of marriage with others because she has seen it all herself. The use of the word “expert” reveals that she is extremely passionate about the subject, and wants to encourage others to consider the idea of marriage. She wants to be taken seriously, and has more experience than anyone else, which makes her trustworthy regarding the subject of marriage and informing others about it. Having 5 husbands can also be seen as a not trustworthy characteristic of The Wife. The idea of having more than one husband is not normal where The Wife is from, which reveals why people may already find her choices questionable. Getting married multiple times can also show confusion within herself. Throughout her tale, The Wife contradicts her own words multiple times, which leads people to believe she is a less trustworthy narrator. Her inconsistency with choosing husbands relates to the inconsistency of her own thoughts and feelings. Both of these internal struggles further the idea that she is a less trustworthy narrator.
I completely agree with you that the Wife of Bath is untrustworthy. Your point about her internal struggles enforces this. For the Wife of Bath to call herself an “expert” wife and yet have five husbands, she must not have a complete understanding of what marriage should be, especially in a time when going through multiple husbands was extremely taboo. -Mary Claire Haldeman
DeleteNovember 23rd Grace Dunaway
ReplyDeleteAs Chaucer was heavily interested in numerology and astrology, this likely has an effect on why the Wife of Bath had 5 husbands. In astrology, it is believed that people with specific zodiac signs typically behave in a certain way. For example, one zodiac sign may be more prone to getting married multiple times, and it’s possible that the Wife of Bath was this certain sign. I think it can be argued that the Wife of Bath having 5 husbands could either make her more or less trustworthy. The Wife of Bath could be regarded as trustworthy because having 5 husbands makes her very experienced, and she likely knows a lot about love and could give really good insight and advice in the realm of dating and marriage since she's done it so many times. She “knew the remedies for love’s mischances, An art in which she knew the oldest dances”, which proves that she knew a lot about love. Since she knows a lot about this subject, she seems wise and is able to guide people based on her own experience. On the other hand, having 5 husbands could also make her untrustworthy because the reader starts to wonder how so many of her marriages failed. Was she toxic? Was she incapable of love? Is she a cheater? All of these questions likely come up when someone hears of her many marriages, which is why some people may deem her as untrustworthy because her true character is questioned. There are so many unanswered questions that arise with her 5 marriages, so this might make the reader skeptical about who she is as a person.
Your view point that the reader may be skeptical of who she is as a person is interesting!!! I definitely was.
Delete- Lilly Cox
I enjoyed reading your take on this prompt. I would have never thought about the zodiac sign to be related to her interesting personality. -Emily Ally
DeletePersonally, I think the stars are for observing every once in a while and should not be accredited spiritual value, however this is done commonly enough to spark psychological intrigue. With a quick Google search I discovered the five pointed star is a symbol of sirius, the brightest star in the sky. According to AstrologyKing.com it represents, "high ambition, pride, love of power, grandeur of view". While she might be entertaining, she does seem to exhibit some bravado. I might have trusted her before, but she is sketch now at best.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the time you took to research the five pointed star. I thought I had some idea of what it meant, but it turns out my understanding was actually the opposite of its true definition. That opens some doors to new themes the reader may have to think about while interpreting the story. Nice job Brooks. -Thomas Stewart
Delete-Brooks Farabow
ReplyDeleteMary Claire Haldeman
ReplyDeleteChaucer was heavily into numerology and astrology. Therefore, it is likely this had an effect on why the Wife Of Bath had 5 husbands. After doing some research through Numerology.com, I was able to learn about several personality traits that are associated with the number 5. Interestingly, many of the number’s characteristics align with Chaucer’s characterization of the Wife of Bath. A foremost characteristic of five is “curiosity and the need for a variety of exciting experiences in order to feel fulfilled.” It is “a master of change”, attached only to non attachment. The number “does not stick with any one idea, job, relationship, or situation long”. Therefore, a key strength of it is adaptability. Furthermore, the number 5 is social, “never [missing] a chance to engage with…. Someone new”. It’s weaknesses include being non-committal and unreliable. I’m honestly shocked at how perfectly the description of 5 matched the personality traits of the Wife of Bath. She is very social, boldly talking with the fellow travelers and boasting of her abilities as a wife. She is clearly non-committal, going through five different husbands. In doing so, she could be named a “master of change”. Considering Chaucer was invested in numerology, he likely knew that the number 5 has these characteristics. Still, even if he did not, it is remarkable how consistent the number 5 is with the Wife of Bath. I believe that this new information makes her less trustworthy. If key characteristics of the number are lack of attachment, unreliability, and constant desire for change, the Wife of Bath could not have been an expert wife.
I completely agree with you when you state that the Wife of Bath could not have been an expert.
Delete- Lilly Cox
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLilly Cox
ReplyDeleteWeek November 23
Although I do believe that because Chaucer was heavily interested in numerology and astrology this impacted why the Wife of Bath had 5 husbands, I don’t believe that the Wife of Bath was an expert when regarding marriage (therefore causing readers to infer she is not trustworthy.) When furthering ones knowledge concerning the true meaning of marriage, the Wife of Bath honestly is a representation of the opposite. A marriage is a commitment between two individuals, for “as long as they both shall live.” Due to the fact that she is unable to maintain a stable relationship of her own, how could one find her accountable to provide them advice on their own marriage and the most efficient ways to navigate a relationship? She fortunately is honest about how many marriages she has had, but I believe that is not enough validation for the root of her actions. Chaucer informs readers about her bold attire to church, which by the description is not appropriate for that setting. Religion was ultimately a crucial devotion to society during this term period. Despite my belief that Chaucer’s morals did have an effect on the number of husbands the Wife of Bath had, I most significantly believe that because of her rebellion in marriage, and immorality to the Church, those are direct representations of her dishonesty and inability to be trusted.
I too, noticed the emphasis on the wife of bath's attire to the wedding as a statement. -maggie
DeleteCarissa Boddie, Week November 23
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that Chaucer was very interested in numerology and astrology. Despite that, I don't believe that had on effect on the Wife of Bath and why she had 5 husbands. I also think that due to the fact that she did have 5 husbands, the reader could depict her as not trustworthy. She claims to be an "expert wife" but has been married so many times. The Wife of Bath is very dishonest and simply cannot be trusted.
lily perry,week november 23
ReplyDeleteChaucer being interested in numerology and astrology could have an overall effect on her lifestyle because she would believe in any superstitions. Chaucer having 5 husbands could be a form of astrology or she believes that having 5 husbands is a symbol for something bigger that we may not know. The lifestyle she has chosen can effect her life directly. she may be and expert wife cause she has 5 husbands but i woudnt fully trust anyone with 5 husbands.
In astrology, the number five is a very important number that has many different associations, and because of this I think Chaucer's interest in astrology and numerology had an effect on the Wife of Bath having five husbands. I feel that whether or not this information makes the Wife of Bath trustworthy or untrustworthy can be debated. On one hand, she clearly has a lot of experience with marriage and for that reason a person may be more likely to trust her insight and beliefs about marriage. On the other hand, if she has been in five different marriages, then it can be inferred that she does not know how to maintain a successful marriage, and this would make her and untrustworthy source of insight.
ReplyDeleteThe subject of trust is very key in this story. -maggie
DeleteIn the Wife of Bath, Chaucer makes a point to emphasize the fact that the Wife had five husbands, and had gone through five marriages, a detail that was not incredibly common at the time. After doing some of my own research in astrology, I learned that the number five often represents independence. The Wife of Bath, after experiencing five different marriages to men in a patriarch-ruled society, must be seeking out independence, whether that be a conscious, or a subconscious desire. She has spent much of her life travelling, often alone. By doing this, she is gathering a larger world view, which in turn, grants her a more worldly knowledge, one that she gained all on her own, without a teacher by her side. This is another step towards independence, as knowledge during this time, especially for a woman, was not entirely common, and gave her the power in certain situations to truly enjoy life on her own, unhindered by male teachers or husbands that could enact control over her daily life. To other men at the time, this information could make her less trustworthy, because her intellect and independence means that she is not a person to be controlled, and she will not do something simply because a man tells her to. To women of the time, this could make the Wife of Bath more trustworthy, because she could be seen as a great role model, who would be able to teach them worldly knowledge without expecting any power or control in return. - regan a. allen
ReplyDeleteCaitlin Fleming
ReplyDeleteWeek of November 23rd
The Wife of Bath Prologue and Tale is mainly centered around marriage and how people view and judge her because of marriage. Wife of Bath had expiercened 5 different marriages to 5 different men. This was frownded upon by society because they believed that it was suspect of the Church. Because of this she read and learned scripture very well so she could prove to people that no where in the bible does it say that being married more than once was a sin. The fact that Chaucer was heavily into numerology and astrology could have been a main reason for why Wife of Bath had so many husbands. From what I have observed, people who are really into astrology believe that different zodiac signs react and behave certain ways, kinda like a sterotype based off of your birthday. I believe Wife of bath was fairly trustworthy. I think there were probably some things that you could not trust her with but she was very honest about things that were frowned upon in society. This helps me to believe she was fairly trustworthy because she knew if she told everyone about her 5 husbands they would judge her but she wasn't ashamed at all
Maggie Heckman
ReplyDeleteIf Chaucer was into numerology and astrology that implies he has a strong belief system that he trusts fully. The same can be said for the speaker in the story The Wife of Bath as they relate their own feelings on religion and social standards through their telling of a review on the Wife of Bath. The story balances the character of the Wife of Bath both inside and outside of her marital affairs to give the readers a deep understanding into who she is and how big a role her marriage status plays in the public reception of the Wife of Bath. Throughout the story there is a tone of judgment from the narrator as they try to give a well rounded interpretation of The Wife of Bath, but fails to avoid the subject of her fifth marriage. This judgment can be seen in the quote, “A worthy woman all her life, what’s more; She’d had five husbands, all at the church door.” This quote demonstrates how the narrator attempts to avoid the subject but ultimately comes back to the marriage. This judgement from the narrator comes from their position as a peer to the Wife of Bath as it is uncommon in society in the 1300’s to get married more than once and be apologetic about that, as well as the unnatural aspect of divorce and multiple marriages from the eyes of christianity. The presence of the christ judgement can be seen in the reminder of got through the mention of the wedding on a “Sunday” and her visiting famous churches on her travels.
Cameron Walters
ReplyDeleteI figure astrology and numerology do effect on why the Wife of Bath had 5 spouses because the two belief systems straightforwardly identify with marriage. The Wife of Bath was known for wedding various men and holding different relationships. This would carry her to be viewed as deceitful, because how is it possible that she would be trusted on the off chance that she cannot save a spouse for herself? This shows that her powerlessness to keep a consistent relationship may demonstrate that she cannot be trusted. Notwithstanding, she is open about her various relationships and does not lie straightforwardly. While this may integrate with her to some degree genuineness and dependability, her uncommon activities are what cause her to be marked as somebody who is not reliable. Likewise, her activities can pass on her as somebody who is not straightforward. She wears red hosen to Church on Sunday, which is not proper apparel for church (Red is also the color of hell and the devil). Moreover, the red recommends that she participates in sexual acts that are not endured by the congregation. Religion during this time span was a necessary part of society and any individual who partook in evil acts, for example, this, was quite often disapproved of. Thusly, the Wife of Bath does not appear to be a legit and given Christian like she may profess to be. This is also a reason that she is untrustworthy as she even tries to be deceitful about her image and how she is a better person just because she is religious.
Chaucer could have been influenced by numerology and astrology in his story of the Wife of Bath. The wife seems to be deceitful as she craves power over her spouse and has already been married five different times. Taking marriage advice from someone who hasn't been able to maintin a single marriage and has married five different people is not generally a good idea. She seems to crave power over her spouses and does not have a clear reality on logic. however, she also seems to be fairly honest as she is very open about her five different marriages and does not seem to want to hid anything. Despite this, I think she can not be trusted due to her numerous unusual circumstances.
ReplyDelete-John Biesecker
The Wife of Bath is portrayed as an unreliable source. It is quickly proven that she is no expert on being a wife, as she said. However, I do not believe that her interest in numerology and astrology is the source of her untrustworthiness. She is a little odd- no doubt, but perhaps her interests may increase her credibility? It takes a certain level of intelligence to study and learn about such things and it seems to me these uncommon interests may just be her way of expressing herself and can aid her in building up her honestly and willingness to become her most authentic self.
ReplyDeleteEmma Rodden