The General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales
The General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales opens with a description of the return of spring and the rains of April. As a result, the populace holds that Zephyrus, who was revered as the deity of the west wind, is to thank for the development of the crops, the blooming of the flowers, and the singing of the birds. As a result, the populace has planned a springtime journey to holy locations. (Chaucer 213).
Although some people travel to other cities and countries, most people in England choose to attend the St. Thomas Becket shrine in Canterbury, southeast England. They believed Thomas Becket was a follower with supernatural healing abilities. (Chaucer 213). The prologue begins by choral praises of the month of April because of warm western breeze and rains, which have reinstated the fertility of the lands and its populations.
The narrator and the pilgrimage
The narrator of the story is Chaucer Geoffrey. He was in The Tabard Inn; Southwark when twenty-nine persons who were preparing to start the pilgrimage arrived at the hotel. Although they did not know each other prior to the meeting, they started interacting with each other (Chaucer 215). The group was characterized by a diversity of individuals who comprised persons of different social status and occupation. According to the narrator, the copiousness life necessitates the people to join the pilgrims. In addition, the narrator seeks to describe their social degree, array, and condition. He seems to be articulating primarily praise and admiration at the achievement of the group (Chaucer 215).
The storytelling competition
Moreover, the narrator arguably indicates the vices and virtues of every pilgrim as explained within the work. More importantly, he led the group in planning to wake up early and go on with their expedition to Canterbury as a unit. Some of those included in the list of pilgrims are the Host (Henry Bailly), Prioress, Knight, and his son - Squire, Prioress, a friar, a monk, second nun, a cook, a weaver, a wife of Bath, and a Franklin among others (Chaucer 225). The Host also suggests that each pilgrim will be involved in a story telling competition. In this regard, every pilgrim will give two stories in the course of their journey to Canterbury and two on their return mission. The person who would offer the best story would be rewarded with a free meal after returning from the shrine (Chaucer 229). Notably, the pilgrims are equally happy to take the journey to Canterbury as kind of entertainment instead of the purely pious sacred expedition. During the movement to Canterbury, the Knight is selected to provide his narrative first. Therefore, the General Prologue offers a glimpse the Canterbury Tales, which helps to create suspense of the tales (Chaucer 237).
The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale
The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale offers perspectives into the responsibility of women in England during the medieval period. Prior to sharing her narrative, she provides information concerning her life practices in a prologue (Chaucer 257). The Wife of Bath starts her extensive prologue by stating that she has continuously followed the tenet of experience instead of authority. She recounts that she had about five husbands, which gives her adequate experience to become an expert. She has accepted to have five husbands in her life and fail to apprehend Jesus’ reprimand to the biblical woman at the well who faced a similar circumstance. As an alternative, she favours the biblical rule to reproduce (Chaucer 259).
To shield her arguments, the Wife alludes to the story of King Solomon as he had several wives. Similarly, she uses the admonishment of St. Paul that it is advisable to marry instead of burning. She has demonstrated finer comprehension of the Bible; hence, she dares other pilgrims to identify where God instructed women to uphold virginity (Chaucer 260). She argues that sexual organs are designed to help human beings acquire pleasure and functional purposes. There she confesses that she has always been ready to engage in sex at any time and from any man (Chaucer 261).
The power of women and the church
The Wife of Bath narrates about her previous husbands and exposes how she achieved authority over them. Unluckily, after obtaining total mastery over one of her husbands, he perishes. Later she describes how she acquired power over her fifth husband. Finally, she reveals that one of the most important things that women yearn for is the full control “sovereignity” over their men (Chaucer 263).
More importantly, the tale describes the antifeminism that existed in the church at the time. In fact, they were normally branded as monsters. They were shrewish, lecherous, and insatiable hence they were demeaned by the authorities of the church. Women could not engage in church doctrines at any point (Chaucer 259). Furthermore, during the medieval period, a second marriage was not permissible hence; Wife of bath cautiously reviews the gospel as stated in the scripture. Her understanding of the gospel suggests that she is not just an ignorant woman (Chaucer 259). She also defends her position of multiple marriage partners because this is not contrary to the scriptures although Jesus censures a woman who had five husbands. In addition, virginity was revered among the people in the medieval period. Therefore, she argued that sex organs should be utilized for their intended purposes such as pleasure and procreation (Chaucer 260). She also contends the idea that women must be subservient to men. Therefore, her actions and beliefs are contrary to the culture at the time and the power of the church.
Work cited
Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury tales. Broadview Press, 2008. Print.
