Chaucer

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 wedding with the dede; And certes, if ther were no seed ysowe, Virginitee, thanne whereof sholde it growe? (Chaucer 106)

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...nd 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.