The Wife of Bath
...and were a deep red. During this time, machinery was not invented and clothing needed to be hand dyed; and red was a particularly difficult dye to come by thus making it expensive. The Wife wants to show that she could afford such a luxury. It is also important to note that they were “gartered tight” this means that they fit perfectly and were probably new and unused. The Wife’s shoes are “soft and new” this further demonstrates that the Wife has the money to spend on frivolous things such as expensive material for clothing and shoes. In the fourteenth century, many people probably did not even have one pair of shoes, let alone a “soft and new” pair. The General Prologue basically conveys that the Wife of Bath was a worthy woman and a skilled weaver. She is quite envious and pretentious (she constantly feels the need to show her wealth through her appearance – although she is not making a direct statement of her wealth, she is making a subtle statement through her clothing) She has been married five times in the church, which signifies that she has been widowed because she was able to marry in the church. She has also had many “companions” before she entered married life. The narrator says that it really is not necessary to discuss the Wife of Bath’s amorous affairs because they will be discussed in more detail later in the story. The Wife of Bath is quite a seasoned traveler; especially considering that during this time period many people could not travel great distances (due to expenses, and lifespan). The Wife of Bath’s travels further demonstrate that she has the money to purchase frivolous things (vacations), she is independent, and she is vivacious (most people would not be able to survive such extensive journeys) The Wife of Bath’s gap-toothed state refers to her overly-sexed nature. A gap between the teeth is supposed to represent legs that are spread apart; not only did the Wife of Bath have a gap, but it was quite wide. The fact that the Wife of Bath can adequately ride a horse further proves her independent nature. The narrator says she sat “well wimpled up” which means two things: a head/neck covering and also a crafty turn/bend. This shows that the Wife of Bath is trying to be fashionable and also show off her wealth. It also signifies that she is cunning and sly because she is so experienced. Her hat is “as broad as a shield”; this means that the Wife of Bath craves attention and desires to stand out among the crowd. The narrator’s physical description of the Wife of Bath signifies that she is old (large hips convey an older woman). Her flowing cloak conceals her large hips. Also, the Wife of Bath is digging her heels into her horse; this signifies that she is a dominate force who is in control and will not be taken advantage of. The Wife of Bath was quite jovial and sociable. She was also well versed in remedies for misbegotten love because this is her field of expertise since she has had lots of firsthand experience. In her own prologue, the Wife of Bath presents us with a somewhat different view of herself. Her contemporaries believe that one should only be married once since it is recorded that Jesus only attended one wedding. She however states that is was never written that marriage is a sin nor was it written the number of times one should be married. Since there is no written statute, the Wife of Bath feels that it is perfectly acceptable to be married multiple times. There is do documentation that getting married several times is a...