My Thesis

While reading the Wife of Bath(WOB) Prologue and Tale, I have learned quite a bit about the WOB's personality. I feel that Chaucer wants his readers to be confused about his writings, therefore he makes it so people have to come up with their own opinion about the WOB. Sitting through the British Literature class, and hearing everyones different opinions, and how they felt about her, helped me to come up with my own opinion. I have come to a neutralized conclusion, for I feel that she should be considered both good as well as bad.
Throughout the Tale and Prologue, I came to find several lines that could help to support my opinion that she is a "bad" person. One of which is where Chaucer gives evidence to support that the WOB is a cheater. She states, "Have though ynogh what thar reache or care. How myrily that othere folkes fare?"(ln. 329-330). Basically in this line the WOB is telling the readers, that as long as she gives her husband all that he wants, then why should it matter if she gets more? Also she brags quite a bit about her classy look and her clothing style(ln. 356). The WOB states in the beginning of the Prologue that she likes to give charity, but only if she is the first to give (ln. a450-a451). If she is not the first to give, then she gets angry and doesn't want to give any money anymore (ln.a450-a451). Pretty much what she is saying here is that she cares about her image and wants to make sure that people see that she is doing good. One of the biggest reasons that most readers could have a set opinion on the WOB being bad would be the simple fact that she was married five times. Even after her five marriages, she still continued on to find another one. These are just a couple of examples that I found to support that the WOB could be looked at as a "bad" person.
On the otherhand, there are several lines which show that the WOB should be considered a "good" person as well. First off, it must be taken into consideration that she was wedded for the first time at age 12 (ln. 4). This is a ligitamite excuse for her having as many husbands as she did, for maybe marriage is where she found comfort, because it was all she was known to. Although there is reason to believe that she is a liar, there is just as much evidence to show that she was truthful as well (ln. 194-195). The WOB states that she does not go and sleep around with other men, because she is faithful. She states, "That in his owene grece I made him frye, For angre and for verray jalousye," (ln. 487-488). Another example of her being a "good" person would be where she states that her and Jankyn were in love, and had redemed their love for one another (ln. 718). These are just a few of the many examples that exemplify that the WOB was indeed a "good" person.
Overall, this is how I have come to my own opinion on the WOB behaviors and characteristics. With this evidence that I have shown great reason to believe that she is neither good nor bad person, but both. Not everyone is perfect, and the WOB is definitely not perfect that is for sure, but she still has her moments when she shows that she actually does care. The WOB is a different character for sure, but I believe that is exactly what Chaucer wanted. I feel that he wanted his readers to be have to sit down and look at the good and the bad of her personality. Therefore, I feel that with my information I have fully informed and backed up my own personal opinion on this matter.