Aldgate East

Medieval English Poetry

Geoffrey Chaucer: Canterbury Tale of the Wife of Bath

14th century, Middle English. Numerous printed copies.

'Kiss me, then. Unless I am now as attractive as the most beautiful lady in all this world, you can do what you like with me. Lift up the curtain, and look!'

A young knight at King Arthur's court has been found guilty of rape. Given to Queen Guinevere for sentencing, she requires him to find the answer to a difficult question in return for his life.

The knight roams the countryside seeking an answer to this question and as he rides through a forest, he comes upon twenty-four ladies, or more, dancing in a circle. He rides towards these dancers eagerly, hoping to speak with them, but as he approaches, they vanish, and in their place sits a filthy old crone. She offers to save his life and instruct him upon the answer he must give, in return for an undisclosed favour that he must grant her at an appropriate time. He agrees to this and the day of his audience arrives: he gives his answer.

In al the court ne was ther wyf ne mayde, ne widwe, that contraried that he sayde... – nobody in the court, neither widow, wife nor maiden, could find any reason to argue against the reply that he gave, and all said that the knight deserved to keep his life. At this, the old crone stood and said: 'Mercy, my sovereign lady Queen! Give me justice before the court departs. I instructed this knight to give the answer he did on the condition that he would do something for me, if it lay in his power. Before this court, therefore, I require, Sir knight, that you take me as your wife. For be in no doubt that I have saved your life. If you dispute this, then refuse me.'

'You speak the truth, alas!' he replied. 'But release me from this bond. Take all my wealth, but leave me my body!'

'No!' she cried. 'For although I am old, and filthy, and poor, not for all the gold and wealth that lies in the Earth shall I release you. You shall be my husband and my love.' For she had instructed him to answer the question: What do women most desire? – with the answer that they desire sovereignty over men.

'My love?' said the knight. 'My damnation! Alas, that I should be so humiliated!'

But marry her he must. On their wedding night, and prompted by the answer that he produced in court, she asks that he should obey her. He reluctantly agrees.

'Then I am in charge,' she asked, 'and may choose and dictate as I like?'

'Yes,' replied the knight. 'I think that that is best.'

'Kiss me, then,' she said. 'And unless I am as attractive as the most beautiful lady in all this world, you can do what you like with me. Lift up the curtain, and look!'

And when the knight saw how beautiful she was, and how young, he took her up in his arms, his heart bathed in bliss, and kissed her a thousand times. And all that night she pandered to his every wish and desire. And thus they lived, for the rest of their lives, in perfect joy and happiness.

Story recounted from: Skeat, Walter W, edited from numerous manuscripts, 1912, reprinted 1973. Chaucer: Complete Works. Oxford University Press. Canterbury Tales. The Wife of Bath's Tale.