Abstract
In Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (c. 1387), the Wife of Bath appears “as a woman of very strong opinions who believes firmly in marriage” and as well “in the need to manage husbands strictly” (Thornley & Gwyneth 1993, p.16), and hence her story is about an Arthurian knight who rapes a maiden and has to face the consequences of his deed. The pilgrims of Chaucer’s masterpiece undergo transformations, which are chronicled in this literary text. These transformations occur in a variety of forms and take different shapes. The Wife of Bath is one of these travellers. In the following discussion, I'll look at how the ‘Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale’ handles metamorphosis. By reading this article, readers will realize that transformation is not limited to the one of the hag that occurs at the end of the tale.
Highlights
The „Wife of Bath‟s Tale‟ is one of Chaucer‟s The Canterbury Tales; a touchstone of Medieval Literature
It becomes clear that some changes are more memorable, unforgettable and conceivable like the metamorphosis of the hag, yet there are other worthy-mentioning changes that occur in the „Wife of Bath‟s Prologue and Tale.‟
The most unforgettable transformation in the tale is that of the hag into a beautiful wife
Summary
The „Wife of Bath‟s Tale‟ is one of Chaucer‟s The Canterbury Tales; a touchstone of Medieval Literature. Drawn from different levels of the English society, the pilgrims disclose a vivid picture of the English life in the fourteenth century. They have a chance to entertain themselves, and express their opinions regarding some topics as well. In his introduction to The Canterbury Tales, Benson, L. Critics and researchers usually concentrate on the two transformations mentioned by Benson. Due to the fact that there are many changes, this paper will only focus on main transformations in the „Wife of Bath‟s Prologue and Tale‟ (hereafter referred to as WB’s P&T)
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