I was talking with Prof. MB about the WOB being sterile. She wrote back "Perhaps that is why she's so vocal
about her sexuality - to make up for the perceived lack? That she is still on
some level trying to conceive?" It got me thinking. I know men would try other partners when they couldn't conceive. That goes back to Sarai and Hagar at least. I know that the idea existed of women using alternate sources (other guys) when they couldn't conceive for their husbands. I think (but I don't have the book with me) that there is a nasty letter by Henry IV saying that Richard II's mom used that method to conceive Richard II.
I think the WOB is someone who jokes through her pain. Choosing not to conceive, and not being able to conceive, are very different emotionally. It always hurts to have choice taken away.
I think I remember Prof. MB asking why these people are on pilgrimage. I wonder if Alisoun's many pilgrimages may be to seek an end to her infertility. She isn't the type to talk about her pain if it is there. It could also be why she thinks so much about what constitutes a good woman.
The knight may be on pilgrimage because he is a "perfit gentil knight." But maybe he also has things he wanted to atone for, like being at Alexandria. The Reeve is grappling with old age, which could inspire a pilgrimage to ask God for healing, or to make things right before the end. I don't know about the others. While there are obvious things it would be good for them to ask forgiveness for, I'm not sure what actually motivates them.
I also wonder if their stories connect with their actual motivations.
Your analysis of the WoB makes sense. I never looked at her this way before. That would explain the fifth husband. Her older husbands couldn't give her a child; perhaps she thought going younger was a possible solution. As for her pilgrimages, I think that infertility may be a part of her reasons for going, but I also see her as a wealthy woman looking for something to do. What do you think of your analysis of the WoB after reading her tale? Does her tale make you think that she's more worried about getting older? I have always had her prologue and her tale as a package reading, so I tend to read her as a pilgrim focused on youth.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm going to be honest here, I've never considered the pilgrims' individual reasons for going on the pilgrimage. It's just something I've overlooked in my reading. I just assumed that they were going to pay respects and that was it. I never thought that they would be going for healing! This theory that the WOB is travelling to heal her of her infertility makes a lot of sense and makes me understand her a little bit better. Though I do agree with Jessica, as well! I think part of it was that she was a rich woman who was bored. I also like the idea that she chose Jenkin because he was so young in attempts to fix her infertility problem.
ReplyDeleteI had not thought of the Wife of Bath as sterile, but it was an interesting point and makes sense in a lot of ways. Great point made about her vocalizing how sexually active she is a cover for infertility. It makes sense, though I had never thought of the Wife of bath as sad, but rather loud and forceful. It's an strange idea to think of her as being that way to cover the fact that she has no children.
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