The Wife of Bath and 'Tis Pity: Love Flashcards
‘Revenge shall sweeten what my griefs have tasted.’
Hippolita’s past love for Soranzo has fuelled her need for revenge as it makes Soranzo’s betrail - in going back on his word to marry her and his subsequent courting of Annabella - extremely painful. In this way, love can bring the most dangerous of consequences.
‘Must I not do what all men else may - love?’
Giovanni is using specious logic to try and win his argument with the Friar. In an attempt to manipulate the argument to his advantage, Giovanni uses the concept of love as the foundation which thereby suggests he does not truly love Annabella, but lusts for her instead. (Counter: ‘cleanse the leprosy of lust’- Friar to Giovanni.)
Link: The Wife often uses specious logic - in the form of (incorrect) Biblical or Classic exegesis - in an attempt to defend her action and persuade the other members of the pilgrimage, i.e. ‘Lo heere the wise king, daun Salomon; I trowe he hadde wives mo than oon.’ Her argument is that Solomon was a wise, biblical ruler who had many wives (700 wives and 300 mistresses) therefore one’s romantic affiliations do not affect one’s morality. However, The Wife fails to recognise that Solomon subsequently lost touch with God and therefore her argument is flawed.
‘The thre were goode men, and riche, and olde’.
This description of The Wife’s first three husbands illustrates the lack of love she had for them. This quotation reveals that she was only concerned with how ‘riche’ they were and how soon they would die of ‘olde’ age and leave her a wealthy widow - the most desired of the female tripartite model. Moreover, they were ‘goode men’ because they left her in a position of power.
‘I trowe I loved him most, for that he was of his love dangerous to me.’
‘God let his soul nevere come in helle.’
These quotations reveal that the Wife had a degree of love for Jankyn as the lines bare a fondness and she wishes his soul no ill-will. The Wife admits how this fondness for Jankyn would prove to be ‘dangerous’ for her, as her love causes her to lower her defenses and she subsequently almost loses her sovereignty. Equally, the beginning of their relationship is abusive - she admits he ‘hadde me bete on every bon’ and hit her so hard she became deaf in one ear: ‘That of the strook myn ere wax al deef.’
Counter: It can be argued that The Wife does not truly love Jankyn, but lusts for him. This can be evidenced in he admiration for his legs and hair at the funeral of her fourth husband: ‘crispe hair, shininge as gold’, ‘Of legges and of feet so clene and faire.’
