The Wife of Bath's Tale Read Aloud w/ Analysis (2 of 2)

English 12 Unit on The Canterbury Tales for online education

[@Lunaloom]

As a second-year university student, I have never laughed so hard with these references and felt I fully understood this story until now. Thank you!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

You're welcome! Thanks for the feedback. If you have any lingering questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

[@GURLUCIA]

I'm having so much more fun listening to you here than I do on my actual lectures at uni!!!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

That's probably because I read it out loud. The reality is, though, that we often ask students to actively and academically read literature without offering any models to follow, as if it is some kind of innate superpower that doesn't need to be cultivated. Hopefully this provides both an example and some quality foundational knowledge for the rest of you Chaucer unit. All my best!

[@pmariah6]

this was so helpful! I actually enjoyed the story after following along with you and your analysis.

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thanks! If you have any questions, I'd be happy to try to answer them!

[@Sylvester4571]

Thank you for your great insight Mr. Howard, I especially loved your elaboration on wisdom coming from poverty to teach gratitude!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thanks. Some people get frustrated because my lectures can cross that line into personal reaction and more of a "book club" feel away from literary analysis. But I figure modeling active reading is modeling having an active relationship with the text and showing engagement and thought. At least it helps to keep people engaged. Appreciate the feedback.

[@meganmalone7034]

Thank you so so much for your help! It's hard to believe this is available for free. You made this piece of literature entertaining and easy to understand. Your off-the-book insights about happiness were also very thought-provoking. I would dare to say that you're similar to the custodian now in your behavior and your undeniable ability to bring joy to others. You seem like a very cheerful and kind individual. I wish you all the best!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thank you so much for the kind words. Some people get on me for not being academic enough, but they're usually grad students looking for something more than I'm trying to convey to my high school age American students. I always find that trying to hit a balance between literary analysis and a good book club discussion gives them insight while keeping them involved and "turned on" to literature in general.

[@lillakilian9342]

Wow! Another great lesson! ☺️ I didn’t understand this tale until now, and now I love it and I am completely amazed by it. It is genius. I’ll have to give you credits for passing my medieval & renaissance English literature class haha. Also, can I apply to wherever you are teaching?🙊 Greetings from Hungary!🇭🇺

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thanks! I'm a public school teacher in the United States, for undergraduate students. I teach English to High School Seniors (18-year-olds).

[@howardwilley5167]

Love the Wife of Bath.....

[@AnnaelTallithiel]

I admire your devotion to teaching, and I hope your students appreciate that. I would be glad to have a teacher so dedicated as you. Your explanation helps me to understand the context of the work as well. And you've got bonus points for reading!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thank you very much for the feedback. I'm glad that I have been able to help so many people through this platform. I did not expect the Canterbury Tales lessons to be so popular.

[@MikeRowesLeftSock]

I can’t thank you enough for the help you’ve provided me! Keep up the great work.

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thank you, and you're welcome. I'm happy to help.

[@jimmietv8540]

You've made the story so interesting! Thank you, needed this fro British Literature!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thanks for the kind feedback. Hopefully there are more works you'll be covering on my channel playlists. If you have any questions, please let me know.

[@saroMamut]

Thank you so much, I am a Spanish studing a degree in English literature. Excelent stuff, cant be grateful enough!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

So glad to help. Best of luck with your studies!

[@moshebuchachevsky5650]

This is the best lesson I had on "The wife of Bath's"

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thanks!

[@pamperedpanda9913]

You are so entertaining! Going through the novel has never been so fun before!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

So glad I could help. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

[@pilargomez8422]

I'm from Argentina. I'm in college and I have to take an exam about the Canterbury tales. I have really enjoyed reading it with you! Thank you so much you're amazing!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

So glad I could help. Best of luck with your exam!

[@easyall7064]

Thanks for this one and part one as well. This is a greatly done analysis.

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Glad you enjoyed it! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

[@ummrbeamn]

one of my friends reccomended these videos to me, and this really helped me understand the tale's message way better than what was told to me in class. Thank you!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Glad to help! And thanks for the feedback.

[@Kiki.ss.]

thank you so much for explaining the whole story in a way that actually engages and interests us

[@jacquelinee.9122]

Thank you so much for this real analysis!! You help me with my exact flaws in understanding these tales.

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Sometimes it's just the cultural gap between how society used to be and how it is now that makes older works hard to understand. It's difficult to read it cold without appropriate context. Glad I could help.

[@shei1003]

you are a life saver. thank you so much!!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Happy to help!

[@Polkbooks]

Thanks Mr Howard!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

You're welcome!

[@ajdinbasic561]

Man's got bars!

[@marcelabrunken]

Thank you so much. This helped my son understand the story.

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Glad it helped! I try to model active reading and analysis skills that my students can employ on future reading assignments. Feel free to check back in if his future readings line up with anything I've recorded.

[@emiliagonzalezaued2214]

Awesome analysis. Thank you!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

You're welcome!

[@jaxsonbynum3282]

I have a essay due tomorrow… just thank you so much lol

[@Mr.H-Literature]

You're welcome. Doesn't matter how you learn the material, just that you know it and can express that knowledge in your own writing. Hope the essay went well!

[@jessikaemanuelleirias3698]

I loved the videos! They were very helpful!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Glad they helped. If you have any questions or could use any help, let me know.

[@l3luel3xus]

You're amazing! Learned so much from it and had some good laughs! 😄

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!

[@neosefudi8785]

This is funny and interesting. Thank you for simplifying it.

[@Mr.H-Literature]

You're welcome. It's amazing what a great story it remains so many hundreds of years later.

[@yulissamares7966]

Thank you very much for this lecture!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

You're very welcome. Glad to be of service.

[@k9raven338]

You making me actually enjoy reading this thanks man!

[@mariahl.5076]

I love this. Thank you!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

You're very welcome.

[@devilsluckbaby]

That old lady spits bars

[@srebrooo]

YOU ARE AMAZING

[@Fooooooooji]

If I am writing my essay and I have to mention the viewpoint of a theme represented, is it from the perspective of a woman or is it from Chaucer himself? I think it could go either way but I wanted your insight.

[@Mr.H-Literature]

That is a good question, and you're right--you could go either way. If it's a short writing, probably go with the Wife of Bath's perspective because it is so clear-cut. Choosing Chaucer is the more nuanced approach, I think, because he is a man writing from a woman's POV, and the thematic lesson is slightly different when viewed that way. The Wife of Bath is clearly in earnest with her story and her advice, so writing from her perspective would be pretty straightforward. What Chaucer thinks is more a matter of quotation-based speculation, so you could make a higher word-count from that analysis.

[@jrak4071]

You’re hilarious. Love ya dog

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thanks!

[@mannliie]

so good actually thank howard!

[@angiebangiewangie]

Where do you teach? You are amazing! great enthusiasm and great teaching!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thanks. Belive it or not, I no longer teach. I write proposals for a living. The teaching climate in America drove me out of the classroom.

[@Kakao-q9m]

It's a feminist standpoint - in many ways. First, she is determined to make men change their opinions. And in the way that she is honest and tells her truth - from having been married off at age twelve which honestly is sexual abuse against her will - to a much older man. But she refuses to play the victim card. She is still self-confident even though she was physically abused by her fifth husband and had to sell her body to three older wealthy men in marriage... But she was indirectly forced to learn her LESSON when she was SUDDENLY older and wealthy and her last two men married her obviously for MONEY. Still after becoming the victim of domestic abuse by her fifth husband she reacts in a way that leaves her in a positive position even though she was deaf in one ear after the incident... She is determined to marry a sixth time and that's why she is on that pilgrimage!!! In the end it's not only naive to expect her to be of highest morals just because she is a feminist, - it's also not a contradiction to say she is a feminist and still not a faultless character. If power is bound to flawless characters then goodnight Europe. And the world. Feminism isn't based on the pretense that women are better people, it's based on the assumption THAT they aren't less than men who have dominated them aß long as history can actually recall and remember... Status and power don't belong to one side of humanity just because of a distinct body part!!! Women don't have to be better than men to get the same rights. This idea is patriarchy at its best. Chaucer shows in this very lively and reckless person that he doesn't need to paint a picture of perfection to make a lasting impression on every reader of his Canterbury Tales by this remarkable and outstanding victim of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and so she tells them all that her tale is still about how to survive and thrive in an environment that is, WORLDWIDE, more than ready to exploit women whenever possible...!!!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Great series of observations. Thanks for sharing. One of the things that gets missed when the textbook leaves out the Wife of Bath's prologue is the ability to really put the story into the context of the narrator's life experience.

[@user-rn6nb5jy3w]

thanks for this

[@Mr.H-Literature]

You're welcome.

[@martinzunigasoria4916]

Sos grande pela dios te cuide

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thank you.

[@lylylyly3592]

Wow!!! ActuAally, I got upset because you finished talking😅! It was absolutely amazing! thank you so much for it!

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

[@lylylyly3592]

@@Mr.H-Literature Could you tell me what The wife of Bath's literary genre is?

[@Mr.H-Literature]

@@lylylyly3592 It doesn't fit neatly into a single genre. The Canterbury Tales as a whole are a Frame Story or Frame Narrative. The individual tales fit various medieval story types. The Wife of Bath's Tale has all the elements of a medieval romance, but everything is turned on its head. The Knight is a rapist who instead of going on a quest for a king is serving penance to the queen. The "damsel in distress" is actually an old witch, and she rescues the knight instead of needing rescue. At the end of the day, if pressed, I'd argue that it's a parody of medieval romance.

[@skelly1004]

It’s interesting, because this isn’t exactly feminism, it’s almost as though it tried to be that and shot past it. Like, feminism is about equality between men and women, but this story suggests that men should be subservient to women rather than equal. Obviously, this is what a matriarchy is, and it is no better than having a patriarchy (which is what we currently live under). Unless I’m missing some sort of subtext or background information where this story was intentionally hyperbolic just to get the point across, then I would argue that this isn’t feminist literature so much as it is literature based on benevolent sexism or even matriarchal literature. I’m willing to hear out other perspectives though, just feels like this tale kinda missed the mark in a way.

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Interesting observation. I would point out that feminism, as such, didn't exist at the time, and it is likely that matriarchs and patriarchs were the primary dichotomy, lacking a third viable option. I would agree that the tale offers an exaggerated matriarchal viewpoint, perhaps as a statement against the current system. It's also, I think, just extreme enough of a statement that it can be dismissed as a joke by those who might find it offensive, which is how Chaucer evaded similar situations with the church. I wouldn't say it missed the mark, though. Of all the tales, this one and the Pardoner's Tale seem to have had the greatest following and longevity. I think Chaucer probably hit just the mark he was aiming for here, even if it isn't exactly the one we'd like to have seen him hit today.

[@Kakao-q9m]

​@@Mr.H-Literature ​​ It's a feminist standpoint - in many ways. First, she is determined to make men change their opinions. And in the way that she is honest and tells her truth - from having been married off at age twelve which honestly is sexual abuse against her will - to a much older man. But she refuses to play the victim card. She is still self-confident even though she was physically abused by her fifth husband and had to sell her body to three older wealthy men in marriage... But she was indirectly forced to learn her LESSON when she was SUDDENLY older and wealthy and her last two men married her obviously for MONEY. Still after becoming the victim of domestic abuse by her fifth husband she reacts in a way that leaves her in a positive position even though she was deaf in one ear after the incident... She is determined to marry a sixth time and that's why she is on that pilgrimage!!! In the end it's not only naive to expect her to be of highest morals just because she is a feminist, - it's also not a contradiction to say she is a feminist and still not a faultless character. If power is bound to flawless characters then goodnight Europe. And the world. Feminism isn't based on the pretense that women are better people, it's based on the assumption THAT they aren't less than men who have dominated them as long as history can actually recall and remember... Status and power don't belong to one side of humanity just because of a distinct body part!!! Women don't have to be better than men to get the same rights. This idea is patriarchy at its best. Chaucer shows in this very lively and reckless person that he doesn't need to paint a picture of perfection to make a lasting impression on every reader of his Canterbury Tales by this remarkable and outstanding victim of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and so she tells them all that her tale is still about how to survive and thrive in an environment that is, WORLDWIDE, more than ready to exploit women whenever possible...!!!

[@daisiesareallmine]

My teacher always makes us watch your videos, not complaining tho. You deserve her earnings🫠

[@Mr.H-Literature]

Thanks! 😃 We often ask teachers to teach things that are outside their area of expertise. I used to work across the hall from a teacher who was a way better teacher of writing than I was, but didn't like literature. She had to teach literature as part of her class, and I had to teach writing as part of mine. It is what it is. Glad you're enjoying the videos!