Chaucer on Sex & MarriageChaucer on Sex & Marriage

The PilgrimageThe Pilgrimage

The Aristotelian ViewThe Aristotelian View

The Three TalesThe Three Tales

The PilgrimageThe Pilgrimage

Image of Life: a company of pilgrims, “who Image of Life: a company of pilgrims, “who happened together in fellowship.”happened together in fellowship.”

Represents society -- in reality, not Represents society -- in reality, not idealized. idealized.

Many ranks, types. Mixture of believers & Many ranks, types. Mixture of believers & hypocrites, saints and sinners.hypocrites, saints and sinners.

Some -- relatively positiveSome -- relatively positive

The Knight: gentle & courageous. A model The Knight: gentle & courageous. A model of chivalry.of chivalry.

The Clerk of Oxford: disinterested love of The Clerk of Oxford: disinterested love of learning.learning.

Is the Knight perhaps too chivalrous (so Is the Knight perhaps too chivalrous (so many battles)? many battles)?

Is the Clerk too extreme in his dedication, Is the Clerk too extreme in his dedication, neglecting his financial needs?neglecting his financial needs?

Perfect TypesPerfect Types

The Parson and the Plowman -- are without The Parson and the Plowman -- are without question ideal pastor & layman.question ideal pastor & layman.

The Franklin: described as a hedonist The Franklin: described as a hedonist (“Epicurean”), yet a generous, hospitable (“Epicurean”), yet a generous, hospitable and wise landowner. He may represent and wise landowner. He may represent earthly (natural) happiness and virtue, as earthly (natural) happiness and virtue, as opposed to the supernatural virtue of the opposed to the supernatural virtue of the parson & plowman.parson & plowman.

Fiction and RealityFiction and Reality

Chaucer cleverly interweaves fiction and Chaucer cleverly interweaves fiction and reality:reality:– Chaucer himself is one of the 30 pilgrims.Chaucer himself is one of the 30 pilgrims.– The tales are stories within a story.The tales are stories within a story.– In the Merchant’s tale, the characters refer to the In the Merchant’s tale, the characters refer to the

Wife of Bath, one of the characters in the larger Wife of Bath, one of the characters in the larger story.story.

Chaucer may be suggesting that we are like Chaucer may be suggesting that we are like characters in a divine drama.characters in a divine drama.

Aristotle on SexAristotle on Sex

The difference between man & woman is a The difference between man & woman is a deep one, but not one of essence.deep one, but not one of essence.

Sex differences intensify as one moves up the Sex differences intensify as one moves up the chain of life:chain of life:– In plants, each organism typically has both sexes.In plants, each organism typically has both sexes.– In animals, male and female sexes are in different In animals, male and female sexes are in different

organisms, who must use perception and organisms, who must use perception and movement to find each other.movement to find each other.

Aristotle didn’t know about asexual Aristotle didn’t know about asexual reproduction among lower animals (protozoa, reproduction among lower animals (protozoa, sponges): if he had, it would have strengthened sponges): if he had, it would have strengthened his case.his case.

According to Aristotle, the process of sexual According to Aristotle, the process of sexual differentiation reaches its peak with human differentiation reaches its peak with human beings: our rational souls are suffused with beings: our rational souls are suffused with maleness or femaleness.maleness or femaleness.

In humans, the two sexes must come together In humans, the two sexes must come together not only physically, but also rationally.not only physically, but also rationally.

The two sexes complement each other not only The two sexes complement each other not only physically, but also soulishly, psychologically.physically, but also soulishly, psychologically.

For Aristotle, marriage is a kind of friendship, For Aristotle, marriage is a kind of friendship, the most important kind. the most important kind.

Husband and wife have distinct, Husband and wife have distinct, complementary spheres of authority: the wife complementary spheres of authority: the wife over the internal management of the over the internal management of the household, the husband over external relations.household, the husband over external relations.

Chaucer’s Marriage TalesChaucer’s Marriage Tales

The Wife of BathThe Wife of Bath The MerchantThe Merchant The FranklinThe Franklin

The Wife of Bath’s PrologueThe Wife of Bath’s Prologue

The woman of Bath characterizes marriage as The woman of Bath characterizes marriage as involving a kind of economic exchange involving involving a kind of economic exchange involving sex & property.sex & property.

She also identifies a number of psychological and She also identifies a number of psychological and rhetorical factors that influence the balance of rhetorical factors that influence the balance of power (especially control of joint property).power (especially control of joint property).

Represents insights of experience, folk wisdom Represents insights of experience, folk wisdom (“she knew the oldest dances”)(“she knew the oldest dances”)

Rhetorical & Psychological Rhetorical & Psychological FactorsFactors

The asymmetry of desire for intercourse. The asymmetry of desire for intercourse. Unavailability increases desire, worsening the Unavailability increases desire, worsening the asymmetry.asymmetry.

Manipulation by guilt and blame (used on the first Manipulation by guilt and blame (used on the first three “good” husbands)three “good” husbands)

Stories and proverbs (the book used by the 5th Stories and proverbs (the book used by the 5th husband).husband).

Violence and victimhood/remorse (5th husband).Violence and victimhood/remorse (5th husband).

The Prologue vs. the TaleThe Prologue vs. the Tale

The Prologue displays gritty realism: depicts The Prologue displays gritty realism: depicts marriage, warts and all.marriage, warts and all.

On balance, positive? The Woman staunchly On balance, positive? The Woman staunchly defends the married state. Fifth marriage ends defends the married state. Fifth marriage ends happily: mutual kindness, feminine authority.happily: mutual kindness, feminine authority.

The Tale begins roughly -- with a rape, and the The Tale begins roughly -- with a rape, and the rapist on death row.rapist on death row.

But then it transmutes into a charming fairy tale.But then it transmutes into a charming fairy tale.

The Point of the TaleThe Point of the Tale

The question: “what do women really The question: “what do women really want?” (Stumped Freud.)want?” (Stumped Freud.)

Note the profound change in the character Note the profound change in the character of the rapist: he ends by yielding of the rapist: he ends by yielding sovereignty to his wife.sovereignty to his wife.

Note too that the sovereignty is voluntarily Note too that the sovereignty is voluntarily yielded by the husband: not taken by force yielded by the husband: not taken by force or trickery.or trickery.

Courtly Love & MarriageCourtly Love & Marriage

The answer: women want the selfsame The answer: women want the selfsame authority over their husbands they enjoy over authority over their husbands they enjoy over their lovers.their lovers.

The tradition of courtly love: ordinarily quite The tradition of courtly love: ordinarily quite separate from marriage. The lover seeks to separate from marriage. The lover seeks to please his beloved above all else.please his beloved above all else.

Chaucer is recommending, in effect, the Chaucer is recommending, in effect, the incorporation of courtly love within incorporation of courtly love within marriage.marriage.

The Merchant’s TaleThe Merchant’s Tale

““January” decides to marry “May”: a not-January” decides to marry “May”: a not-too-subtle use of names.too-subtle use of names.

January’s reasons for marriage are entirely January’s reasons for marriage are entirely self-centered: concern for his soul, desire self-centered: concern for his soul, desire for a beautiful young wife, who will satisfy for a beautiful young wife, who will satisfy his needs with a minimum of trouble.his needs with a minimum of trouble.

In effect, he treats the acquisition of a wife In effect, he treats the acquisition of a wife as the purchase of a property.as the purchase of a property.

January’s FollyJanuary’s Folly January selects a woman without property or January selects a woman without property or

status, thinking that this will ensure his status, thinking that this will ensure his control over her.control over her.

For Aristotle, it is the mark of the “barbarian” For Aristotle, it is the mark of the “barbarian” that the husband treat his wife as a piece of that the husband treat his wife as a piece of property, like a domesticated animal.property, like a domesticated animal.

January is consistently foolish: foolish in January is consistently foolish: foolish in getting married, foolish in choosing his mate getting married, foolish in choosing his mate (without thought to her character), foolish in (without thought to her character), foolish in trusting Damien.trusting Damien.

Folly vs. VirtueFolly vs. Virtue

This folly inheres in January’s lack of virtue. This folly inheres in January’s lack of virtue. Lacking virtue himself, he is unable to Lacking virtue himself, he is unable to recognize its deficit in others.recognize its deficit in others.

Note that the queen of the fairies gives a bold Note that the queen of the fairies gives a bold answer to May, but is not responsible for answer to May, but is not responsible for January’s credulity.January’s credulity.

Like the wife of Bath’s first 3 “good” Like the wife of Bath’s first 3 “good” husbands, January is easily manipulated and husbands, January is easily manipulated and scolded into submission.scolded into submission.

The Franklin’s TaleThe Franklin’s Tale

The Franklin is a wonderful character: this-The Franklin is a wonderful character: this-worldly, no saint, but good and wise, an worldly, no saint, but good and wise, an ideal landowner and citizen.ideal landowner and citizen.

The story is marvelous: poignant, plausible The story is marvelous: poignant, plausible in characterization. Depicts an ideal in characterization. Depicts an ideal marriage, characterized by mutual marriage, characterized by mutual sovereignty.sovereignty.

Dorigen & ArveragusDorigen & Arveragus

Arveragus vows never to exercise his Arveragus vows never to exercise his authority against Dorigen’s will.authority against Dorigen’s will.

He will preserve his authority only in name, He will preserve his authority only in name, for the sake of his honor.for the sake of his honor.

A synthesis of the dynamics of courtly love A synthesis of the dynamics of courtly love with the form of marriage.with the form of marriage.

Similarities to AristotleSimilarities to Aristotle

The wife rightly exercises authority over all The wife rightly exercises authority over all matters internal to the household. Only a matters internal to the household. Only a foolish, tyrannical husband would seek to foolish, tyrannical husband would seek to interfere with his wife’s legitimate interfere with his wife’s legitimate authority, rooted in her natural aptitudes.authority, rooted in her natural aptitudes.

The husband’s role: generating income, The husband’s role: generating income, managing the external relations of the managing the external relations of the household, including civic politics.household, including civic politics.

The Point of the TaleThe Point of the Tale

““Lovers must be ready to obey one another, if they Lovers must be ready to obey one another, if they would long keep company.”would long keep company.”

Ideally, we look for “lordship set in servitude.” Ideally, we look for “lordship set in servitude.” This reflects Christ’s teaching that the greatest This reflects Christ’s teaching that the greatest Christian is the servant of others.Christian is the servant of others.

Patience is the “conquering virtue”. True power is Patience is the “conquering virtue”. True power is rooted in self-mastery.rooted in self-mastery.

The role of “nobleness” (code of honor) as a The role of “nobleness” (code of honor) as a source of virtue.source of virtue.