Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales stands as an unparalleled masterpiece of English literature, a vibrant tapestry woven from the diverse narratives of a group of pilgrims journeying to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury. Through this ingenious frame narrative, Chaucer not only provides a vivid cross-section of 14th-century English society but also delves into profound theological, social, and moral debates that continue to resonate. Among the most memorable and controversial of these pilgrims is the Wife of Bath, a character whose prologue, from which the provided lines are drawn, is a tour de force of personal revelation and argumentative prowess, challenging the prevailing orthodoxies of her time with a refreshingly bold and earthy perspective.

The lines, “I graunte it wel , I have noon envie, Thogh maidenhead preferbigamie. It liketh hem to be clene, body and goost;”, encapsulate the very essence of the Wife of Bath’s formidable argument. They are a concise expression of her pragmatic philosophy, her defiance of ascetic ideals, and her unwavering assertion of the validity of her own life choices. To fully appreciate the layers of meaning embedded within this seemingly straightforward statement, one must delve into the intricate socio-religious landscape of medieval England, understanding the hierarchical values placed upon virginity, marriage, and spiritual purity, and how the Wife of Bath, Alisoun, cunningly navigates and subverts these established norms.

The Wife of Bath: A Voice of Experience and Defiance

The Wife of Bath, or Alisoun, is arguably the most extensively developed character in The Canterbury Tales, afforded a lengthy prologue that precedes her tale. Her physical description – a somewhat deaf, gap-toothed woman with a red face, broad hips, and a skill in cloth-making – immediately sets her apart as a figure of robust sensuality and worldly experience. Having married five times and travelled extensively, she possesses a wealth of lived wisdom, which she proudly champions as superior to scholarly “auctoritee” (written authority). This assertion forms the backbone of her entire discourse, as she uses her personal history to dismantle and reconfigure the established norms surrounding marriage, sex, and female agency.

Medieval society, profoundly influenced by the Church, placed immense value on spiritual ideals, particularly virginity. The ideal of perpetual virginity, embodied by the Virgin Mary and celebrated by numerous saints and Church Fathers, was presented as the highest state of spiritual purity. Marriage, while acknowledged as a sacrament and a necessary institution for procreation, was often viewed as a concession to human weakness and a less pure state than celibacy. This theological hierarchy, explicitly articulated by figures like St. Jerome in his polemic Adversus Jovinianum, privileged the chaste, ascetic life above the married state, especially for women. Within this framework, having multiple marriages, even sequentially after the death of a spouse (referred to as digamy or “bigamy” in the medieval sense), was often viewed with suspicion or as a further descent from the ideal. It is against this backdrop of deeply ingrained religious and social values that the Wife of Bath launches her audacious defense of her own life.

Deconstructing the Lines: Challenging Ascetic Ideals

The opening phrase, “I graunte it wel, I have noon envie,” immediately establishes the Wife of Bath’s rhetorical strategy. The concession “I graunte it wel” is not an admission of error or a genuine agreement with the prevailing view. Rather, it is a skillful rhetorical maneuver, an acknowledgment of a widely held belief that she intends to immediately counter. She acknowledges the existence of a standard without endorsing it. Crucially, the declaration “I have noon envie” underscores her complete lack of desire for or regret over not pursuing the path of virginity. This is a defiant statement of self-acceptance and contentment with her chosen life. She is not lamenting her marital history or wishing she had remained chaste; instead, she is asserting the validity and fulfillment she finds in her own experiences. This lack of envy implies a subtle critique of those who might judge her, suggesting that their preference for virginity does not make their path inherently superior, nor does it diminish her own.

The subsequent clause, “Thogh maidenhead prefer bigamie,” is the linchpin of her argument, directly confronting the medieval theological hierarchy. “Maidenhead,” or virginity, was indeed “preferred” – not just by individuals, but by the ecclesiastical establishment as the most virtuous state. The term “bigamie” here refers to her successive marriages, her being a “wife of five,” rather than the modern legal definition of being married to two people simultaneously. In the medieval period, sequential marriages, particularly multiple ones, were often viewed with some disdain, certainly less favorably than a single, lifelong marriage, and vastly inferior to virginity. The Wife of Bath is acutely aware of this societal preference. By stating this preference without expressing regret or shame, she implicitly challenges its absolute authority. She is acknowledging the societal ideal while simultaneously rejecting its personal relevance or moral superiority over her own lived reality. Her statement is a recognition of the rule, but a refusal to be bound by its spirit or to internalize its judgment.

Redefining Purity: “It liketh hem to be clene, body and goost;”

The final part of the fragment, “It liketh hem to be clene, body and goost;”, addresses those who actively pursue the path of virginity. The phrase “It liketh hem” signifies that this choice is a matter of personal preference and inclination for others, not a universal mandate. She grants them their path, suggesting an almost tolerant, albeit slightly condescending, acknowledgment of their different desires. This contrasts sharply with the Wife of Bath’s own explicit and robust celebration of marriage and the procreative imperative, which she argues is equally, if not more, divinely ordained.

The crux of this line lies in the concept of “cleanness, body and goost.” For medieval theologians, physical virginity was inextricably linked to spiritual purity. The absence of carnal knowledge was seen as a state of grace that brought one closer to God. The Wife of Bath, however, subtly challenges this narrow definition of purity. While she acknowledges that virgins seek “cleanness” through abstinence, her entire prologue is a demonstration that “cleanness” and spiritual grace can be achieved through other means, specifically through the sacrament of marriage and the fulfillment of its divinely sanctioned purpose. She argues that God commanded humanity to “wax and multiply,” a command that necessitates marriage and sexual relations. By fulfilling this commandment, she implies, one is also pursuing a form of “cleanness” or spiritual righteousness that is different from, but not inferior to, the purity of virginity. She argues for the validity of different paths to salvation and spiritual fulfillment, implicitly broadening the scope of what constitutes a virtuous life beyond the ascetic ideal. Her defense of marriage is rooted in both pragmatic necessity and a reinterpretation of biblical authority, as she selectively cites scriptures to support her claim that marriage is not merely a concession but a divinely blessed state.

Broader Themes and Significance

These lines, therefore, serve as a microcosm of the Wife of Bath’s larger philosophical and proto-feminist project within her prologue. Her arguments resonate with several significant themes:

Authority versus Experience: This is the central conflict in the Wife of Bath’s discourse. She champions “experience” as a superior form of knowledge compared to “auctoritee” or scholastic learning derived from books and traditional interpretations. She argues that no amount of theological treatises can rival the wisdom gained from living five marriages and traveling the world. Her personal history becomes her sacred text, through which she interprets and reinterprets canonical scriptures to suit her own arguments, often twisting them with witty sophistry. This intellectual audacity, coming from a laywoman, is profoundly subversive in a society where knowledge and interpretation of scripture were largely the domain of educated men.

Proto-Feminism: The Wife of Bath is often hailed as an early, albeit complex, feminist figure. Her outspokenness on female desire, sexual agency, and the manipulation of patriarchal systems for female gain is remarkable for her time. She asserts women’s right to control their own bodies and destinies, even within the confines of marriage. She candidly discusses the techniques she used to gain “maistrie” (mastery) over her husbands, leveraging their desires and societal expectations to her advantage. Her entire prologue can be read as a radical assertion of female subjectivity and autonomy in a male-dominated world, long before the advent of organized feminist movements.

Satire and Social Commentary: Chaucer uses the Wife of Bath not only to entertain but also to offer incisive social commentary and Satire. Her character allows him to satirize the hypocrisy of certain religious figures, the rigidities of medieval theology, and the prevailing societal norms that often imposed unrealistic or unfair expectations, particularly on women. Her frank discussions about sex, money, and power expose the often-grubby realities beneath the veneer of pious ideals. She represents the vibrant, earthy, and often contradictory aspects of human nature that resist neat categorization. Her very existence and her powerful voice challenge the simplified moral binaries prevalent in the dominant discourse.

The Carnivalesque: Literary theorist Mikhail Bakhtin’s concept of the “carnivalesque” can be applied to the Wife of Bath. She embodies a spirit of festive degradation, turning hierarchies upside down, celebrating the body and its functions, and challenging official dogma. Her prologue is a “world turned upside down,” where a woman, often considered lesser, dares to instruct men, where physical desires are celebrated, and where the sacred is brought down to an earthy level. This subversive quality makes her both an entertaining and a profoundly unsettling figure for her contemporary audience.

Chaucer’s Craft: The Wife of Bath’s monologue is a testament to Chaucer’s masterful characterization and his innovative use of dramatic monologue. Through her voice, he creates a complex, multi-layered personality who is both admirable and flawed, wise and worldly, pious and pragmatic. The richness of her language, her rhetorical flourishes, and her seamless blend of personal anecdote with biblical exegesis make her one of the most compelling voices in English literature. Her ability to articulate such controversial ideas through a seemingly simple concession speaks volumes about Chaucer’s skill in crafting nuanced and profound characters.

Conclusion

The lines “I graunte it wel , I have noon envie, Thogh maidenhead preferbigamie. It liketh hem to be clene, body and goost;” are far more than a simple statement; they encapsulate the Wife of Bath’s entire defiant yet pragmatic philosophy. They represent her deliberate refusal to conform to the prevailing ascetic ideals of her time, instead asserting the inherent validity and spiritual grace of her own lived experience as a married woman, even one with multiple husbands. Her rhetorical acknowledgment of virginity’s “preference” is not an acceptance of inferiority but a calculated concession that immediately sets the stage for her profound counter-argument for a broader, more inclusive definition of virtue and spiritual fulfillment.

Alisoun of Bath stands as a monumental figure in literature, championing female agency and offering a profound challenge to patriarchal authority and restrictive theological doctrines. Her eloquent and often audacious debate over virginity and marriage transcends mere theological discourse; it is deeply personal, social, and psychological, reflecting the complex anxieties and diverse moral landscapes of medieval society. Through her, Chaucer probes the very foundations of what constitutes a virtuous life, suggesting that piety can manifest in myriad forms, not solely through abstinence but also through the embrace of human experience, including the joys and trials of marital life.

Ultimately, the Wife of Bath’s voice, so vividly captured in these pivotal lines, continues to resonate with its timeless exploration of gender, power dynamics, and the intricate, often contradictory, nature of the human search for meaning and fulfillment. She remains one of literature’s most enduring and complex characters, a testament to radical individualism within a highly structured society, whose wisdom, born of extensive experience rather than scholastic authority, continues to challenge and provoke thought centuries after her creation.