The Wife of Bath

More about the book

From the award-winning biographer of Chaucer, this narrative explores the life of one of his most popular and scandalous characters, the Wife of Bath, from the Middle Ages to the #MeToo movement. Since her debut in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, she has captivated readers across centuries, influencing writers from Shakespeare to Zadie Smith. Few literary figures have experienced such vibrant reinvention in poetry, drama, fiction, and film. Marion Turner delves into the origins of the Wife of Bath, her connections to real medieval women, and her evolution over time. A sexually liberated and humorous working woman, she openly discusses sexual pleasure while also sharing her experiences as a victim of domestic abuse, recounting stories of rape and redemption. Turner juxtaposes Alison's fictional narrative with the lives of actual medieval women, such as a maid who traveled Europe and a duchess who married a teenager at sixty-five. The book also traces Alison's post-medieval journey, from seventeenth-century ballads to her reclamation by postcolonial Black British women writers. Entertaining and thought-provoking, this work offers a unique history of a literary and feminist icon who continues to inspire readers today.