Question

In his own general prologue for the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer puts in his description of the Wife of Bath enough details so that a medieval reader (or listener) would have thought 'Uh oh, she's one of those Shrews.' True or False?

Answer 1

Chaucer's depiction of the Wife of Bath in the Canterbury Tales is complex, and while it includes some controversial traits, it would be misleading to label her as a mere 'shrew'.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that in his General Prologue for the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer describes the Wife of Bath in a way that a medieval reader would have thought 'Uh oh, she's one of those Shrews' is false. While Chaucer does give a detailed portrayal of the Wife of Bath that suggests some controversial aspects of her personality and experience, such as her multiple marriages and assertiveness, the term 'shrew' in medieval times referred to a woman with a particularly vicious and scolding demeanor. The Wife of Bath, by contrast, is depicted as a worldly, confident, and experienced traveler with her own views on marriage and religion. Her character challenges traditional roles and is nonetheless presented with enough complexity to resist being dismissed as a simple caricature of a shrew.