Essay Database

Comments on Marriage Many tales in the Canterbury Tales make some comment about marriage. These comments offer different perspectives of marital relationships. The Wife of Bath expresses a marriage can be happy only after a woman has gained complete sovereignty over her husband. The Clerk reveals an opposite view in his tale of a totally submissive and obedient wife. Marriage portrayed in the Franklin’s tale is something in between the extremes of the Wife of…

…er husband. Therefore, the Franklin’s tale depicts marriage as being based on courtly love and honesty. None of the views of marriage presented in the Canterbury Tales represent Geoffrey Chaucer’s own beliefs. By depicting such a variety of perspectives toward marriage, Chaucer is allowing the readers to draw their own conclusions on each tale without moralizing or judging the characters for their relationships.