Geoffrey Chaucer was charged with rape by a lady named Cecily Chaumpaigne about the year 1380. It is most probably that a distinguishable character, such as Chaucer would not have been guilty of this charge. Having said that, the word “rape” possibly referred to kidnapping rather than assaulting a woman as it suggests nowadays. Cecily Chaumpaigne in 1380 released Chaucer of all charges of “raptu meo,” a phrase that could be interpreted as “seizing me”. It is feasible that this allegation of rape brought on to Chaucer by Cecily Chaumpaigne, is the pretty purpose behind the Tale of the Wife of Bath.
The wife of Bath is a challenging lady with a thoughts of her personal and she is not afraid to speak it. She intimidates men and woman alike due to the strength she possesses. But as an alternative of showing this as a constructive characteristic, Chaucer tends to make her toothless and ugly. Even so, Chaucer, as an alternative of portraying her low-social class as shameful, Chaucer showed that she is really prudent and eloquent. Chaucer sympathizes with her simply because he himself was viewed as low-class. The wife of Bath has also had five different husbands and countless affairs, hence breaking innocent guys*s hearts. Her husbands fell into two categories. The initially category of husbands was: wealthy, but also old and unable to fulfill her demands, sexually that is. The other husbands have been sexually vigorous, but tougher to manage. The 1st 3 have been rich, old, and jealous. She tamed them by accusing them of promiscuous behavior, that she herself practiced. Her fourth husband had a mistress, so she “gave him a real lead to for jealousy”. Her fifth marriage was unhappy for the reason that her husband who is half of her age beats her. To anger her fifth husband, the wife of Bath tore three pages from his book. Just after this he beat her once more. She pretended to be dead and he felt so guilty that he threw his whole book in the fire. This gave her the upper hand for the rest of his life.