By Preeve which that is Demonstratif (3)
The interlude over, says Kittredge, the Clerk takes the opportunity to tell
a story about Grisildis, a girl whose patience and submissiveness in the
marriage relationship contrasts sharply with the Wife's boisterous bullying.
The Clerk's Tale ends with an "Envoy", a closing song, aimed directly at the
Wife of Bath.
The Merchant, picking up the last words of The Clerk's Tale, then tells the
story of an unhappy marriage between a lecherous old man and a faithless
young girl. His tale is full of savage satire against marriage (the
Merchant himself is unhappily married) and, according to Kittredge,
continues the "marriage debate" begun by the Wife.
When the Merchant has finished, the Host asks the Squire to tell a tale,
believing, Kittredge thought, that the pilgrims have surely had enough of
marriage. The Squire's Tale has indeed nothing to do with marriage, but it
is interrupted by the Franklin who, (according to Kittredge) tells of an
ideal marriage based on sound principles, thus bringing the "marriage
debate" to a satisfactory conclusion.
Kittredge's essay has been very useful in encouraging readers to see The
Canterbury Tales as a unity, each tale being only part of the whole and
relating to the other parts. Thanks to Kittredge, it is now usual to
enquire to what extent a tale is determined by the circumstances in which it
is told, to ponder its effects on the other pilgrims. It is certainly
necessary to read The Wife of Bath's Tale with an awareness of these
considerations. There is undoubtedly an element of truth in the theory of a
"discussion of marriage." Certainly, various aspects of the problem of
"maistrye" in marriage are discussed in the course of the four tales.
Oriens
To be continued.
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