Chaucer's Wife of Bath: Medieval Feminist

Gone Medieval

History Hit

History

4.6 • 2.2K Ratings

🗓️ 8 July 2025

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This episode contains explicit language and themes

We're revelling in the Canterbury Tales this week; who else to kick things off with a bang than the scandalous Wife of Bath?

Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Hetta Howes to celebrate Chaucer's scandalous and witty Wife of Bath, as they explore her five marriages, defiance of medieval norms, and her unapologetically bold voice. Together they unravel the rich details of her prologue and tale, filled with humour, controversy, and groundbreaking challenges to gender roles. Romp through one of literature's most unforgettable tales and characters.

Medieval Writers, Extraordinary Women

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2axC5tQ8weR8tfb9ZwQJbK

Geoffrey Chaucer, Father of English Literature

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3TMGrNTfPS5wwOqspKNfK3

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. It was edited by Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, I'm Matt Lewis.
0:02.6	And I'm Dr. Eleanor Yonaga.
0:04.2	And we're just popping up here to tell you some insider info.
0:08.0	If you would like to listen to Gone Medieval ad-free and get early access and bonus episodes,
0:13.3	sign up to History Hit.
0:14.5	With the History Hit subscription, you can also watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries.
0:20.6	Such as my new series on everyone's favorite
0:22.8	conquerors, the Normans, or my recent exploration of the castles that made Britain. There's a new
0:29.9	release to enjoy every week. Sign up now by visiting historyhit.com forward slash subscribe, or find a link in the show notes for this episode.
0:45.0	Hello, I'm Dr. Eleanorianica and welcome to Gone Medieval from History Hit, the podcast that delves into the
0:55.2	greatest millennium in human history. We uncover the greatest mysteries, the gobsmacking details,
1:02.7	and the latest groundbreaking research from the Vikings to the Normans, from kings to popes, to the Crusades.
1:10.5	We delve into the rebellions, plots, and murders that tell us who we really were.
1:17.3	And how we got here.
1:21.7	Before we get started today, just a word of warning.
1:25.2	We are talking about the wife of Bath's Tale, which is fairly saucy,
1:29.7	and the language gets a little bit fruity at times. So you might just want to have a listen first
1:34.0	before inviting any of the littler ears in your life to do the same. If you've ever wondered if
1:40.2	five marriages is perhaps a little excessive.
1:46.7	Today, we are rolling out the red carpet for the original queen of oversharing
1:49.4	the sassy, saucy, and spectacularly scandalous wife of bath.
1:56.1	Picture this. Chaucer's Canterbury Road.
	...

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