Alice in Iceland: An Image of the Wife of Bath in Nordic Myth

Description: Examines the imagery of beautiful feet in Deschamps, Homer, the Old Irish tale of Derdriu, and Nordic myth. Using the motif of Jankin's attractive legs and feet, Taylor draws correspondences between the Wife of Bath's choice of the fifth husband and a similar motif in Icelandic myth. "Scathe," which appears in Chaucer only in association with Alison, may have connections to the Old Norse giantess Skadi (from ON "skadi" (harmer)).