Feminism In Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer used his characters in Canterbury Tales as a way to illustrate stereotype of medieval society. The Wife of Bath, one of the pilgrims in Canterbury Tales demonstrates an authoritative role in marriage The Wife of Bath’s unusual behavior and attitudes can be interpreted by two motives: feminist ideals or sexual indulgence. When considering feminist viewpoints, it can be concluded that the Wife of Bath’s behavior is motivated by sexual indulgence.

Feminists fight for the power of women in society. They believe this world is male dominated and woman must fight for power and gain control of men. The Wife of Bath fights for her power in her relationships. She begins her prologue by proclaiming that experience is the greatest authority. “Experience, even if there were no other authority in this world, would be grounds enough for me to speak

of the woe that is marriage”(Chaucer 1-3). Alisoun, the Wife of Bath professes that due to the fact that she has had a total of five huagesbands, she is an expert regarding love, power, and sexual pleasure. This is a woman that knows exactly what she wants: she wants power: power over the men in her life. All of Alisoun’s husbands “were men worthy of indifferent ways” (Chaucer 7). She thinks so highly of herself that she feels all her husbands must be “worthy” of her. It is obvious that she has a great deal of self-confidence with her attitude and how she presents herself. Although her husbands had to be worthy of her attention, in order to establish her authority over them she “governed them so well after my law” (Chaucer 220). The Wife of Bath governed her first four husbands according to the law. However, husband #5 did not join in on her games. Husband #5 was more interested in his books then Alisoun. This goes against everything the Wife of Bath has tried to instill on husbands. As an exciting challenge for Alisoun, she accepts it by antagonizing him. Alisoun provokes husband #5 when she rips out a page of his book knowing that this will cause a quarrel between the two of them. “And with his fist he smote me on the head, That on the floor I lay as I were dead.” (795-796) Alisoun lays down on the floor pretending to dead to make her husband feel guilty. “He comes near, and kneeled down gently, and said: Dear sister Alisoun so help me God. I shall never hit you again; what I have alone, you are to blame for yourself forgive me for it, I beseed you” (Chaucer 803-805). The Wife of Bath does whatever it takes to make her husband “bow down” to her and give up his power. After all Alisoun believes that, “a husband will I have, I will not let, Which shall be both my debtor and my thrall” (Chaucer 154-155). A husband is be supposed to be a wife’s slave because he has an obligation to her.
The other potential motive of the Wife of Bath is sexual indulgence.

When Alisoun says that a husband “shall be both my debtor and my thrall” (Chaucer 155), she means a husband should be a slave to his wife, does she mean in all aspects of a marriage or just sexually? Throughout the Wife of Bath’s prologue and tale, she consistently makes sexual references and her stories focus on sexuality: whether it be virginity, reproductive organs, or sex with her husband. “Tell me also, to what end were reproductive organs made?” (Chaucer 117). Alisoun believes that her husband owes her sex. “My husband shall have both evening and morning, whenever he wants to comeforth and pay his debt.’ (Chaucer 152-154). Alisoun gives her husband the freedom to choose when to pay his debt. This is ironic because she also claims “All through my life I have the power over his own body, and not he” (Chaucer 158-159). Although he chooses when he wants to pay his debt, Alisoun has all the power over his body, not him. She even withholds sex from her husband until he does what she wants. “Till he had made his ransom unto to me” (Chaucer

410).
While both power and sexual indulgence motives are possible, one must consider characteristics of feminism, which proves that the Wife of Bath is actually motivated by sexual gratification. Feminists fight for the power of all women. Alisoun only cares about herself. She attempts to share her knowledge with the other pilgrims in her stories, however she only cares about her power and sexual pleasure. Alisoun declares that “since I had them wholly in my hand, and since they have given me all their land, why should I take pains to please them, unless it should be for my own profit and pleasure” (Chaucer 211-215). Everything that Alisoun does is to achieve sexual pleasure. Alisoun openly admits to her audience that she would do anything it takes to have both power and sexual pleasure. “…in the end I got the better if them in every case, by trick, or force, or by some kind of method” (Chaucer 404). She plays tricks on her husbands. “my mother taught me that trick” (Chaucer 576), Alisoun has no shame in admitting this, because in the end she achieved the authority figure. She withholds sex from her husband. Alisoun knows what to say or do in order to get what she wants. She uses sex to manipulate man. She knows this from all her experience dealing with men. She believes in sexual freedom and giving into man’s desire. This is an anti-feminist view.
Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales exploits medieval society members regarding various social classes. The Wife of Bath exploits woman of medieval time as power thirsty sexually driven members of society. It could be interpreted that the Wife Bath’s reckless behavior and attitude is motivated by either power or sexual indulgence. Each of these interpretations are valid, when considering feminist viewpoints, it could be concluded that she is motivated by sexual pleasure.