The Wife Of Bath's Tale Essay

689 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Masculinity versus Femininity

A woman's value has changed drastically from that of the fourteenth century to today’s society. Rights, jobs, and even higher education have become open doors for woman as the years go by. A small crises having to do with women does not go unnoticed, considering the angry mobs that floor the streets on a daily basis to enhance feminism. However, that was not the case in the tale The Wife of Bath's Tale. Seeing the The Wife of Bath’s silence on the victim's fate yells out a huge message that reflects not only on the maiden's insignificance to the author and his fourteenth-century audience but the value in women in general during that time period.
The tale began with a crime and ended in a story of love, rewarding the same man who committed the crime. Many say that …show more content…

As stated before, events in the story lead to simple confusion, such as whether or not the use of the maidens to further the Knights quest or the maiden being insignificant because of her gender. Although the Knight did end up with a beautiful young loyal woman, the cost of this success is what speaks out. The knight gave the queen and woman what they both wanted. The queen wanted the knight to go out on a search and discover what it means to actually understand women and what they want, and the old lady to find a true love to break her spell. The story gives a win win to the majority, by only having the point come across. The knight had to give in and let the woman take control of the situation, as it states in the poem, "My lady and my love, and wyf so deere, I put me in youre wise governance; Cheseth youreself which may be moost plesance. And moost honour to yow and me also. For as yow liketh, it suffiseth me."(1230-1235). The knight handed all charge to his wife, proving that all women want is to take charge, and the knight granted that desire while also demonstrating the point of the queen's

Show More
Related

  • Comparing The Wife of Bath's Tale and The Story of Dame Ragnell

    972 Words  | 2 Pages

    The story of Dame Ragnell and "The Wife of Bath's Tale" are works that are very similar yet have differences that set the two apart. The most obvious comparison between the two works is the dilemma faced in each. In both stories a man's life is at stake and all he has to do to be spared is to answer one question. That question has to do with what women really want. Another similarity involves the outcome of each story. The differences between the two stories are revealed in the plots. The differences that stand out the most are the circumstances leading up to the question being asked and the attitude of the person that has to marry the old hag to get the answer to the question. There are many small differences between the stories but they are not as important as the two mentioned.

    Read More

  • No Apologies for The Wife of Bath

    849 Words  | 2 Pages

    Leicester, Jr., H. Marshall. "Public and Private Feminism in the Wife of Bath's Tale." Women's Studies 11.1-2 (1985): 157-78.

    Read More

  • Women In The Wife Of Bath's Tale

    782 Words  | 2 Pages

    How are men and women depicted in The Tale of Genji, The Lays, and The Wife of Bath’s Tale?

    Read More

  • The Wife Of Bath's Tale Comparison Essay

    694 Words  | 2 Pages

    Chaucer wrote, “The queen then thanked the king with all her might, And after this the queen spoke with the knight when she saw opportunity one day. I'll grant you life if you can tell me what it is that women most desire. And if you cannot tell me right away, I'll give you leave, a twelvemonth and a day. That you may go to seek, that you might find an answer that is of sufficient kind” (Chaucer Line 900-910). The Queen saw an opportunity and granted him an opportunity to redeem himself.

    Read More

  • Canterbury Tales Essay - The Assertive and Vulnerable Wife of Bath

    1324 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Wife of Bath is admirable in that she is assertive and has attempted to succeed in her life. Despite being a woman of the fourteenth century, her ideas, beliefs, and actions are more like a woman of the twenty-first century. She is truly a woman ahead of her time. Unfortunately, her restrictive environment prevented her from self-realization.  Therefore, she fails to effectively cope with and change her situation.  The wife of bath is a sad, lost woman, who used the wrong methods to find true love and happiness.  Hiding behind a confident mask, this woman is never truly free.

    Read More

  • Satire and Intrigue in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales

    992 Words  | 2 Pages

    Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is comprised of several different tales being told by various narrators, such as The Miller’s Tale and the The Wife of Bath’s Prologue.  First, The Miller’s Tale is part of “a genre known as “fabliau”: a short story in verse that deals satirically, often grossly and fantastically as well as hilariously, with intrigues and deceptions about sex or money” (Chaucer 264).  This tale involves a carpenter, the carpenter’s wife, Alisoun, a poor astrology student, Nicholas, and a church clerk, Absolon, where the wife and the student try to keep their relationship a secret from her husband, while the clerk pines for the her.  Second, The Wife of Bath’s Prologue consists of a woman who “asserts her female “experience”

    Read More

  • The Role Of Power In The Wife Of Bath Tale

    823 Words  | 2 Pages

    After spending a year searching for the answer, the knight returns up empty handed. However, he meets an old woman who will provide him with what he desires the most, “‘Koude ye me wise, I wolde wel quite youre hire’ / ‘Plight me thy trouthe here in myn hand,’quod she / ‘The nexte thyng that I require thee, / Thou shalt it do, if it lye in thy myght’ (1008-1011). Women bargaining with a man during the fourteenth century is abnormal. By defying the master narrative, the Wife of Bath makes it appear as though women’s knowledge is the key to curing a man’s helplessness and distress. Therefore, this explains why the old woman knows exactly what women want the most, authority, which she demonstrates in her dominance over the knight (Sturges 45). Chaucer is clearly undermining the patriarchal ideology by defying the master narrative in the way power is

    Read More

  • The Wife of Bath, The Wife of Bath Prologue, and The General Prologue

    969 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Wife of Bath, The Wife of Bath Prologue, and The General Prologue These selections from The Canterbury Tales best exemplify the ideals and traits of women (as portrayed by Chaucer). In, The Wife of Bath Prologue, the narrator brags of her sexual exploits as well as her prowess of controlling men. The narrator is quite forthright in her enjoyment of this manipulation; she comments on her technique of lying and predomination of men. The General Prologue further serves to display the daunting traits of women.

    Read More

  • Canterbury Tales - Wife of Bath

    372 Words  | 1 Pages

    “The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales” had numerous unique characters, but the Wife of Bath struck me as the most interesting personality. Through the narrator’s use of direct and indirect characterization, significant details, and motivations for actions I was able to analyze the distinct traits of “the worthy woman from beside Bath city.” The narrator was very successful in portraying the wife.

    Read More

  • The Wife Of Bath: An Analysis

    110 Words  | 1 Pages

    Throughout her entire prologue The Wife of Bath has been through several marriages all of them so far have been good until she married her fifth and current husband Jankyn. Jankyn had been reading to The Wife of Bath on a book about wicked wives. Throughout over twenty or more lines he tells her the horrific actions these women do their husbands. At some point these actions are taking a toll on The Wife of Bath as she cannot take the mistreatment that this book gives on women and furthermore, wives. The Wife of Bath finally begins to take the book away from Jankyn which leads into a violence

    Read More

  • Theme Of Gender In The Wife Of Bath

    2009 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout “The Wife Of Bath’s Prologue” the discussion and topic of female sexuality is frequently referred to. The Wife of Bath uses her sexuality and her body as a tool to gain financial independence and control over her husband. She lures the men in, and in doing so, is taking away their power without them even knowing it. Traditionally, women were viewed to be lower class than their male counterparts. They were supposed to be subordinate and virtually helpless. Within this prologue; however, The Wife of Bath, is not seen as subordinate. The satirization of the traditional gender roles are emphasized and shown quite prominently because of this. The Wife of Bath will not fall victim to her husbands or anyone of the male gender. She will yell at her husbands while they are drunk, claiming they did things when in actuality they did not do them. The Wife of Bath manipulates their state of mind when they are disorientated and instead of a female falling victim to a man, the man falls victim to the

    Read More

  • The Wife Of Bath's Tale Feminist Analysis

    351 Words  | 1 Pages

    Unlike many of Geoffrey Chaucer’s other tales, The Wife of Bath’s is from the point of view of a medieval woman named Alison. Although Alison may seem as though she is a radical feminist as she sexually exploits and controls men, Alison is clearly not a feminist but rather believes in a form of misandry. Alison’s wicked, deceitful ways exemplify the negative side of women that one may hear within stereotypes. Although this sexual confidence and rebellion may be seen as a feminist standpoint in these medieval times, it actually does not empower women at all but may harm them. Alison’s attitude toward men confirms many stereotypes and may encourage men to hold a misogynist viewpoint toward women. Geoffrey

    Read More

  • The Wife Of Bath's Tale Essay

    492 Words  | 1 Pages

    My first vacation out of the United States was to a resort in Cancun, Mexico. My family had just landed from a grueling connecting flight and we were all in foul moods. My brother, sister, and I were complaining about our legs being sore. While, my mom and dad were arguing about where to go. After the heated discussion, we found a bus that was going to the resort. My family and I gathered our luggage and packed it on the crowded charter. Unexpectedly, the most profound part of my trip was the short twenty minute ride to the resort. As soon as we left the airport, I was struck by the immediate poverty. The airport had shielded us from the most evident displays of impoverishment. One of the most striking instances was a naked woman bathing in a filthy river with an infant. I saw this no more than five minutes away from our resort which seemed unbelievable. Just looking out the window of the charter made my siblings and I quickly stop complaining about our legs. The short bus ride showed me the unfairness of the world. Why had I seemingly been given everything and this infant given nothing? This experience taught me gratitude at a young age. Just how I

    Read More

  • The Role Of Women In The Wife Of Bath

    1673 Words  | 4 Pages

    What means necessary would one take to obtain power in intimate settings such as love and marriage?  In The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, one encounters a very bold, confident, fearless, and controlling woman.  One learns in her prologue that the Wife of Bath is not the one to conform to medieval societal norms.  She does not follow what women are supposed to be portrayed as. This woman has had five husbands who widowed her, she was the dominant figure in her relationships, she used respected materials such as the Bible to justify her active sexual life, and believed that men should be submissive to their wives.  In her tale after a knight raped a woman he is sent by the queen and court to discover what women want most in

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Wife Of Bath's Tale

    502 Words  | 2 Pages

    The setting of The Wife of Bath’s Tale provides a unique background for this magical story. The wife of bath is set in the same time of previous tales, but adds more a magical element to it. This tale is set in a world that is different than the ones the pilgrims are familiar with. Though the wifes of bath’s tale still references knights, kings, and noble ladies it adds a magical aspect. The wife describes the setting as one where faires fill the land. This provides the tale with room for more

    Read More

More about The Wife Of Bath's Tale Essay

Open Document