Essay on The Wife of Bath Feminism in Chaucers Work

Women in the medieval times were cast into very distinct roles. There was a strict code of conduct that was followed. They were to be submissive to their husbands and follow their lead. A womans place was also in the home and the responsibilities of cooking, cleaning, sewing, etc. fell into their domain. Women who deviated from these cultural-set norms made for interesting characters. Chaucers use of women and their overstepping their boundaries and typical roles in society make them most memorable. Most of the gender expectations stemmed from the Church and biblical history. There were many anti-feminist feelings due to Eve causing the fall of Man. Women were perceived to be responsible for most of the suffering to man, and†¦show more content†¦Who peyntede the leon, tel me who? By God, if women hadde written stories, As clerkes han withinne hire oratories, They wolde han written of men more wikkednesse Than al the mark of Adam may redresse. (668-702) The Wife is referring to one of Aesops fables about who was superior in the relationship. It was argued with a reference to a picture of man having authority over the lion, and then the lion responds with an obvious truth. Since man had painted the picture, of course it would be presented that way. If the lion had painted the picture, the circumstances would have been different. What the Wife of Bath is saying is that since men established the dynamics of the male/female relationship, women are unable to change the image. Had control been in the hands of women from the start, they would be in control of relationships. In so much that the Wife of Bath fights back against the oppression against women, she in turn ends up treating her husbands in the same oppressive manner. It is interesting to note that in her rants against men being the controlling force in marriages, she herself was a bully to her husbands. This makes it difficult to interpret Chaucers intentions in creating a strong women character advocating for her due rights. By vocalizing her thoughts and what were most likely many womens thoughts of his day, he gives an identity and power to those without aShow MoreRelatedFeminism In Chaucers The Wife Of Bath1216 Words   |  5 Pagesof literature deals with interpreting the original meaning of a work and attempting to understand how it applies to modern day readers. As with other pieces of literature, this is also true for Chaucer’s â€Å"The Wife of Bath’s Prologue,† where many contemporary scholars hail Chaucer as feminist icon for his depiction of an eloquent, in dependent woman. This interpretation, however, is flawed because it is highly anachronistic. 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