The Knight's Tale Feminist Analysis

The women in the Canterbury Tales have somewhat of a degree in the decisions that influence what happens to them. Sometimes the future is out of their hands, but they do have a choice in deciding who they let in their life. The women beauty is what causes them to have so many problems. All the women seem to not have the outcome they wish in the end, but they are able to contribute to what will happen. In this essay three women will be discussed. The women consist of Emelye from the Knights Tale, Alison from the Millers Tale, and Malyne from the Reeves Tale. All three women have a dealing in deciding their own future with the help of one or more gentlemen. Emelye in the Knights Tale is seen as a desire in the beginning of the tale. She holds the attention of two men, Palamon and Arcite. They admire her and her beauty when they come upon her. Both men were related by blood being that they were cousins but they also were sworn brothers. Emelye has no clue of their interest in her at first. For a while the men fought amongst themselves with no one knowing what they were fighting about. One day the men run into each other at the grove and decide to fight the issue out. They would …show more content…
Sometimes if its fate and no matter the decisions the outcome will be the same. In two of the tales, the miller and reeves tale, it’s evident that women use sex to determine their fate. Most of all the men seem to have a role in determining the women’s fate as well. In the Knight’s Tale Emelye was forced to marry one of the men. In the Miller’s Tale Alison let both Nicholas and John have a say so in what happens to her. John held her hostage for fear that she was young and beautiful and someone could come take her. Nicholas chose her fate with cheating on her husband. The biggest thing in all the tales that makes a difference is beauty. All of the women appearances are what holds the men