Change is inevitable. This fact remains true when examining literature from the Anglo-Norman, Medieval, and Early Renaissance eras. Throughout these times, femininity is a common thread interlaced into every story and sonnet. Marie de France: Lanval, The Canterbury Tales, Amoretti and Sonnet 130 all illustrate the paradigm shift in empowerment of women.
Marie de France: Lanval, is an Anglo-Norman story following the life of an envied knight detailing his service and demise under King Author. Lanval is an extremely masculine character and the author balances that by interjecting elements of femininity in the female characters he encounters. Lanval interacts with many women and one that specifically catches his interest. The maiden is described …show more content…
Chaucer describes the female characters in the tales to be ones that are typical in some aspects of late 1400’s medieval women. An example of one of the characters on the trip is the Wife of Bath, who could be described as extravagant, worldly, powerful, and experienced. However, she also has power given to her by her rank in society and her sexuality. She is a strong character that showcases the absolute power that women can have over men, similar to the woman in Marie de France: …show more content…
His descriptors include, “Her lips did smell lyke unto Gillyflowers, Her ruddy cheeks lyke budded Bellamoures, Her lovely eyes like Pincks but newly spread, Her goodly bosome lyke a Strawberry bed, Her neck lyke to a bounch of Cullambynes, Her brest lyke lilyes, ere theyr leave be shed, her nipples lyke yong blossomd Jessemynes.” This comparison illustrates that Elizabeth’s body is inherently good and abundantly beautiful escalating her to a place of power through her femininity thus illustrating the change in feminine power (Cummings). Previously in Early Renaissance texts, in order for a woman to have power, she needed to use her femininity to seduce a man in hopes to gain his attention, love and respect. Through later literature, one can see a complete role reversal. Men were expected to pursue women and women were freely given a sense of power through masculine
Marie de France: Lanval, is an Anglo-Norman story following the life of an envied knight detailing his service and demise under King Author. Lanval is an extremely masculine character and the author balances that by interjecting elements of femininity in the female characters he encounters. Lanval interacts with many women and one that specifically catches his interest. The maiden is described …show more content…
Chaucer describes the female characters in the tales to be ones that are typical in some aspects of late 1400’s medieval women. An example of one of the characters on the trip is the Wife of Bath, who could be described as extravagant, worldly, powerful, and experienced. However, she also has power given to her by her rank in society and her sexuality. She is a strong character that showcases the absolute power that women can have over men, similar to the woman in Marie de France: …show more content…
His descriptors include, “Her lips did smell lyke unto Gillyflowers, Her ruddy cheeks lyke budded Bellamoures, Her lovely eyes like Pincks but newly spread, Her goodly bosome lyke a Strawberry bed, Her neck lyke to a bounch of Cullambynes, Her brest lyke lilyes, ere theyr leave be shed, her nipples lyke yong blossomd Jessemynes.” This comparison illustrates that Elizabeth’s body is inherently good and abundantly beautiful escalating her to a place of power through her femininity thus illustrating the change in feminine power (Cummings). Previously in Early Renaissance texts, in order for a woman to have power, she needed to use her femininity to seduce a man in hopes to gain his attention, love and respect. Through later literature, one can see a complete role reversal. Men were expected to pursue women and women were freely given a sense of power through masculine