The Gender Expression
Gender roles have define both men and women all around the world. Centuries beyond centuries, females were often treated inferior to males, often classified as simply a mother, a wife, a maid— an accessory to men. However, not all women were absolutely defined by men. At the same time, men are expected of to carry the household and make important decisions. All has come to show that both genders were expected to carry out certain roles. The pieces Beowulf and Geoffrey Chaucer's Wife of Bath promptly display the constant between gender roles in the 8th and 14th centuries’.
The Wife of Bath and Beowulf are two greatly contrasting, yet similar pieces. They are similar by how some female characters were given rather ‘damaging’ …show more content…
The Wife married for wealth and thrivied off the submission of her husbands. As compared in Beowulf, were Wealhtheow, queen and hostess to Hrothgar, acted nothing compared to that of The Wife. The lines 922-924, Beowulf, “his queen walked / the mead-path by him, her maidens following,” scripts Wealhtheow as an elegant lady, and her act of following husband side indicates that she is the submissive partner in the marriage. Oppositely, in The Wife of Bath, details in literature and society’s perspective of wo men have changed. Women are steadily walking from the shadows of men; which reflects The Wife’s life story. “Experience, though noon auctoritee / Were in this world, is right ynogh for me / … Housbondes at chirche dore I have had five” (li 1-6) The Wife begins explaining her story, where she believes that marrying five husbands is nothing to be ashamed of. The Wife of Bath not only displays an honest and down-to-earth realist, she a sign of an early feminist. In a scenario where a women marries five husbands, she would have been called ‘shameless’ or even a ‘gold-digger,’ however The Wife of Bath seems completely shameless and even proud of such choices. Such proves that The Wife is less concerned with what other people think of her; simply worrying about her own happiness, such can be examined in the lines 44-46 “Blessed be God that I gave wedded five, / Of whiche I …show more content…
Even though Grendel’s mother is not human, she displays rather humanistic traits, such as vengeance, confidence and love. As stated, Grendel sought revenge from Beowulf for the death of her son, such act shows that Grendel’s mother loves her son. At the same time, she displays confidence, where still attempted to seek revenge, even if it may result in death. Grendel’s mother heads towards what she believes is right, as same for The Wife of Bath, who married five times because she believes that wealth will give her more happiness than
Gender roles have define both men and women all around the world. Centuries beyond centuries, females were often treated inferior to males, often classified as simply a mother, a wife, a maid— an accessory to men. However, not all women were absolutely defined by men. At the same time, men are expected of to carry the household and make important decisions. All has come to show that both genders were expected to carry out certain roles. The pieces Beowulf and Geoffrey Chaucer's Wife of Bath promptly display the constant between gender roles in the 8th and 14th centuries’.
The Wife of Bath and Beowulf are two greatly contrasting, yet similar pieces. They are similar by how some female characters were given rather ‘damaging’ …show more content…
The Wife married for wealth and thrivied off the submission of her husbands. As compared in Beowulf, were Wealhtheow, queen and hostess to Hrothgar, acted nothing compared to that of The Wife. The lines 922-924, Beowulf, “his queen walked / the mead-path by him, her maidens following,” scripts Wealhtheow as an elegant lady, and her act of following husband side indicates that she is the submissive partner in the marriage. Oppositely, in The Wife of Bath, details in literature and society’s perspective of wo men have changed. Women are steadily walking from the shadows of men; which reflects The Wife’s life story. “Experience, though noon auctoritee / Were in this world, is right ynogh for me / … Housbondes at chirche dore I have had five” (li 1-6) The Wife begins explaining her story, where she believes that marrying five husbands is nothing to be ashamed of. The Wife of Bath not only displays an honest and down-to-earth realist, she a sign of an early feminist. In a scenario where a women marries five husbands, she would have been called ‘shameless’ or even a ‘gold-digger,’ however The Wife of Bath seems completely shameless and even proud of such choices. Such proves that The Wife is less concerned with what other people think of her; simply worrying about her own happiness, such can be examined in the lines 44-46 “Blessed be God that I gave wedded five, / Of whiche I …show more content…
Even though Grendel’s mother is not human, she displays rather humanistic traits, such as vengeance, confidence and love. As stated, Grendel sought revenge from Beowulf for the death of her son, such act shows that Grendel’s mother loves her son. At the same time, she displays confidence, where still attempted to seek revenge, even if it may result in death. Grendel’s mother heads towards what she believes is right, as same for The Wife of Bath, who married five times because she believes that wealth will give her more happiness than