The representation of women in “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue,” “The Miller’s Tale,” and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, shows cultural anxieties, women’s sexuality, and inferior place in society. Each of these women defies society’s expectations of them. They all have sexual desires and have no shame in expressing that, whether it is with their husband or another man. The Wife of Bath is perhaps the most rebellious female character of the three.
Medieval society was very different compared to today. Society’s structure relied heavily on religious doctrine that determined gender roles. According to the Bible, the female body was created from a man’s body. Thus, this was interpreted as women being inferior to men because they were created second and from man. Moreover, a woman is also responsible for the first sin in the world; Eve offered the forbidden fruit to Adam in the Bible. Women were supposed to be silent, obedient and submissive.
“The Wife of Bath,” from Chaucer’s The Canterbury …show more content…
Like “The Miller’s Tale,” she represents an unfaithful wife. Although she is not successful the first time, she continues to return. She requests a love token and gives Gawain her girdle because it is “magical.” The host’s wife represents a biblical reference of a temptress. When Gawain first arrives, he is in a serious mood, which quickly changes with his first sighting of the host’s wife. “Most winsome in ways of all women alive, She seemed to Sir Gawain, excelling Guinevere. To squire that splendid dame, he strode through the chance” (944-46). This is an underlying warning that although women are tempting and beautiful, that beauty is deceptive; women can lead to death. Moreover, this has a religious context to the temptress. It was Eve who offered Adam the forbidden fruit. Therefore, it is Eve that is responsible for sin, which translate into women being perceived as “evil” during the medieval
Medieval society was very different compared to today. Society’s structure relied heavily on religious doctrine that determined gender roles. According to the Bible, the female body was created from a man’s body. Thus, this was interpreted as women being inferior to men because they were created second and from man. Moreover, a woman is also responsible for the first sin in the world; Eve offered the forbidden fruit to Adam in the Bible. Women were supposed to be silent, obedient and submissive.
“The Wife of Bath,” from Chaucer’s The Canterbury …show more content…
Like “The Miller’s Tale,” she represents an unfaithful wife. Although she is not successful the first time, she continues to return. She requests a love token and gives Gawain her girdle because it is “magical.” The host’s wife represents a biblical reference of a temptress. When Gawain first arrives, he is in a serious mood, which quickly changes with his first sighting of the host’s wife. “Most winsome in ways of all women alive, She seemed to Sir Gawain, excelling Guinevere. To squire that splendid dame, he strode through the chance” (944-46). This is an underlying warning that although women are tempting and beautiful, that beauty is deceptive; women can lead to death. Moreover, this has a religious context to the temptress. It was Eve who offered Adam the forbidden fruit. Therefore, it is Eve that is responsible for sin, which translate into women being perceived as “evil” during the medieval