Chaucer portrays the women’s role as a servant to the man because they are seen as the ones who are supposed to cook and clean in the household. In The Miller’s Tale, Alison, a young, wild, and very pretty woman is married to John the Carpenter who is much older than she is. Although back then a person was supposed to marry someone around the same age, “[John] had fallen in the snare” (Chaucer 89), and he became afraid a younger man would take her from him. On account of this, he would have Alison stay home all day, where she could cook, clean, and take care of the house where they lived. Alison fit the role of the caretaker very well, as do others in The Canterbury Tales. In The Reeve’s Tale, Simpkin’s wife would be the one staying home cooking
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In the time The Canterbury Tales was set, the man was seen as the stronger sex, and most women knew their place. For example, in The Miller’s Tale, Alison was young and wild, and “[whose] body [was] as slender as any weasel’s” (Chaucer 90). She was a very pretty woman, and as soon as John realized this, he would have her stay home all day to protect her from other men trying to steal her from him. Alison was fine with this though, because of how she knew what she was supposed to do. She understood that each man is supposed to protect their wives or daughters from danger, and that is what John was trying to do, even if it did not work out. In addition to this, in the Reeve’s Tale, when Simpkin’s wife thought John and Alan were fighting she called out “‘help, Simpkin, help! These nasty clerks are fighting’” (Chaucer 118)! She knew that her husband was supposed to be the one fighting, and she was supposed to be sitting back and watching. She understood her role, and took advantage of it, even if it did not work out in the end. Furthermore in The Reeve’s Tale, Simpkin was a man full of pride, and his wife was just the same. They made a great pair because of how they think of themselves better than everyone. He made sure she was treated with respect, and “no one dared call her anything but ‘Madam’” (Chaucer 109). Simpkin did this not only to protect her, but to protect his honor. She definitely relied on him for protection, and her actions prove it. These women needing protection was another way that Chaucer portrays women as a man’s
In the time The Canterbury Tales was set, the man was seen as the stronger sex, and most women knew their place. For example, in The Miller’s Tale, Alison was young and wild, and “[whose] body [was] as slender as any weasel’s” (Chaucer 90). She was a very pretty woman, and as soon as John realized this, he would have her stay home all day to protect her from other men trying to steal her from him. Alison was fine with this though, because of how she knew what she was supposed to do. She understood that each man is supposed to protect their wives or daughters from danger, and that is what John was trying to do, even if it did not work out. In addition to this, in the Reeve’s Tale, when Simpkin’s wife thought John and Alan were fighting she called out “‘help, Simpkin, help! These nasty clerks are fighting’” (Chaucer 118)! She knew that her husband was supposed to be the one fighting, and she was supposed to be sitting back and watching. She understood her role, and took advantage of it, even if it did not work out in the end. Furthermore in The Reeve’s Tale, Simpkin was a man full of pride, and his wife was just the same. They made a great pair because of how they think of themselves better than everyone. He made sure she was treated with respect, and “no one dared call her anything but ‘Madam’” (Chaucer 109). Simpkin did this not only to protect her, but to protect his honor. She definitely relied on him for protection, and her actions prove it. These women needing protection was another way that Chaucer portrays women as a man’s