Wife Of Bath Feminist Analysis

When one is debating whether the Wife of Bath is a feminist or not, it is important to take into account her cultural background. She is a woman from the Middle Ages, a period in which women were held to the standard of being a wife, mother, or a nun. Jobs were limited and husbands were often chosen by family members at an early age. It can be argued that the Wife of Bath, known as Alison, is a feminist due to her strength, honesty, and view on an ideal wife or woman. This is crucial because she draws attention and admiration to herself in a period where women were expected to submit to their husbands. In this way, she defends her beliefs and does not hesitate to express her feelings surrounding those beliefs.
In regards to her strength, …show more content…
She feels that others ought to not judge her on the basis of having many marriages throughout her life. It was evident that Alison’s previous marriages were failures. She dealt with abuse from her last two husbands and her first three husbands were much older in age. It may have been difficult for Alison to relate to her first three husbands due to her young age during that time. She does not want material things or money. Her ultimate goal is to live a life of freedom and to have a young husband who will truly love her.
Alison’s view on an ideal wife or woman is another example of feminism. With reference to this view, Alison believes virtuosity is what makes a woman truly beautiful. She does this by explaining a story in which a knight rapes a woman and his punishment his death. An old woman offers him a way to escape death and in return he must marry her. The knight then looks down on her due to her old age. Due to his pride and judgment, the old woman explains that character triumphs over everything else that a man desires from a woman. This is portrayed when Alison