Although she claims that her backstory is meant to illustrate her mastery over the concept of marriage, she shows the capacity to dominate men. She describes herself as 'wise' due to her experience “of five housbonde scoleying am I" (283 line 50). She presents counter-arguments to various beliefs on maidenhood subjected by men on her time, and uses her own experience and various references to enhance her claims. For the most part, the reader should not take her misquotes as a surety that she is mouthing non-sense, as this is her attempt to legitimize her claims. She copies the standard way of arguing for a cause by referencing various sources, but considers her main source, herself, to be vital and conclusive evidence. Though, she may be one representative, it does not change that her voice has credible authority over men's opinion on women. In one case, she questions if it is written in the Bible if marriage or getting remarried is sin (284 lines 65-67). However, she points out it is better “to be wedded than to brinne” (283 line 58). She uses religious beliefs to strengthen her claims of marriage being an enabler for women to embrace the joys of sex. In her opinion, she does not seek marriage explicitly to conceive, but to accept womenhood the way a woman should. Even if she is interrupted or glossed over by men, she continues on strongly in her argument, to the point that her voice cannot be ignored. She even shows she doesn’t care what the men will think by stating “[m]en may divine and glosen up and down,/ But wel I woot, withouten lie” (283 lines 26-27). Regardless if she is corrected, she knows that her statements are not lie because she has lived them and is living proof that it is possible to live as a powerful libertine woman. Thus the men allow her to finish her life story, because they are unable to stop her or defy her
Although she claims that her backstory is meant to illustrate her mastery over the concept of marriage, she shows the capacity to dominate men. She describes herself as 'wise' due to her experience “of five housbonde scoleying am I" (283 line 50). She presents counter-arguments to various beliefs on maidenhood subjected by men on her time, and uses her own experience and various references to enhance her claims. For the most part, the reader should not take her misquotes as a surety that she is mouthing non-sense, as this is her attempt to legitimize her claims. She copies the standard way of arguing for a cause by referencing various sources, but considers her main source, herself, to be vital and conclusive evidence. Though, she may be one representative, it does not change that her voice has credible authority over men's opinion on women. In one case, she questions if it is written in the Bible if marriage or getting remarried is sin (284 lines 65-67). However, she points out it is better “to be wedded than to brinne” (283 line 58). She uses religious beliefs to strengthen her claims of marriage being an enabler for women to embrace the joys of sex. In her opinion, she does not seek marriage explicitly to conceive, but to accept womenhood the way a woman should. Even if she is interrupted or glossed over by men, she continues on strongly in her argument, to the point that her voice cannot be ignored. She even shows she doesn’t care what the men will think by stating “[m]en may divine and glosen up and down,/ But wel I woot, withouten lie” (283 lines 26-27). Regardless if she is corrected, she knows that her statements are not lie because she has lived them and is living proof that it is possible to live as a powerful libertine woman. Thus the men allow her to finish her life story, because they are unable to stop her or defy her