The Wife of Bath Essay
Back in Medieval times women did not have a lot of rights, so it was something that most women really wanted more than anything . Another thing that women in Medieval times is to be beautiful and young similar to women today. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a frame tale that is set to take place in the medieval times; it is a tale about pilgrims of all different classes going on a pilgrimage to St. Thomas A’Becket’s church to give thanks to him for keeping them safe or healthy. The Wife of Bath is a merchant who was on the pilgrimage while on the pilgrimage she tells a tale about a man who is accused of rape. Instead of killing him the Queen tells him to find out what women wanted, he meets an old hag and …show more content…
The Wife of Bath says “My husband he shall have it, eve and morrow…a husband I will get / Who shall be both my debtor and my thrall”(GP) this is her actually telling us she is going to make her husband her servant. The knight in the story says “‘My liege and lady,in general,’ said he/ ‘ A woman wants the self-same sovereignty/Over her husband as over her lover,/And master him; he must not be above her” (WBT 183-186) As you can see in the tale the the Wife of Bath mentions having complete dominance over men. Men should say to their wives “ Dear wife, go where you like best….” (GP) the Wife of Bath is talking about what she think her husbands should say to her. When the knight says “ My lady and my love, my dearest wife,/I leave the matter to your wise decision/You make the choice yourself, for the provision” (WBT 376-378). When the knight lets her make the decision about if she wants to be beautiful and unfaithful or faithful and ugly, he gets a beautiful and faithful wife. At the end of “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” the character becomes young, beautiful and has dominance over her husband which is also what the Wife of Bath wants in her life. In The Canterbury Tales, “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is ideally suited to the character of the Wife of Bath. you can see that through the relation of what Chaucer said about her in the Canterbury tales, what she said about herself in the prologue, and what her character wants in her tale. Throughout the tale you can see that the Wife of Bath is telling a story that is her ideal, through her looks, her wants, and her goals in
Back in Medieval times women did not have a lot of rights, so it was something that most women really wanted more than anything . Another thing that women in Medieval times is to be beautiful and young similar to women today. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a frame tale that is set to take place in the medieval times; it is a tale about pilgrims of all different classes going on a pilgrimage to St. Thomas A’Becket’s church to give thanks to him for keeping them safe or healthy. The Wife of Bath is a merchant who was on the pilgrimage while on the pilgrimage she tells a tale about a man who is accused of rape. Instead of killing him the Queen tells him to find out what women wanted, he meets an old hag and …show more content…
The Wife of Bath says “My husband he shall have it, eve and morrow…a husband I will get / Who shall be both my debtor and my thrall”(GP) this is her actually telling us she is going to make her husband her servant. The knight in the story says “‘My liege and lady,in general,’ said he/ ‘ A woman wants the self-same sovereignty/Over her husband as over her lover,/And master him; he must not be above her” (WBT 183-186) As you can see in the tale the the Wife of Bath mentions having complete dominance over men. Men should say to their wives “ Dear wife, go where you like best….” (GP) the Wife of Bath is talking about what she think her husbands should say to her. When the knight says “ My lady and my love, my dearest wife,/I leave the matter to your wise decision/You make the choice yourself, for the provision” (WBT 376-378). When the knight lets her make the decision about if she wants to be beautiful and unfaithful or faithful and ugly, he gets a beautiful and faithful wife. At the end of “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” the character becomes young, beautiful and has dominance over her husband which is also what the Wife of Bath wants in her life. In The Canterbury Tales, “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is ideally suited to the character of the Wife of Bath. you can see that through the relation of what Chaucer said about her in the Canterbury tales, what she said about herself in the prologue, and what her character wants in her tale. Throughout the tale you can see that the Wife of Bath is telling a story that is her ideal, through her looks, her wants, and her goals in