Promiscuity In The Wife Of Bath

A Unique Ideal of its Time Throughout Geoffrey Chaucer’s character Allison of his tale “The Wife of Bath” within his famous writings, titled “The Canterbury Tales,” readers are presented with an unusual ideal of its time (Medieval Ages) by the author himself. Chaucer’s personal feministic ideals are shown throughout his advocation for women by The Wife Of Bath herself. The Wife of Bath is unlike any of her fellow pilgrims, especially those of her gender. Allison holds true throughout the prologue to her matriarchal and feminist view points through the imagery, characterization, and dialogue (Smith). The Wife of Bath is infamously overlooked as an overly confident, experienced, and sexually open character, she’s described in the following quote as “gapped toothed” which at the time was believed to be an indicator of promiscuity, “She had gap-teeth, set widely, truth to say. Easily on an ambling horse she sat Well wimpled up, and on her head a hat As broad as is a buckler or a shield; She had a flowering mantle that concealed Large hips, her heels spurred sharply under that” (Chaucer 15). However, Chaucer intended to present her as a way to tell women that they're much more than property. Chaucer creates an image of feminine power …show more content…
This subject was publicly unspoken of by women, even still to the day: the subject of sex. Allison said, “Telle me also, to what conclusioun were membres maad of generacioun and of so parfit wys a wright y-wroght? Trusteth right wel, they were nat maad for noght” (Chaucer 121-124). This quote by The Wife serves as an argument to readers and listeners that genitalia serves more purposes than urination and identifying one’s sex; she believes it must serve a more pleasurable purpose, utilizing her physical encounters to her argument. Nonetheless, Allison was able hold onto the attention of all, allowing Chaucer to extend his feministic ideals