Comment
on Chaucer’s portrayal of the Wife of Bath.
In
her Prologue as part of “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of
Bath offers readers a complex portrait of a medieval woman. On the one hand,
The Wife of Bath is shameless about her sexual exploits and the way she uses
sexual power to obtain what she wishes. On the other hand, by doing exactly
these things she is confirming negative stereotypes about women and proving
that women are manipulative and deceitful. Even though her actions might at
first seem to be rebellion against the male-dominated society in The Canterbury
Tales, and more generally, the medieval period for women, there is very
little that she does that is truly revolutionary or empowering for women of her
time.
Based even just on her introduction in
“The Canterbury Tales” via the Prologue to the Wife of Bath’s Tale, it appears
from the onset that The Wife of Bath from “The Canterbury Tales” simply uses
her sexual attributes for personal gain instead of trying to prove her equal
status. In general, this female character stereotype is meant to be seen as a
parody of sorts since she embodies a number of negative female characteristics
including stupidity and arrogance; deceitfulness, and lewdness. Although she is
striking back at men it is not for any deeper reason other than personal
profit. It appears that in this section of the prologue to the Wife of Bath’s
tale, Chaucer wants his readers to laugh at this character rather than admire
her for her proto-feminist stances on life and marriage.............................................................................................................
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