An Analytical Essay: The Wife Of Bath's Tale

American writer Brandon Sanderson once said, “The purpose of storytelling is not to tell you what or how to think, but to give you questions to think about.” The purpose of stories is to entertain readers, communicate, teach, and raise questions. Additionally, stories would not be complete without characters who provide the audience with new questions and perspectives. Numerous stories, such as The Wife of Bath’s Tale, written by Geoffery Chaucer, have characters that provide readers with new ideas, opinions, and perspectives on societal aspects and gender norms. Moreover, The Wife of Bath’s Tale is a story about a knight who is accused of rape and must discover what women desire within one year to save his life. This hunt for an answer ends

The Wife of Bath exudes confidence while embracing her desire for control. Additionally, it is stated in the story that she had been married five times before and was said to be proud of the experiences. To further illustrate, the article “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue” written by Emma Lipton states, “...She is proud of her marriage experience and believes the more she marries, the better she is… .” The article also states that The Wife of Bath believed men used power, money, and religion to control women, so in exchange, she would use her body and sexuality to control her husbands (Lipton). Moreover, The Wife of Bath is someone who can be depicted as self-assuring and empowering while further challenging the notion that women should be submissive in

One of the primary aspects of the Wife of Bath's character that shows her assertiveness is her sexual liberation and her beliefs in female empowerment. Throughout the story, she openly discusses her multiple marriages and previous sexual experiences, all of which challenge the societal norms of her time when women were expected to be chaste and submissive. Additionally, In the textbook, it is stated that The Wife of Bath firmly believed it is within her right to control her body and desires saying: “In wfhod I wol Use myn instrument as freely as my makere hath it sent” (Lines 585-86). Further, she asserts her authority in marriage by influencing her husbands and using her knowledge of men’s desires to gain power over them. Finally, through her narrative with the knight, she challenges patriarchal norms and advocates for women’s ability to reign over their lives. Nevertheless, the Wife of Bath’s assertiveness is reflected through her outspoken and confident persona as she actively expresses her opinions and desires as well as takes control of her