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Roles Of Women In The 14th Century Essay

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During the 14th century the average woman was one who stayed at home with the kids, cooked, and cleaned for her husband. A woman was known for her status and the only way that she could really obtain one is through marriage. Marrying the proper man would guarantee that she would be of a higher stature unless she was a nun. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer looks into some of the controversial topics of Medieval England. Examining Allison from “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue” and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” will show how the roles of the women in the 14th century started to shift. Allison was an eye opener when it came to woman not being ashamed of who they were and feeling like they had a voice and a leg to stand on. She is considered the fallen woman. In the Middle Ages gender is the main role of humans. Being a man versus being a woman comes down to sexuality. Allison knows this and is not afraid to let her sexuality run her household. The connection between divine knowledge and the knowing of woman’s secrets – so …show more content…

With her first three marriages she was in control and had the men right where she wanted them. The last two marriages were quite different in the fact they held the power and she was unable to get her power back. Her fourth husband she states that she actually loved him and that was why she married him. She refused to marry again until he passed. Soon after her fourth husband passed, she was wed to her fifth and final husband her in turn mentally and physically abused her. He forced Allison to listen to him read stories on women to whom she was like to hopefully get her to break her of herself. This is where she decides to take the book and hit him with it and he got up and hit her with his fists. At this time, she falls to the floor pretending to be dead and he was so upset that he promised her anything and this is how she got sovereignty over her fifth husband.

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