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Sovereignty In The Wife Of Bath's Tale

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The mind of a woman is one engulfed in a variety of beliefs and conceptions that internally distinguishes one from another. To demonstrate, some women most desire a multitude of different traits from their husband based off the situation in their relationship. One type of woman who feels beneath her husband may desire equality in the relationship. Another type of woman who is facing possible danger may want a fearless husband who can protect them from harm. One final type of woman who has a history of being with people they find physically unattractive, and simply wants a handsome . Throughout the course of the Wife of Bath’s Tale, it is said time and time again that women desire sovereignty. The initial mention of this was when an old …show more content…

In the Miller’s tale, After little reluctance, Alison acquiesces to leave her old husband John for the younger, more romantic Nicholas, a college student who lives with the couple. Alison demonstrates this desire as “My husband is so full of jealousy/Unless you watch your step and hold your breath/I know for certain it will be your death” (Chaucer 91). This elaborates that Alison has a desire or at least no moral qualms about leaving her previous husband for a much more sensual lover, with the only obstacle in her way being her husband's jealousy. Even the jealousy has no effect on her demonstrating that her fears for Nicholas’s safety are trumped by her love and desire for him. Additionally, Alison further represents the desire for such a lover compared to her cuckolded husband. While Alison is with John, she has no worries about about money anytime in her future. John is even described as “... a rich old codger/Who lived in Oxford and who took a lodger”(Chaucer 88). While Alison is in such a financially stable situation where she stand to inherit all of John’s money, she risks it for the broke Nicholas, further demonstrating the desire that appears to be most cherished, a lover. Alison putting herself in such precarious situation can only point to the one motivation which drives all of her actions, her lover Nicholas. These actions can only prove that the

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She later figured out that this wasn’t the case. Dr. Faraday, one of Alison’s psychiatrists, gave Alison some new insight. “Everybody has a story, Alison,”(267). He explained to her all of the behind the scenes actions she didn’t understand and made misconceptions about. This allowed her to view the world a little differently and to let her understand that there are justifications for actions that are

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Abigail Williams, the object of his temptation, is a seventeen year old girl who was under his employment at the time of their sin. Although committing lechery with anyone would have been scornful, but it is especially odious because he decides to lay with Abigail. Mason clarifies this idea, stating, “...in moral and everyday terms, Proctor is the adult and the employer, so he bore the responsibility of keeping the relationship under control. It seems clear that he knows that. Indeed, a central thread in Proctor's character is his keen sense of his own transgression; ...”

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Chaucer characterizes The Wife of Bath as controlling and powerful. The Wife of Bath was a complete contradiction of the typical female, during this time. The average woman was submissive and reserved. Whereas, The Wife of Bath possessed character traits that one would associate with men. Chaucer emphasizes this trait by describing her in such ways one would describe a man.

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Jealousy is one of the 7 deadly sins. In Arthur Miller's play called the Crucible Miller displays jealousy through 3 main characters John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor, and Abigail Williams. These characters go against their beliefs for the people they truly love. Jealousy is an evil sin. In the play John Proctor commits the crime of adultery with Abigail Williams.

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She couldn’t comprehend why her father thought the inside of their house had to be so perfect. She asks her father, “What’s the point of making something that’s so hard to dust?” (15). It’ clear that Alison could care less for the luxuries that her

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Stereotypes of Women in The Canterbury Tales Stereotypes of women have not changed throughout the years of history. Throughout the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer portrays women through negative stereotypes. Women are portrayed as selfish, lustful and immoral. In the Wife of Bath’s Prologue women are portrayed as selfish.

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The Wife of Bath and her tale are the most similar out of all the tales because they both share a domineering outlook over others. In the general prologue she is told to have had five husbands and is described as a looker, “Her face was bold and handsome and ruddy,” (Chaucer 39). In her prologue she goes more in depth of her time spent with her five husbands. Wife of Bath talks most about how she gains control over her husbands. For instance, her fifth husband was the controlling force in their marriage until he made the mistake of hitting her and telling her he would do anything to keep her with him and said, “My own true wife, do as you wish for the rest of your life…” (335).

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The Wife of Bath’s behaviors are questionable but are inherently aided by the social injustices that face women of this time period. The Wife of Bath discloses that for her first three marriages she sought out older wealthy men for sex and money. Her intentions included making her husbands fall in love with her and then making them have enormous amounts of sex until they die. In addition, the wife elaborates on her occasional tumultuous tirades of accusing her husbands of being unfaithful to her. Her uproars chided her husbands into persistently obliging into her every request.

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Alison did not feel more for her partner but instead wanted to get away from his overbearing attitude. John however truly loves his wife, “Alas, my wife! And shall she drown? Alas, my Alison” (The Miller’s Tale 414-145). When Nicholas tells of the flood, John is only concerned for his love, but Alison is involved in the larger than life plan so that she can finally feel free.

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Beowulf and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” are both narratives in which gender acts as an important theme within their individual communities; both have underlying meanings when it comes to defining what the role men and women in a good community should be. Or in other words, both stories paint a vivid picture of the role of women during the medieval time period, by suggesting that one gender had more power over another. However, these two narratives take alternative paths when expressing their views; Beowulf conveys its message through what is missing, while “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” incorporates satire and uses explicit narrative when telling the experience of a woman that is highly different from other women in her time. Furthermore, another difference that is appealing to the reader’s eyes, besides the way the two narratives reflect to women’s role in medieval times, is that men become the hero in Beowulf, while “the wife”, so a woman, becomes the authority figure in the story of “The Wife of Bath’s Tale.” I want to first introduce the two main differences between the two narratives and then I will explain how regardless of the differences, both of these narratives’ main goal is to show that women had less power and a good community back that time was male dominated.

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The Miller describes this disgusting action as “ingenious”. This shows that men of this time thought invading a woman’s privacy was acceptable and that they didn’t care about women’s feelings. This means that they expected women to be submissive. After pledging her allegiance to Nicholas, Absolon comes to Allison and asks her for a kiss. Before Allison plays a prank on Absolon, she tells Nicholas: “Now hush, my lord, and you will laugh your fill,” (233).

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Alison acts impulsive when she sticks her but out the window to have Absalon kiss it. “A beard, a beard! Laughed handy Nicholas. God’s body, this is really going swell” (Chaucer 3742)”. She acts without thinking and acts in a very immature way.

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In the book of Wife of Bath’s Tale, Geoffrey Chaucer shows the role of a woman being weak creatures while men are economically powerful and educated. Women are seen as inheritor of eve and thus causes

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I say this only because he writes Alison's demeanor as manipulative and cunning. He writes the Prologue longer then the tale in order for us to fully understand her story and the place where her narrative derives from. The

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In the fourteen century, men were always the superior, head of the household, the breadwinner, but women were always inferior, they would stay at home, do the house work, cook, and never would have a job. Well, times have changed. Women are reaching an equal status to men in political, social and economic matters It’s part of the idea called Feminism. In many ways the Wife of Bath displays many characteristic of women in the 21st century. Instead of being directed by men, she views herself as an independent person.

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