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The Wife Of Bath Feminist Essay

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“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat, or a prostitute” (West). The Oxford Dictionary defines feminism as, “The advocacy of Women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.” The Wife of Bath is viewed as one of the most popular, early feminists to occur in literature; however, is she truly feminist? Her views on women’s sexuality and rape, although ideas that go with the feminist movement, are not for the right reasons, almost giving feminism a bad reputation. She puts herself among the likes of great religious figures, such as: Abraham and Jacob; but, The Wife of Bath belongs nowhere near that category, …show more content…

“Just look at King Solomon—he had more than one wife. I wish to God I could get off as often as he must have! . . . Praise the Lord that I’ve been able to marry five men, and I’m looking forward to marrying the sixth whenever I meet him. I don’t want to abstain from sex forever, you know. I hope it won’t be long after my current husband dies before I’m able to marry my next husband. . . . Lamech, Abraham, and Jacob were all holy men, as far as I can tell, and they all had more than a couple wives, as have many others like them” (Chaucer.)
She compares her marriages and sex life to those of renowned men, including the likes of: King Solomon, Abraham, and Jacob (all of whom are religious men.) But, between the comparisons, she momentarily brings up her past husbands, how she’s “looking forward to marrying the sixth”, and “ hope[s] it won’t be long after [her] current husband dies”. This break of comparisons and qualifications is what shows the murderous women’s cruel intentions. The Wife of Bath isn’t searching for equality, she’s grasping desperately for excuses and qualifications as to why she’s killed all of her

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