Sexual Relations in Wife of Bath Essay - 1008 Words

Sexual Relations in Wife of Bath Sexual relations between men and woman have created issues of life and death from the beginning of time. In most classic Western beliefs it began when Eve with the help of the Devil seduced Adam thus leading the downfall of humanity into an abyss of sin and hopelessness. This issue arises in all literature from Genesis, Chaucer and into modern day. Authors, clerks and writers of all types have aided stereotyping women throughout history and Geoffrey Chaucer is not an exception in most cases. However, in Chaucers Wife of Bath we can find the beginnings of a new type of woman arising from the dark ages of the post-Roman era. And of course at the center of his characters struggle is sex. As this topic†¦show more content†¦Menstruation, seen as the equal of male ejaculation provided periodic relief (Gies). In one case a woman brought a man before the courts on rape charges. She conceived during the intercourse, therefor the jury acquitted the man because it ruled she must have enjoyed the sex because she conceived, which was a popular belief during the Middle Ages (Gies). These beliefs no doubt were ridiculous attempts to discredit women so the power of men could be upheld throughout the nations, in this case Great Britain. Sexual power and women Like the Devil, women were perceived as masking their pernicious in attractive guises, and it was part of the exemplums purpose to unveil their subtleties and sorceress in order to underscore the need for vigilance against them (Gregg 85). Women and Jews together came to be viewed not just as the spiritual inferiors of the Christian male, but more specifically and perniciously, as the embodiments of carnality and sexual peril, with all that implied for the damnation of ones eternal soul (Gregg 85). So does the Wife if Bath become a model of feminine virtue? She states that many Biblical characters had many wives, like Abraham and Solomon, so if she was were not to marry she could not control her lusts. (Chaucer 278). Is it better to make her a model of attainable perfection than to make her a model of unattainable perfection (Gregg 85). The Wife of Baths accusation against clerical stories, then, was notShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem The Wife Of Bath Essay1247 Words   |  5 PagesAnalytical Essay on the â€Å"Wife of Bath.† By Chaucer’s time, the antifeminism tradition was very strong and had grown up. Her faith on marriage is surprising to men, especially during that period of time. She is a skilled woman, and knows how to defend her views on marriage and sex, in which she blows the idealistic of antifeminism by interpreting the bible to her benefit. And, when someone in authority disagrees with her, she relies on her experience. â€Å"Wife of Bath† Tale provides insight and understandingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Wife Of Bath Essay873 Words   |  4 PagesAnalytical Essay on the â€Å"Wife of Bath.† Question One Description of the Wife of Bath in terms of her progressive feminism, rhetoric style, and her prolog tale. Comparison of her as a women attitude towards general medieval attitude towards women. â€Å"Wife of Bath† Tale provides insight and understanding of the women change and their view mainly in matters of family, marriage, authority and marital affairs. The Prolog is double the size of her Tale, a lot of information about marriage group is givenRead MoreThe Wife Of Bath, By Geoffrey Chaucer880 Words   |  4 PagesChaucer, the Pearl Poet, and Margery Kempe. In Chaucer’s frame story The Canterbury Tales, the account of â€Å"The Wife of Bath† demonstrates a mixture of feminine ideas. 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Pertaining to women’s role in the society, the Middle Ages was also co nsidered a patriarchal society which is why in the tales, the author depictsRead MoreThe Wife Of Bath, By William Shakespeare1636 Words   |  7 PagesThe Wife of Bath tale, was a turnaround for women and how they are viewed in society and in tales. It took a women’s prologue and a tale about a wife that created a different look for women and a different role that they could play besides a hopeless character. Even though it wasn’t normal for a woman to have dominance in society let alone a tale. The article even explained how the women went through by being widow. This prologue and tale showed us how women were able to change that and do so. InRead MoreReality Vs. Fantasy : Quotes Notes1705 Words   |  7 Pagesthat she is so young and she is good looking and she expects everyone to say that her physical appearance is very beautiful. She is not accepting the fact that she is going to get old she is not going to stay young forever. She thinks she is taking bath in som e holy water that will make her young. 2. â€Å"Hello, Stanley Here I am, all freshly bathed and scented, and feeling like a brand new human being† (2. 37). Blanche s withdraw into her own particular private dreams empowers her to incompletelyRead MoreThe Prioress vs. the Wife of Bath2297 Words   |  10 Pagesmedieval society are the Wife of Bath and the Prioress. Through both the Wife of Baths Tale and the Prioresss Tale, Chaucer articulates his opinionated views of the etiquette and conduct of women in the 14th century. By examining both the Wife of Bath and the Prioresss tales, we are able to see the stark contrast between their social standards and demeanors. Chaucers description of the two characters clearly depicts the Prioress as a better woman than the Wife of Bath according to 14th Century