Anti-Feminist Traditions

Chaucer challenges the anti- feminist traditions of his time through the wife of bath, discuss how far Chaucer makes us sympathise with the wife of bat hand the state of “wives”
The prologue of The Wife of Bath begins with an automatic challenge to the traditional views and beliefs of women lines 1-6
'Experience, though noon auctoritee
Were in this world, is right y-nough for me
To speke of wo that is in mariage.
For lordinges, sith I twelf yeer was of age,
Thonked be God that is eterne on lyve,
Housbondes at chirche-dore I have had fyve.'
There was a large scholarly tradition that spoke of “the wo that is marriage”. These stories were all written by men on their views of marriage and by saying that she will speak of her views of marriage she turns tradition on its head.
The wife of bath also re interprets many of the passages on the bible in order to bring her point across, and to turn the views of Jesus etc. to support her own making tradition seem ridiculous, for example she speaks of Jesus befriending a woman who had had five husbands lines 14-22
“Yet herde I nevere tellen in myn age
Upon this nombre diffinicioun”
She speaks of Jesus accepting Mary Magdalene but however fails to mention that Jesus also did mention that she was wrong in marrying so many times which proves that she was not well learned. She states that in Genesis, it never states how many husbands you should have, she is challenging the bible finding loopholes in order for people to see her as right in her ways.
The wife of bath also spots flaws in St Paul’s teachings. St Paul said that women should remain virgins for as long as possible and should not remarry
“He seyde that precept thereof hadde he noon”
Showing that in fact St Paul was teaching what he suggested, not what Jesus suggested for people’s ways of living. She then goes on to argue against the statement of virginity with women
“And certes, if ther were no seed ysowe,
Virginitee, thane wherof sholde it growe?”
The wife of bath now argues the point that if all women stayed virgins, people would cease to exsist because there would be no conception of people.
The wife then moves on to the subject of god and states in lines 99-100
“For wel ye knowe, a lord in his household
He nath nat every vessel al of gold”
Highlighting the point that not every piece of the lords table ware is made of gold i.e. it is physically impossible for anyone to be perfect. She then goes on to state how some things must be made of woof so that people can use them, god calls people to him in different ways, every person brings different gifts to him, some this, some that, whatever they can.
The wife also goes against tradition because she doesn’t care what any of these men think of her, she knows she is out to fulfil her sexual needs and she will not stop until she gets them
“And in swich wise folwe him and his foore.
He spak to hem that wolde live parfitly;
And lordinges, by youre leve, that am nat I”
She states, that people should follow in his footsteps, but only the people who intend to live perfect lives and follow the bible completely, and that isn’t her at all.
“A wys womman wol bisye hire evere in oon
To gete hire love, ye, ther as she hath noon.
(215-216)”
This is the first time that the wife mentions what a clever woman should do. She is explaining how women should put themselves in a position of power in a relationship ( unlike tradition says they should be), she says how women should make men fall in love with them so that they can always have the upper hand
The wife also challenges the anti-feminist stereotype that all women are expert liars
For half so boldely can ther no man
Swere and lyen as a womman can.
(233-234)
However, The wife of Bath challenges that this stereotype is in fact correct, she describes how she was able to lie to all of her husband’s easily, she proves that stereotypes of women are right although trying to prove the fact that tradition is wrong. She shows herself as lustful and chatty amongst other things that makes her almost a comical character in that sense.