Preview

The Wife of Bath

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
703 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Wife of Bath
Wife of Bath vs. Lady Gaga
Geoffrey Chaucer's, Wife of Bath, character in Canterbury Tales can be compared with today's modern pop icon Lady Gaga. Both woman share many similar qualities regarding their personality types and behavior. From the Fifteenth century to the Twenty- First, these women symbolize feminism and contradiction of societal norms. This essay will discuss the similarities and differences between Chaucer's fictional character, the Wife of Bath, and Lady Gaga, one of this century’s most innovative, iconic idols.
The Wife of Bath is one of the most distinct, wild characters in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The way that Chaucer has drawn the character the Wife of Bath is very sexual, self-confident, feminist woman. Her facial and body feature give off very sexual vibes. He discusses her curves, her feet, and her gap tooth. According to The Wife, her gap tooth represented sexuality, sensuality, and lust. The Wife of Bath is also a very talented woman and is an expert weaver. She is very confident in her Sunday's finest clothing. She also makes herself seem like a very "religious" woman and she states that she goes on pilgrimages often, but we later find out in her story she only goes on pilgrimages for one reason. She has been married five times; therefore she is experienced in that department, so she thinks. Another big feature about the Wife of Bath is that she believes that women should be in control, she believes that she should have what she wants when she wants it, and she knows how to get it. Finally, she is a somewhat twisted woman who likes a challenge. She always has a thirst to control every man she is with she expects them to bend down and be her slave pretty much. Being a Lady Gaga fan, I immediately thought of her famous song Bad Romance, she sings about a relationship that turned from love to disaster. This reminds me of all the Wife’s bad romances with her lovers. Physically and mentally she is not a replica of Lady Gaga, but Lady
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Character Analysis Of Wife Of Bath In Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
    • 649 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Character Analysis Of Wife Of Bath In Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales

    Her clothes seemed to be very expensive just by long at them and how nice they are and to wonder how she is getting all the young guys when she’s not all that good looking. It’s very interesting how she’s getting all these guys and she’s not attractive she’s got a gap, she’s older, she’s always wearing a weird hat and especially on Sundays the hats bigger than the one from the previous days of the week. Wife of Bath was a very happy women always in a good mood dancing. Wife of Bath has a lot about her that says she like having a lot of men by her side especially younger then her.…

    • 649 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    the wife of bath and the pardoner
    • 444 Words
    • 2 Pages

    the wife of bath and the pardoner

    Similarities and differences are easly spotted in a work of fiction. Alot of the time the author will make it very clear what he or she is trying to portray through their similarities and differences. In the Canterbury tales the autthor makes sure that you know that there are alot more differences than there are similarities. For example the Wife of Bath and the Pardoner, they are very different stories but the author seems to tie in their similarities and differences.…

    • 444 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    The Wife Of Bath In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales
    • 1400 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Wife Of Bath In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

    The Wife of Bath is named “Alis” (326), which is short for Allison in modern English. Interestingly, she shares the name with the young wife in “The Miller’s Tale,” also from Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. The name, then, represents a challenge to the patriarchy as much as the person does. Within “The Miller’s Tale,” Allison commits adultery and sees herself as above her older, but unarguably devoted husband. The Wife of Bath is also guilty of the same things. Her first “three men were goode… and olde” (203); thus, the character of Allison within “The Miller’s Tale” could likely be a younger embodiment of the Wife of Bath. However, Allison in the tale is portrayed in a way that makes her appear entirely cruel and unjustified in her actions. The Wife of Bath argues that she is justified in her actions because of the harsh inequalities created by the patriarchy. The difference between the two could be attributed to a situation where Chaucer’s own beliefs conflict with the beliefs of his characters.…

    • 1400 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    "The Wife of Bath May Mock and Expose Misogyny, but She Remains Trapped in It". Essay Example
    • 1594 Words
    • 7 Pages

    "The Wife of Bath May Mock and Expose Misogyny, but She Remains Trapped in It". Essay Example

    Chaucer's Wife of Bath is one of the most amazing characters in English Literature. She is a strong, clever, independent woman who knows what she likes and usually gets it. She is lusty and not shy about it. She exposes and mocks misogyny in various ways, showing just how misogynistic medieval society was. However, although her strong willed nature and mockery of this patriarchy is apparent, as an audience we still remain confused, and discover aspects of her characteristics and journey, which show that perhaps she is still trapped in this ideal male dominated world. The Wife of Bath, Alison is represented as a rare and unique woman in the initial portrayal of her in the prologue, but at the end of her prologue, the Wife of Bath succumbs to the pressure of society, conforms and becomes the medieval wife.…

    • 1594 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Wife of Bath (Canterbury Tales Paper)
    • 622 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Wife of Bath (Canterbury Tales Paper)

    In Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, the description of the Wife of Bath in the “General Prologue” seems to contradict her tale and prologue. In the “General Prologue”, The Wife of Bath is described as a very confident woman who is superior, socially speaking. But this portrayal is contradicted by her tale and prologue due to the fact that her independence results from other people, more specifically men. From this it can be derived that it is not true independence or confidence that the Wife of Bath embodies, but a false sense of the traits. The portrayal of a strong and confident woman that the “General Prologue” has set up for the Wife of Bath’s character is therefore shattered through the evidence of her insecurity and dependence on others.…

    • 622 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Examples Of Sympathy In Beowulf
    • 1736 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Examples Of Sympathy In Beowulf

    Showing her rank by her elegant clothes and red stocking, also eluding that she is likes her lovers. Wife of Bath is the opposite of the Nun loud and modern, not what a woman should be by their standards. Chaucer’s states, “There was a good WIFE OF beside BATH, /But she was somewhat deaf, and that was a pity. / Her kerchiefs were very fine in texture; /… Her stockings were of fine scarlet red, / Very closely laced, and shoes very supple and new. / She was a worthy woman all her life:/ She had (married) five husbands at the church door, /She knew, as it happened, about remedies for love / For she knew the old dance (tricks of the trade) of that art./ (Chaucer lines 445-476). Chaucer again eludes that she knows how to perform an abortion, “She knew about remedies for love” giving her rank as experienced and her behaviorism give air to a woman who can do what she pleases even though she had five husbands which was abnormal for the time…

    • 1736 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Chaucer's Portrayal Of The Wife Of Bath
    • 86 Words
    • 1 Page

    Chaucer's Portrayal Of The Wife Of Bath

    When writing, authors often know how they want to portray their characters, like if they want the person to stand for a greater meaning or to exist simply for ridicule. But some authors fall short of this mark and create wishy-washy figures that neither prove nor disprove an idea. This is the case with Chaucer and his portrayal of the Wife of Bath. The writer neither ridicules the woman for her multiple marriages nor does he use her to ridicule the gender norms of the time.…

    • 86 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Wife Of Bath's Tale Analysis
    • 830 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Wife Of Bath's Tale Analysis

    The wife of bath is a very confident woman who, in the prologue of her tale, talks about her five husbands. She seems very satisfied with her life and her choices; she is fulfilled regardless of the men she was married to. Even with all their deaths, she remains happy and independent. “But even now I will strive to be merry.” (Lines 478-479) The story she tells is about a knight who, after he rapes a young girl, is forced by the queen to find out what women desire the most. He finally discovers that what women want the most is to have sovereignty over their husbands. This goes directly along with the character of the wife of bath, who loved the control she had over her husbands more than anything else. The story proves that the answer to what women want the most is not just one static statement. What a person desires most in life depends on their own character and their own…

    • 830 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Wife Of Bath's Stereotypes
    • 121 Words
    • 1 Page

    The Wife Of Bath's Stereotypes

    One of the stereotypes that existed during this time regarding woman was their inability to understand the meanings within the bible. Woman were also seen as gold-diggers, only marrying for money. They believed that if woman were to be educated about the bible, they would use it to justify their sins. The Wife of Bath’s confirms this by saying, “where can you say, in any kind of age, that our high God has forbidden marriage expressly, in what word? I pray, tell me. Or where did he command virginity?” ( ). The Wife of Bath’s confirms every stereotype at one point, however, she also challenges them. By using passages from the bible she and she own experiences she challenges these stereotypes.…

    • 121 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Wife of Bath/Lanval
    • 2117 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Wife of Bath/Lanval

    Jeffery Chaucer’s The Wife of Bath’s Tale revolves around the issue of feminine desire. A knight of King Arthur’s court rapes a maiden, which in the story is an offence punishable by death, but the queen grants him mercy. If in a year he could return to the court with the correct answer for her and her ladies to the question ‘What thyng is it that wommen moost desiren’ (Chaucer, l. 905) he could keep his head. This is not a straightforward question to answer yet the knight succeeds, stating that women most desire mastery over their husbands, bringing in the theme of female power. The concept is laid out plainly enough; however, the delivery in action is somewhat confusing. The actions described, performed by women themselves, seem contradictory to this desire, casting this ultimate desire into a shadow of doubt, forcing the reader to scrutinise the text to make sense out of the contradictions and try and pinpoint Chaucer’s message on feminine desire and power. By chronologically analysing The Wife of Bath’s Tale, with reference to her accompanying prologue, it is possible to draw out a comprehensive understanding of the articulation of feminine desire in the text.…

    • 2117 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Wife Of Bath In The Canterbury Tales
    • 583 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Wife Of Bath In The Canterbury Tales

    In “The General Prologue” the narrator introduces the characters in order of who he likes the best, to who he likes the least. The Wife of Bath is in the middle of that list, somewhat near the end. She is not the prettiest woman, “Bold was her face, handsome, and red in hue (GP 468).” She is also very flashy in her clothes and attitude:…

    • 583 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Wife Of Bath Analysis
    • 707 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Wife Of Bath Analysis

    In Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales: “The Wife of Bath”, one acquires insight on the character Wife of Bath and how her ideals and principles differ from the customs in medieval times. Wife of Bath was a perceptive and dominant women that was looked upon as a gold digger that used her body as a way to get around the bushes with men. While it may be true, it is without a doubt that she expressed actions that where desired by many women at the time, but were resistant to show these actions because it went against social regulations.…

    • 707 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Wife Of Bath Abuse Of Power
    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Wife Of Bath Abuse Of Power

    The 'Wife of Bath's Prologue' is an in-depth, perceptive examination of the conflict between male and female for power and sovereignty. Through the Wife of Bath, the use of female sexuality versus masculine 'textuality' is explored and how women are dependent on marriage for independence in a traditional patriarchal society. The pervading issue throughout the prologue is 'experience' against 'authority' as the Wife of Bath presents arguments in the form of a confessional autobiography to define the role of women over men with a strong feminist slant.…

    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Faithful Lady In 'The Wife Of Bath's Tale'
    • 662 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Faithful Lady In 'The Wife Of Bath's Tale'

    Especially the Knight fortunately advantages the opportunity to ask the question; supposedly the old lady knows the answer and the Knight accept her proposition. In fact she proposes: “Give me your hand, she said, and swear to do / whatever I shall next require of you”. The Knight must obey the promise but he doesn’t know yet what it is. Meanwhile he agrees and they go back to the court where the queen pardons him after he explains that what women want most is sovereignty over their husbands, and the Queen accepts this as the correct answer. As her reward, the old woman demands that the knight marry her. He protests, but to no avail. That night in their marriage bed, the knight confesses that he is unhappy because she is ugly and poor. “You’re old, and so abominably plain” (Line 246). She tells the knight that he can choose between her being ugly and faithful or beautiful and unfaithful. He gives the choice to her; pleased with the mastery of her husband, and she becomes fair and faithful…

    • 662 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Wife of Bath
    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Wife of Bath

    Alison, in her younger ages, was married to three old men and they each treated her the same way. Each of these three husbands were bound to cherish every but of her being(Chaucer, Wife of Bath Prologue 198-199). “But since I had them wholly in my hand,\ And since to me they'd give all their land,\ Why should I take heed, then, that I should please.”(Chaucer, Wife of Bath Prologue 211-214). She felt no threat and no desire to compensate with any of there wishes because she knew that no matter what she did and/or said they would still give her what ever she wanted.(Chaucer, Wife of Bath Prologue 223-233). She also used the fact that none of them could preform good enough in bed in order to receive even more of there wealth and belongings.(Chaucer, Wife of Bath Prologue 202-209). Because each of these men were very old and close to there final ages she waited till each of them died to take there money and move on to another husband that might be able to satisfy her…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics