Canterbury Tales Essay - Anti-Feminist Rhetoric in The Wife Of Bath

Anti-Feminist Rhetoric inThe Wife Of Bath In Geoffrey Chaucers The Canterbury Tales, The Wife of Bath is a strong woman who loud commonwealths her opinions about the antifeminist sentiments popular at the time. Chaucer, however, frequently discredits her arguments by making them unfounded and generally compromising her character. This brings into question Chaucers political intent with the Wife of Bath. Is he validatory of her views, or is he making a mockery of woman who challenge the patriarchal society and its restriction and mistrust of women? The Wifes comedic character, frequent misquoting of authorities, marital infidelity, and her (as well as Chaucers) own antifeminist sentiments weaken the argument that Chaucer supported of the Wifes opinions. Chaucer chooses to make a comedy of the Wife, putting into question the seriousness of her character. What opinion is the reader to make of a woman who rants about marriage and female domination when she is described as a clown pr epared for battle in the General Prologue ? Her bright red stockings, nervy scarlet face, shield-like hat and sharp spurs draw the picture of a silly, if not crazy, woman whose manner is larger than life. The Wifes comical larger than life characteristics apply to her feminist beliefs as well. pertain coexistence is not enough she says men shall be bothe my dettour and my thral -something likely unheard of when this piece was written. Much of what makes her comical is the plethora of sexual innuendoes dispersed throughout her dialogue. For instance, when she irrelevantly mentions in her tale the eager friars that have replaced the fairies of old Wommen may go saufly up and down In every bussh or under every tree, Ther is n... ... easily state Chaucers support of the Wifes opinions, it is important to note the disabling of her arguments and credibility, as it brings into serious question Chaucers intent with the Wife of Bath. Footnotes 458-60, 471-75 Wifes Prologue, 161 Wifes Ta le, 884 Wifes Prologue, 585 M.H. Abrams, et al ed., The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Sixth Edition, Volume I. W.W. Norton & Company, New York/London, 1993. Wifes Prologue, 149 Wifes Prologue, 186-9 463 Wifes Prologue, 4 General Prologue, 465-70 Wifes Prologue, 563 Wifes Prologue, 549-68 Wifes Prologue, 44-6 216-20 Wifes Prologue, 233-4 Wifes Prologue, 540-4Works CitedChaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed Mack, Maynard et al. W. W. Norton and Co. New York, NY. 1992.