Women In The Wife Of Bath's Tale

Words: 667
Pages: 3

Women desire to have some control in a relationship, whereas almost none if any, receive it. In “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” she tells us a story revolving around a man having no choice but to give full control to the women he is wed to. It shows us that men don’t know women as well as they thought. In the tale, a lonesome knight goes through a mental battle, willing to do anything to save his life. The Old English helps to add character and meaning to what is exactly going on as well as gives us insight as to how things really were in that era. Old English is hard for many people to comprehend nowadays, but sing this type of language brings the story, including each character, to life while helping you create a mental image of them.
First off, women in the middle ages had little to no power in comparison to men. Women were to be married, produce offspring, and take care of the homestead. That was their social status. In the article (“The Dynamic Culture of the Middle Ages” pg.3 under the subheading “ Women”) It is stated that “Women’s roles usually were defined in relation to men.” This meaning that women had no social or household power. However, women were not discouraged. Abbess Hildegard frequently spoke out about the religious, political,
…show more content…
In the start of the Wife’s Tale, it states “He came upon a young woman walking along the road, he wanted her so badly to the point that he violently raped her.” This knight was so driven by his lustful urge that he hurt a woman to soothe his craving. In the middle ages, rape was punishable by death. It is stated in the text that “King Arthur, who sentenced the knight to death-“ that was the punishment back then. As it is today, rape does no go unnoticed. Those committing the crime are severely punished, granted instead of beheading, today they are given a chance at redemption. After the punishment of