We had a great discussion regarding the Wife of Bath's Tale. Do you think the Wife of Bath is meant to contradict the misogynist (woman-hating) ideas of her time, or to uphold them? How might her story be a type of wish-fulfillment for the aging? Respond to any other elements from this tale (or any others we read during this unit).
Posted by A. Davis at 9:57 AM
I want to use this blog as a multi-purpose blog for my English IV AP class. I will be posting the weekly schedule on here, as well as any assignments. My favorite part is probably to showcase wonderful writing and projects! I also will probably post some school/class news at times. Finally, and the most important part to you twenty-eight over-achievers, is that I will be putting a few postings per unit and the students are required to post a comment (a THOUGHTFUL comment) every unit. These comments should take the form of an online discussion, where you read all of the comments before yours and then make a contribution. Each unit will have a blogging grade attached to it. I am looking forward to the semester both in the classroom as well as online! :)
12 comments:
I definately think that The Wife of Bath's Tale was ment to contradict woman-hating ideals. Her prayer at the end of the passage "Cut short the lives Of those who won't be governed by their wives" speaks for the cause. She has successfully obtained six husbands. How? We do not know. But I think regardless of how the story begins. (Not so plesent) That the 'moral' or the lesson to be learned is that women are capable.
I believe that the Wife of Bath's story went against the mysoginist ideas of her time period. The Wife of Bath herself seemed from her prologue description to be very fierce...almost an alpha female. I think her story represents some of her personal feelings. In it the Queen ultimately controls the Knight's fate, the Old Lady ends up saving the Knight's life and then she sways the Knight with her great monologue. I really see a lot of situations in the story that support women taking on a larger role in medieval life.
No worries, guys; I'll answer this one.
I think that the story does a little bit of both. The power belongs to the women, I believe, in this story. It's all about women. Plus, the old hag becomes "beautiful." This isn't extreme makeover, this is The Canterbury Tales. It just seemed to me like everything that happened was a result of women, but in a positive sense.
I also think, however, that it upholds those negative views towards women...or at least in one way. The choices that the women make in the story are somewhat retarded (the only possible word choice), and it reflects upon them in my opinion. They kept the knight alive because he was handsome? Even though he raped a girl? Be real, women--
Overall, I think that the Wife of Bath's Tale was meant to contradict the time periodsideals about women. I think this is evident in the part were the knight was going to die as a result of his actions towards a woman. Along with this a women ultimately saves his life which shows power on the womens side.
I believe that it did contradict. She was an independent woman that usually got what she wanted. Also in the book, women have power and control what will happen to other characters. The women did more in the story than they really did back in that time.
In this story i believe the woman had all the power. Everything women wanted they got like when that old women made herself beautiful. That is a result of women having the power.
I believe that the story definitetly has both aspects in it. First, the knight rapes a woman. He is brought to trial. BUT then the woman jumps into the rest of the story like that fact is no longer important and shouldn't be held against him. Also, that the queen and her ladies just forgave him so easily for an answer to a question portrays how lowly women were looked upon and the importance of their virtue.
However, the lesson of this tale is that women want equality with their husbands. In the end, it shows that a woman is most treasured by her husband and the relationship is a happier one when there is equality in the relationship.
Gage. We don't know why the Queen kept the knight alive. Maybe the queen actually did think he would have failed and killed him anyway, but she had to keep her word since he succeeded. Maybe they weren't that shallow.
It makes sense for the Wife of Bath to tell a story were women play such an important role in a man's life and how in the end she can control him. I mean the thing women wanted most was to have control over their husbands.
Mrs. Davis the host said that the best story wins a free trip so who wins?
GAGE IS HILARIOUS!
I think the Wife of Bath's tale goes against the customs for women of the time. In it the king was going to have the knight killed but the queen overruled. What kind of king is going to let his wife tell him what to do? None. And I think that was a part of her intent when telling the story. She wanted it to seem the women had the power. Then when he was before the queen, she had a full jury or women. Not happening. In the end, she was definitely all about women. It was a very radical thing for the time.
It's obvious that The Wife of Bath Tale holds extremely forward thinking ideas for its time.
Even from the beginning the power is given to the women as the Queen and her maids get to decide the fate of the knight.
So womankind's power is shown through the Queen and womankind's wisdom is made apparent through the Old Woman, who holds the key to the knight's salvation.
The more ridiculous elements of the story, such as the fact that the queen allows the release of a rapist because he his handsome, are put in to allow for a plotline. If the knight was killed there would be no story or lesson learned in the first place.
We have to suspend reality in order to take away the real sustenance of the story. That is that women have the ability to be powerful and wise.
I think that this view certainly challenges the views of society at the time. It is interesting how the roles of dominance shift over the course of the tale. The story begins with a young knight who has raped a maiden. Obviously he was the one in control. He was then brought in front of the king. At this point, the balance of power changes when the queen offers to save him if he can answer the question of what women want most. The young man is now at the mercy of all of the women in the land. He finally gives up all power to save his own life when he makes a deal with the ugly old hag, eventually resulting in having to marry her. He accepts that her being ugly and of low status is actually a good thing. But it isn't such a terrible ending for our young "hero". The ugly old hag turns into a model and they live happily ever after. So basically, if you are looking for a moral, only good-looking people can live happily every after.
(Sorry Mrs. Davis, I was gone to Colorado)...
I believe the Wife of Bath's Tale shines a new light on women. The wife of Bath seemed to be very dominant. She had five husbands, and their true causes of death can definitely be questioned. Also, the fact that the Queen had enough power to save the knight from death reveals her dominance. The knight raping the women portrayed the men's dominion over women. However, after that point, it is almost as if the knight is walking around like a sad puppy. His fate is in the hands of all the women of the land, including the queen. In the end, the women even has the power to transform her own beauty.
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