Desire of the Fourteenth Century Women Essay -- Feminist Feminism Angl

Desire of the Fourteenth Century WomenIs not what we desire, the closely hard to get? It has always been this way. Unfortunately, womens rights and abilities have been underestimated over the centuries. In the 14th century, the status and condition of a European adult female depended on her husbands position. Women had to endure arranged marriages, abuse and male dominance. During that time, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales and taught us about one extraordinary woman whose name is Dame Alisoun. Alisoun is called The wife of Bath, and she defines what women desired most in fourteenth-century England. She believes that women wish for power over their husbands, and I personally agree with her opinion. The Wife of Bath, a cloth maker, gets rich by and by her husbands die and leave her their fortunes. Even though medieval women were still further from being powerful, and had to obey their husbands, Alisoun states that she has power ov er her mens bodies and belongings all her life I have the power during al my life, Upon his halal body, and nat he(line 164). Alisoun is an exception to the rule because she marries tailfin times and is widowed five times. It is important to mention that there was no divorce for women in the fourteenth century She was a worthy woman al hr live. Husbondes at chirche dore she hadde five, Withouten other compaignye in youthe (line 461). The three first husbands are old, rich and hardcore to her. The fourth husband has a mistress My ferthe housbonde was a revelour. This is to sayn, he hadde a paramour (line 459). The Wife of Bath learns that it is very important for a woman to satisfy her man, and she knows how to act to make him obedient and less powerful... ...nder difference ordain still have an impact on womens lives six degree centigrade years from now. What do you think? Credits Abrams M. H, et al. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 7th ed. stark naked York W. No rton & Company, 2000. Fell, Christine. Women in Anglo-Saxon England and the Impact of 1066. Bloomington Indiana University Press, 1984. Catholic Encyclopedia. Online. October 24, 2000. http//www.newadvent.org Harvard University. Online. October 24, 2000. http//www.icg.fas.Harvard Luminarium Organization. Online. October 22, 2000.http//www.britannia.com/history/biographies/guinever.htmlhttp//www.icg.fas.harvard.eduhttp//www.legends.dm.net/kingarthurhttp//www.georgetown.edu/ labyrinth/subjects/women/women.htmlhttp//www.r3.org/life/articles/women.htmlhttp//www.luminarium.org/medlit/chaucer.htm http//www.infoplease.com