It also brought along changes into the role of women economically. ... They challenged the medieval tendency to degrade women as temptresses and to exalt them as virgins (following the model of Mary). They praised woman in her own right, but especially their traditional vocation as mother and housewife. ... This wasn't just due to their role as the loving housewife. ... Education also gave them roles as authors of the Reformation. ...

• Word Count: 697
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Social status influenced the sort of life a medieval woman might lead. ... Among the interdependent peasant communities, medieval countrywomen had a variety of duties and responsibilities. "Women's work was crucial to the Medieval town economy" (Hause 192). ... When a medieval woman was expected to marry, she had to present her husband with a dowry. ... The value of the roles of women within this society had become recognized. ...

• Word Count: 762
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography

In the shadows, a step behind, and not as enchanting, one can find the tale of the medieval woman. ... Chaucer's vehicle to maneuver between the gender roles was the WB caricature. ... When the reader is first introduced to the WB in the GP obviously she is not a typical medieval woman. ... As a result of this behavior, WB may be seen as a threat to the medieval hierarchy of power relations between the sexes because she violates the conception of what woman should be according to medieval tradition (Biebel 64). ... The one weakness that comes forward in the WB character is when she steps ...

• Word Count: 2959
• Approx Pages: 12
• Has Bibliography

Wives of the medieval culture had limited freedom. Besides being riffraff, they had no real role in society. ... A wife's role in the medieval society was some to none. ... "Most of a woman's life was under guardianship of a man"" (qtd. in Gies 41). ... During medieval times, a woman's primary role was in her house. ...

• Word Count: 1030
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Through a deceptive wife, a feminist woman, a lusty corrupt knight, and a chauvinist, Chaucer presents the contrasting views on marriage in the Medieval Age. ... " she is put forth as a feminist, her views evidence of Chaucer's feminist sensibilities- (Fleming) The Wife of Bath is a feminist; she revolts against the traditional role of women by gaining complete control of her husbands, as seen in her prologue. ... The Clerk is a chauvinist who holds true to the traditional medieval roles in marriage. ... Driven by lust and hormones he picks May a young and beautiful woman to marry....

• Word Count: 484
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

Many critics attribute this to the traditional role of a franklin in medieval times. However, this "traditional- role is often questioned. ... They were housemaids that observed roles as maids, mothers, and were generally viewed as inferior. ... The question must be asked that if a woman must use a man to gain power, how can a woman be truly independent? ... This is shown when the knight sees the group of fairies in the woods that transform into the old woman. ...

• Word Count: 2555
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography

The standard set to consider the "goodness " of a woman in this time period, then, must be her level of subscription to the patriarchal society in which she lives as well as her awareness of her role as woman in relation to that of a man. It is no secret that there was an extreme inequality amongst men and women in the medieval period where middle English literature resides. ... These transactions, similar to those used for goods and services, is an indisputable example of the low regard and respect woman possessed in the medieval period. ... However, one can also argue that what she does is ...

• Word Count: 1394
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Wife of Bath Tale and Tale of Florent: Sincere Superiority or Corrupt Dominance During the Medieval age under the rule of King Arthur, tales of women's empowerment began to contradict the traditional role of women's inferiority to men. ... The Wife of Bath is a woman, with strong opinions and views, in the time of King Arthur during the medieval period, when women were not supposed to have such views. The Wife of Bath is a strong woman in a society in which women are typically inferior to men. ... The Wife of Bath is a smart and powerful woman, who is not fooled by the "suppos...

• Word Count: 1259
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Along with strong feminist messages in Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" also come out anti-feminism ideals about keeping women in a certain role, causing a lengthy and intelligent debate upon what Chaucer really meant. ... Why take it all, lo, have it every bit;" In this quote the Wife of Bath not only concedes that men are more reasonable than women, but also that a good woman and wife will do and give up whatever is necessary for her husband. ... Told by the nun's priest, who was probably not held highly in monasteries in Medieval time, this story directly reflects his state of mind. ...

• Word Count: 981
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

The ancient system of "Swayamyara" amplifies the right of free choice for a female, portraying equilibrium of sorts between man and woman. ... Medieval India was the foundation for inept gender relations within India. ... If she is unable to bring sufficient dowry, this woman is therefore harassed and all control is issued to a husband. ... Medieval India was responsible for widening the gap between man and women, as each of these customs diminished women in some form. ... Despite the frailness of their role in society, to overthrow the British Empire nationwide efforts were essent...

• Word Count: 2806
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Chivalry and women's role in keeping it alive were important reasons men kept their honor and did their duty towards their beloved. ... Oftentimes from the union between lover and beloved it was best if the woman did not conceive, as the couple did not want to be found out by the woman's husband when a child was born who did not resemble him. ... Anderson and Zinsser state that, "Love, not the woman herself, caused the hero to act, to test and prove himself,"" (334). ... This woman allows her lover "to perish, without helping him."" ... It was Eve, a woman, who brought suffering upon...

• Word Count: 1444
• Approx Pages: 6

Heloise and Abelard are two prominent figures in medieval literature. ... Then again Heloise was a well educates woman, and this may be one of the reasons why Abelard was attracted to her. ... Heloise went against the normal, typical, and proper role of women in her society. ... She aspired to be a very well educated woman, and this may have been her downfall. ... Heloise was somewhat a fortunate woman of her time. ...

• Word Count: 1109
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

The characters that arise during the different tale, and those who tell the tales, play an important role in understanding the story, and the structure of the English people living in the 15th century. ... In her story there is a knight who assaulted a young woman. ... He searched in vain, until he came upon an old and ugly woman. ... Then, the old woman speaks, and tells the Queen about her arrangement with the knight, who tries to back out of it, but he has to marry the old woman. ... Women were thought very differently during the medieval times. ...

• Word Count: 1605
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

And thirdly, Boccaccio's personal beliefs must have played an important role in the construction of sex within the tales. ... In The Decameron, Boccaccio places us in a time when the plague was running rampant within the medieval realm. ... In the tenth story of the fifth day it is said, " a woman is always ready for a man, but not vice-versa. What's more one woman could exhaust many men, whereas many men can't exhaust one woman (432-435)." ...

• Word Count: 1609
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The Clerk's Tale and The Franklin's Tale address the social convention of marriage with reference to the role of obedient women and conventional versus unconventional marriage. ... McCall's perspective on the tale is simple; a woman who is devoted to her husband and abides by the social conventions of marriage of the time period. ... The Clerk's Tale acts as a response to the The Wife of Bath's Tale in terms of ideals and the role of women in marriage. ... The role of women in The Clerk's Tale is restrictive, whereby they should obey their husband and never questi...

• Word Count: 3668
• Approx Pages: 15
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate