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

Through the selection of his story, the Knight displays a chivralic and romantic role in the medieval world. ... The main narrative kind of medieval literature was the Christian Romance. ... The Knight's Tale tells of two noble cousins that fall deeply in love with the same woman and deeply in hatred of each other. This very classical and romantic genre reflects the Knight's role in the medieval world. ... A well written collecting of poetry created for us today the remembrance of the Knight's role in the medieval society. ...

• Word Count: 567
• Approx Pages: 2

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

Bisson states in Chaucer and the Late Medieval World. ... Giving way to brotherhood, friendship, and life, love plays its crucial role in the chivalric performance. ... "Their (women's) role is to learn, listening quietly and with due submission . they should keep quiet," Christian creeds suggests in the First Epistle to Timothy. ... By voicing Emilye, Chaucer makes it clear the inner conflict Emilye suffers under the performance of courtly love, which plays crucial role in gender relationship. While regarding the role of Theseus in the tale, his arrangement of the chivalric ma...

• Word Count: 3384
• Approx Pages: 14
• Has Bibliography
• 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

Chaucer's masterpiece, The Canterbury Tales, reflects a very opinionated view of manners and the behaviors of medieval women. ... On the other end of the spectrum, we have the Prioress, who is a better example of womanhood in the medieval ages. ... The Prioress also known as the Nun represents a proper and feminine woman of the medieval period. ... Along with fer vow of chasity, this makes her a moral individual in the eyes of society and a leading role model for other woman. ... Chaucer portrays the proper and moral way for a woman to act during the medieval period, by comparing the rude...

• Word Count: 1384
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

He sees the Medieval Church and its clergy as corrupt. ... Chaucer satirizes the Medieval Church. ... He is known to make even a shoeless woman give him money. ... He spent time seducing woman and promised women husbands in return for sexual favors. ... The Friar, the Summoner, and the Pardoner all play the roles of corrupt church officials. ...

• Word Count: 1477
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

In doing so the Wife of Bath inverts the order of the normal narrative, and the common social order as women in medieval literature tended to only feature in tales in very stereotypical roles; as a beautiful lady, a love interest or an old wife. Chaucer created a woman never seen before in English Literature. ... A woman married five times, some for pleasure but mostly for money. ... Alisouns tale is so wonderful because it effectively condemns a Knights rape of a young woman by insisting that the knight must submit to the authority of a woman by the end of the tale. ... In his manipulatio...

• Word Count: 1803
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography

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 late fourteenth century was a time when religion played a huge role in everyday life. ... The irony of the medieval period created an endless amount of inspiration for Chaucer and sparked his imagination; which has been portrayed in his literature. ... At first glance she appears to be a great woman serving as the head of a convent. ...

• Word Count: 797
• Approx Pages: 3
• 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

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