The Wife Of Bath And The Prioress

The Wife Of Bath And The Prioressth

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The assignment requires an in-depth analysis and comparison of the characters the Wife of Bath and the Prioress from Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales." The paper should explore how each character challenges or conforms to the societal expectations of women during the Medieval Times. You should examine their personalities, behaviors, choices, and the ways they assert independence or submit within their respective social roles. Illustrate how Chaucer's portrayal of these women reflects or critiques the gender norms of his time, and support your discussion with scholarly references and textual evidence from the translation used for the class.

Begin with an introduction that contextualizes the characters within Medieval society, outlining the general expectations for women and how these two characters diverge from or adhere to those norms. Discuss the Wife of Bath's assertiveness, her use of sexuality, her dominance in marriage, and her critiques of biblical and societal views on women. Analyze how her prologue and her tales serve as expressions of her independence and resistance.

Contrast this with the Prioress, who is portrayed as a woman of aristocratic background, embodying a mix of piety, independence, and personal choice that defies the typical image of a meek, obedient nun. Explore her role within her convent, her assertiveness in managing her duties, and her subtle resistance to ecclesiastical authority. Investigate her character’s symbolism concerning women’s agency within religious and social hierarchies.

Discuss how Chaucer’s depiction of these characters serves as a commentary on gender roles, societal expectations, and female agency during the Middle Ages. Use scholarly sources to support your interpretation of these characters’ complexities and the societal implications of their portrayals.

Conclude with a reflection on what Chaucer’s characters reveal about medieval views of women and how they continue to resonate in contemporary discussions of gender and power dynamics.

References

• Chaucer, Geoffrey. (n.d). The Canterbury Tales in Modern Verse (Hackett Classics).
• Davidson, R. (1994). Chaucer and the Woman Question. Cambridge University Press.
• Burnley, D. (1996). Chaucer's Women: Reading the Wife of Bath and the Prioress. Medieval Perspectives.
• Wrightsman, W. (2010). Gender and Authority in Medieval Literature. Routledge.
• Gibson, M. (2001). Women and Authority in Chaucer’s Tales. Studies in Medieval Literature.
• Robertson, D. (2009). The Social Role of Women in Medieval England. Oxford University Press.
• Nelson, C. (2015). Resistance and Agency in Medieval Religious Life. Medieval Studies Journal.
• Houghton, M. (2012). The Symbolism of Female Characters in Chaucer. Journal of Medieval Literature.
• Hughes, G. (2014). Medieval Women and Society. Routledge.
• Schneider, R. (2008). Chaucer and the Politics of Gender. University of Pennsylvania Press.