THE EVOLUTION OF EQUALITY
Women in today’s society are almost always viewed as equals.
Acheiving equality has been a tremendous strain on women, but times have
finally started to change. Looking back on English literature from the
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, male domination is portrayed to its fullest
extent, and continued to be up until the nineteenth century. Not only were
women authors and writers almost non-existent, but the women portrayed in
literature were almost always weak, frail, devious, deceitful, and constantly
compared to children and the insane; the absolute lowest class of society. One
poet stands alone from the rest though. Geoffrey Chaucer managed to portray
a women in the thirteenth century as strong, powerful, and smart. The Wife
of Bath was written in a time where Chaucer took a very grave risk in writing
a poem which portrayed how women felt about the society in which they
lived. Chaucer contradicted the church, the bible, Jesus and man kind,
through the Wife of Bath. The wife of bath, herself, is a character on which
centuries of gratitude should be bestowed. She is the evolution of equality
and the diminishing of inferiority. The Wife of Bath reveals some of the
harsh amenities of life that were brought to her through her five husbands
and how she struggles to bring a balance of power to men and women. The
Wife of bath emphasizes her opinion of inequality by harshly criticizing
men, only to evoke her underlying message of an undying desire to force men
to see that she is not inferior to their kind, but only equal.
The bible, for many, is a world wide resources text. The bible outlines
morals, values, rules, and beliefs that are to be carried out for eternity. When
an issue in life contradicts the bible, huge steps are taken to correct this issue
and make it the way God stated that it should be. This came to be a great
advantage for the Wife of Bath in order to prove that the way women were
being treated was not what God wanted. For example, the Wife of Bath was
condemned for having more than one husband, but as she stated, the bible
has many prophets that had more than one wife and they were not
condemned;
“I woot wel Abraham was an holy man,
And Jacob eek, as fer as evere I can,
And eech of hem hadde wives mo than two,
And many another holy man also.” (Chaucer, lines 61-64).
The wife also argued with confidence about Solomon, “Lo, here the wiese
King daun Salomon: / I trowe he hadde wives many oon…” (Chaucer, lines
35-36), proving that he had seven hundred wives, though this was okay
according to God. Chaucer developed the Wife of Bath to begin from the
start of the story with rage, fury, and persistence against the ever growing
dominance of men. The reason for this was because the Wife of Bath had the
proof in front of her that many of the characteristics of her life were scorned
upon, even though these characteristics had been done and overly expanded
upon throughout history, even before Christ. The Wife of Bath knew that if
her husband died, being a widow for the rest of her life was not right,
especially in the eyes of God, “God bad us for to wexe and multiplye…” (
Chaucer, line 28). Her marriages were not all good, yet the Wife of Bath
remained true, determined to at the very least prove to her husbands that she
also had power and this power needed to be respected if she was to respect
theirs.
The Wife of Bath’s character can also be defended because of her
constant struggle for loyalty and respect,
“Sire olde cainard, is this thyn array?
Why is my neighebores wif so gay?
She is honoured overal ther she gooth:
I sitte at hoom; I have no thrifty cloth.
What doostou at my neighebores hous?
Is she so fair? Artou so amorous?
What roune ye with oure maide, benedicite?”
(Chaucer, lines 241-247)
In this quotation the Wife of Bath wants respect and she does not understand
why her husband is not loyal, especially when she is loyal to him. This
situation is a replica of events that happen today, in the twentieth century.
Women want respect, loyalty, and honesty, and the Wife of Bath plans on
achieving this, back in a time when it was never thought possible. Her voice
speaks and is eventually heard about five hundred years later. Women today
are constantly trying to maintain a balance of power that the Wife of Bath
had to struggle to create.
The relationship that is created between the knight and the hag also
illustrates the wife’s intention of proving that if a man becomes loving and
sensitive to a woman this does not mean that the male is being dominated.
The end result actually proves to be a relationship where two people are
happy and secure in their love and most importantly respect each others
power. With the knight unable to choose between having the hag ugly and
trustworthy or beautiful and lecherous, the decision was given to her to
choose. With this power given to the hag, the creation of happiness through
both choices was created, the exact point in which the Wife of Bath is trying
to accomplish. “For by my trouthe, I wol be to you bothe- / This is to sayn, ye
bothe fair and good…” ( Chaucer, lines 1246-47 ) .
“And she obeyed him in every thing
That might do him pleasance or liking
And thus they live unto hir lives ende
In parfit joye” ( Chaucer, lines 1261-64)
The point being that an equality of decision making, equality of truth and
respect, and equality of stature, can only lead to good things for both sexes in
the end.
The Wife of Baths goal, was never to achieve female dominance over
males. The goal was to achieve a female dominance up to the level of the
male, and to maintain that level forever. This goal became an extremely hard
struggle with the Wife’s fifth husband. He was particularly cruel in his
treatment of females, and he also portrayed the most severe dominance over
the Wife of Bath. The fifth husband managed to embellish his education, in
order to convey an overwhelming sense of power over the Wife of Bath. His
readings from the book of wicked wives, began a cycle of anger and
frustration in the Wife of Bath. Finally, a physical conflict erupted, that lead
to the husbands realization that he must yield to her. Once that occurred, the
Wife of Bath and her husband entered onto a new level; the level of respect
and equality,
“After that day we hadde nevere debbat.
God help me so, I was to him as kinde
As any wif from Denmark unto Inde,
And also trewe and so was he to me.”
(Chaucer, lines 828-831).
The Wife of Bath finally managed to achieve what she wanted through
all of her shrewish and persistent behavior: the realization of a relationship in
which the partners mutually respect each other and share the power.
Chaucer’s creation of a character so strong, so persistent, and so
knowledgeable as to the way women really should be treated, established a
set ideal of how all women should act towards inequality. The Wife of Bath
used many different strategies to prove her point, and her point was made.
The Wife of Bath is a character that was not created to diminish man, and
exfoliate on man’s faults, but she is a character created to show that men are
not perfect, nor are women. Also, when placed side by side men and women
are equal to each other in their faults and in their power.
The bible teaches many people about life and the way they should live.
This is why the Wife of Bath had the best proof that could have ever been
revealed. She knew that many of the characteristics about her life happened
in the time of Christ and no one was condemned for it, they were only
accepted. Being guilty and having the proof of innocence with no one to hear
your plea, can force one to take extreme measures in proving their point. This
is why the Wife of Bath was not a character that was created to emphasize
the faults that males carry within them, but in reality the Wife of Bath was a
major symbol of true justice in a sexist society.
Другие работы по теме:
Theory Of Evolution Essay Research Paper I
Theory Of Evolution Essay, Research Paper I have always believed that it can take one person to get the ball rolling, but it takes a group to make an impact. Therefore, the concept of evolution via natural selection was a group effort.
Basic Iseals Of Declaration Of Independance Essay
, Research Paper The introduction to the Declaration of Independence posses the basic of ideals of America. Four of the ideals extolled in the document are; equality, natural rights, consent if the
2Nd Law Of Thermodynamics Vs E Essay
, Research Paper Second Law of Thermodynamics vs. Evolution According to the second law of thermodynamics, when energy is converted from one form to another, the amount of useful energy decreases. In relation to the theory of evolution, this law is not contradictory. The second law of thermodynamics is not relating to energy within living things because living things retain energy from the sun.
Locke And Equality Essay Research Paper First
Locke And Equality Essay, Research Paper First of all,the basis for understanding Locke is that he sees all people as having natural God given rights. As God’s creations, this denotes a certain equality.
Biogeography Essay Research Paper bBiogeographyAfter reading the
Biogeography Essay, Research Paper bBiogeography After reading the text on David Quammen?s voyage through many different islands of the world, I was hit with a certain impression of the world. The first thing that amazed me about how David Quammen wrote the book is that, within a few chapters I felt that the timeline of the creation of earth and suddenly shrunk immensely.
Slavery And Evolution Of The Cherokee Essay
, Research Paper ENC3240 A Review of Slavery and Evolution of the Cherokee Society 1540-1866 by Theda Perdue In this well-written book by Theda Perdue, he discloses much of the history of slavery among the Cherokee people and their evolution during this 326 year period. He begins with their abduction by the Spanish.
Lucy Stone Essay Research Paper Equality for
Lucy Stone Essay, Research Paper Equality for Woman Lucy Stone was one of the most important workers for suffrage and other women’s rights. Born in 1818 on a farm in Massachusetts, Lucy grew up with an overbearing father that ruled the house and her mother “by divine right.” She was disquieted by her mother’s lowly role in the family.
Facism Essay Research Paper Throughout time the
Facism Essay, Research Paper Throughout time the debate upon which is the best system of government has been ongoing. Somewhere between the realms of democracy, socialism, fascism, communism, and monarchism lies the answer to the perfect system. Traditionally speaking, North America has always tried to remain democratic.
Genetic Engineering Essay Research Paper It is
Genetic Engineering Essay, Research Paper It is a well-known fact that drugs and alcohol can damage the fetus. The drugs may damage chromosomes in the fetus, which may develop into a deformity, mental problems, or even addiction to the drug. It is also
Creation Essay Research Paper Creation or EvolutionDuane
Creation Essay, Research Paper Creation or Evolution? Duane T. Gish has been one of the few people I have read on, that gives sensible reactions against the theories of both creation and evolution. In his writing Creationist Science and Education , it might be a little obvious he goes off better with creation, but he never tries to persuade the readers to follow his choice.
Equality Essay Research Paper Equality
Equality Essay, Research Paper Equality I have a vision, that all people be treated equally. Race, religion, sex, age, and other petty differences should not mater. Every one has a rite to me
Creation Or Evolution Essay Research Paper EVOLUTION
Creation Or Evolution? Essay, Research Paper EVOLUTION OR CREATION? In a coherent world like ours people are questioning their religion and not knowing whether to believe in creation by God or evolution, Through out my research I have found four possible answers to this question to incorporate both theories .
Modern Atom Model Essay Research Paper The
Modern Atom Model Essay, Research Paper The evolution of the modern atom model took several years to evolved with contribution from different scientists. One of these scientists, the first to come up with a modern model of the atom is JJ Thomson. Thomson proposes that the structure of an atom is mainly a sphere.
Creation Vs Evolution Essay Research Paper Creation
Creation Vs Evolution Essay, Research Paper Creation vs evolution, was man created be an almighty god, or is he simply a product of modern science. This question has puzzled scholarly minds for many years and yet will for many to come. The one that makes the most sense to me and has the most supporting evidence, is evolution.
Evolution Essay Research Paper Evolution The process
Evolution Essay, Research Paper Evolution The process by which all living things have developed from primitive life forms through changes occurring over billions of years is evolution. All living things arose through a long history of changes formed by physical and chemical processes that are still taking place.
Political Equality Essay Research Paper The beginnings
Political Equality Essay, Research Paper The beginnings of political equality were dim. America was just beginning to set up a political system when ideas of equality began to arise. Questions concerning citizenship, rights, and civil liberties made plans for the American political system seem overwhelmingly complicated.
Equality In Races Essay Research Paper EQUALITY
Equality In Races Essay, Research Paper EQUALITY IN RACES I love being Puertorican and fdo think that we should always be proud of who we are, Hispanics. Also is a great thing and a good oportunity to be citizens of the United States. The problem is that we?ll always be rejected in some states and from people that think that we?re in the states because we want to take their land, works, etc. and that?s not true.
American Dream Essay Research Paper scribes the
American Dream Essay, Research Paper scribes the defeat of the American dream, and that the American ideals differ with the actual social conditions that exist in society. For the American constitutions stands for the freedom, and equality among people, but the truth of the matter is that social discrimination still exists and the grouping among the classes can never be overcome.
Is Evolution A Fact Or A Theory
? Essay, Research Paper Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory? Both. In Darwin’s day, and before, many naturalists theorized that living things were somehow related in a manner beyond that of their obvious common differences from non-living matter. These speculations, including those of Darwin, are appropriately termed theories: speculations about nature that were informed by observation and subject to test by additional observations.
Darwins Theory On Evolution Essay Research Paper
Discuss Evolution Theory according to Darwin In 1838, Charles Darwin put together his Theory on Evolution. Darwin tried to prove his theory that man was the center of the world and not God. He believed that evolution was gradual on both humans and on organisms. Darwin believed in something called natural selection; meaning genes are to be passed on from one generation to the next.
Hw Lab Essay Research Paper I TitlePopulation
Hw Lab Essay, Research Paper I. Title Population Genetics and Evolution: Hardy Weinberg Equation II. Hypothesis This lab is separated into four different cases. Within each of these cases, there are
The Evolution Essay Research Paper The EvolutionIn
The Evolution Essay, Research Paper The Evolution In nature evolution occurs throughout various different things. Also evolution occurs in technology. Take for instance, ATM was an evolution of frame relay, and frame relay was an evolution of packet switching. Evolution happens everywhere but in technology it happens all the time.
Rise Of Sociology Essay Research Paper The
Rise Of Sociology Essay, Research Paper The Rise of Sociology The field of sociology evolved as a response to the impact of profound social and political fragmentation experienced in the West. A fundamental shift in both social and intellectual patterns created by the economic evolution of the eighteenth century led to great concern among scholars of the period.
Evolution Essay Research Paper 1a The
Evolution Essay, Research Paper 1)a. The first stated that sedimentary rocks are laid down in a horizontal manner, and the second stated that younger rock units were deposited on top of older rock units.
King Arthur Essay Research Paper Arthur s
King Arthur Essay, Research Paper Arthur s plan for a round table signified truth and equality. It was to end competition between his knights. By having a round table there were no heads of the table and therefore no seat was more important than another. Arthur expressed his desire to encounter all of the evil in the world…so that if I conquered there would be none left.
Should Social Policy Be Concerned With Creating
Equality Essay, Research Paper Social policy covers a social wide range of social welfare provisions,? that the vast majority of society are able use.? As Mishra notes ?social policy? social arrangements,
Social Darwinism Essay Research Paper Social DarwinismSocial
Social Darwinism Essay, Research Paper Social Darwinism Social Darwinism was a late nineteenth-century social theory that was based on the theories of evolution of scientist Charles Darwin. The ideas and behind Social Darwinism came directly from his theories of evolution and, ?survival of the fittest.? The theory was used to explain how the economic growth of America was coming along.
Race And Freedom Essay Research Paper Freedom
Race And Freedom Essay, Research Paper Freedom is a word that can be spoken and recognized by any man. Throughout history many have fought and died to gain the assurance of freedom and equality. Though the definition of freedom may vary, the general acknowledgement of it is well known. Thomas Jefferson believed that freedom was having unalienable rights that could not be destroyed by any form of government.
Inherit The Wind Essay Research Paper In
Inherit The Wind Essay, Research Paper In our Consititution, citizens have many righhts, but do we have the right to think? In the play Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence adn Robert Lee, a man is on trial for teaching his students about the theory of evolution. Drummond, the lawyer for this man, said “With all respect to the bench, I hold that the right to think is very much on trial.”