Critical Analysis: the Wife of Bath's Tale
Hart│1
Veronica T. Hart
Dr. Jennifer Young
EN 201-X01
12 March 2011
Summary of Critical Analysis of “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”
Singer, Drew, “Literary analysis: The Wife of Bath’s Tale” 07 July 2008 http://www.helium.com/items/1104058-wife-baths-tale-chaucer . In this analysis Mr. Singer believe that the Wife represent a women seeking equality for herself in a male dominant society. Mr. Singer wants to show the Wife as a progressive thinker for empowerment of women. He notes that the Wife uses knowledge and experiences of her life to better advance her desires. Mr. Singer also mentions that because of her being already married three times her ability to control and have things her way came easily to her for the reason that her husbands were old and rich. Mr. Singer says, the Wife continued efforts to dictate or manipulate intensified when her fourth husband committed adultery which hurt her deeply. According to Mr. Singer the wife was so proud of how she could make a fool out of her husband, she encourage other wives to do the same. She felt that this was the only way for women during the 14th century to stand up for themselves and not continue to feel stifled in a male obstinate society. Mr. Singer says the Wife confrontation with her fifth husband, Jankyn, shows her capacity to affirm her power using deceit and forcefulness. The Wife act of vandalism in tearing pages out of her husband books in conjunction to hitting him asserts that she wanted control. Mr. Singer further examines the reason behind the Wife striking her husband; he
Hart│2 believes the phrase ‘took him on the cheke,’ indicates she also craved sexual dominance. The knocking him on his back put him at a disadvantage, giving her the opportunity to violate him. In addition Mr. Singer write’s that despite the fighting between the Wife and Jankyn there is still sexual lust. He points out that when the husband got up he was described as a ‘wood leoun’. Clearly the Wife is pleased with
Veronica T. Hart
Dr. Jennifer Young
EN 201-X01
12 March 2011
Summary of Critical Analysis of “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”
Singer, Drew, “Literary analysis: The Wife of Bath’s Tale” 07 July 2008 http://www.helium.com/items/1104058-wife-baths-tale-chaucer . In this analysis Mr. Singer believe that the Wife represent a women seeking equality for herself in a male dominant society. Mr. Singer wants to show the Wife as a progressive thinker for empowerment of women. He notes that the Wife uses knowledge and experiences of her life to better advance her desires. Mr. Singer also mentions that because of her being already married three times her ability to control and have things her way came easily to her for the reason that her husbands were old and rich. Mr. Singer says, the Wife continued efforts to dictate or manipulate intensified when her fourth husband committed adultery which hurt her deeply. According to Mr. Singer the wife was so proud of how she could make a fool out of her husband, she encourage other wives to do the same. She felt that this was the only way for women during the 14th century to stand up for themselves and not continue to feel stifled in a male obstinate society. Mr. Singer says the Wife confrontation with her fifth husband, Jankyn, shows her capacity to affirm her power using deceit and forcefulness. The Wife act of vandalism in tearing pages out of her husband books in conjunction to hitting him asserts that she wanted control. Mr. Singer further examines the reason behind the Wife striking her husband; he
Hart│2 believes the phrase ‘took him on the cheke,’ indicates she also craved sexual dominance. The knocking him on his back put him at a disadvantage, giving her the opportunity to violate him. In addition Mr. Singer write’s that despite the fighting between the Wife and Jankyn there is still sexual lust. He points out that when the husband got up he was described as a ‘wood leoun’. Clearly the Wife is pleased with