Well structured and well-written essay which achieved A*. Focusing on the Wife of Bath and the topic of male behavior, written in accordance to the edexcel mark scheme.
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Explore how male behaviour is presented in The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale. Examine lines
882-898 and one other passage of similar length.
Male behaviour in lines 882-898 and lines 248-264 is, for the most part is presented as stereotypical
as the males in each section come across as domineering holding the power. The men in lines 246-
265 appear to assert their power over women by criticising every aspect of them, similarly later on
the Knight abuses his power by raping the woman. However, the knight faces his comeuppance for
his behaviour, and these gender roles are subverted with the queen taking on a position of power,
but it more is difficult to say the same for the earlier lines. Nevertheless, the presentation of
masculinity and male behaviour throughout the prologue and tale is fairly negative, therefore the
tale may serve as a criticism of society in the middle ages, particularly in relation to gender.
Male assertion of controll and power is evident in both passages, however it is most explicit in the
Knights rape where “he rafte hire maydenhed” “by verray force,” the use of iambic pentameter
stressing the most poignant words such as “force” and “rafte” meaning take away. The Wife
presents the woman’s “maydenhead” as an object, and something to take away, a description which
mirrors societies and the churches view on virginity at the time. The church viewed the virgin as the
most pure woman, better than the married woman and therefore this would make the rape even
more shocking to the medieval reader. However, Chaucer seems to present the taking away of the
woman’s virginity as more important and devastating than any effects on more personal and
psychological level. Therefore, perhaps reflecting a gender bias of the author, as a male and his own
presumptions and behaviours concerning femininity. Although the wife of bath is offering a female
perspective, this is ultimately still told through the male lens of Chaucer the character and then
Chaucer the author. However, this may merely be applying 21st century notions of feminism to a
time where the word did not even exist, and therefore a criticism of the authors own gendered bias
may not be appropriate. Similarly, the male voice comes across very strongly in the earlier passage.
The use of anaphora repeating the phrase “thou sayest” four times within the space of a few lines
reinforces the domineering masculine presence and controlling behaviour. The male interjection is
reflected throughout the wife’s prologue, with interruptions from the summoner commenting on
the length of the her prologue as “a long preamble of a tale!” clearly uninterested in viewing the
world from the female perspective.
Male behaviour and judgments are presented as presented as extremely unreasonable, and illogical.
The wife presents us with a number of oppositions that here male husbands have previously
protested about. They argue that marrying a poor woman is unfortunate as they do not bring in any
money, yet “if she be rich” then the husband has to “soffre hire pride and hire melencolie.” This
flawed logic suggest that Chaucer’s intentions were to criticise society’s perception of gender and
male behaviour. Gender roles at the time were fairly rigid, a woman was effectively always seen as a
extension of a male figure , whether this be a father as part of a family, or later a husband. This is
further conveyed by the masculine objectification of women. One of the Wife’s husband supposedly
had said if “men mey nat kepe a castel wal, it may so lounge assailed been overal” objectifying
women and their ability for sex. The image of a castle siege that is referred to twice in the passage
and presents women as totally passive with no free thought, requiring a man to “defend” and speak
for them. The objectification of women from the viewpoint of a man if far more subtle in the later
scene. However, by placing the rape immediately after the Knight is returning and “riding fro ryver”
which in a courtly context refers to the space for hunting and hawking, this evokes the metaphorical
image as woman as prey. Similarly like the castle image, women are supposed to be totally meek
and defenceless, viewed by men as pursuits to hunt down and fight for. This violent patterns in
imagery that is associated with male behaviour, contrasts greatly to the domestic imagery that the
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