Mixed Feminine Message in Wife of Baths Tale by Geoffrey...

Mixed Feminine Message in Wife of Baths Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer In the Wife of Bath’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer, various women, such as the Queen and the old hag, stake their claim to authority over men. Yet, they do so in a very covert manner. The knight has clearly abused his male power. He is a rapist. With the help of women, however, he is rehabilitated and seems to achieve the ultimate happiness. When these women support the feminist viewpoint that women should have mastery over their husbands, they are also echoing the sentiments the Wife of Bath presents in her prologue. Yet, these women abandon mastery the moment they attain it. The old hag relinquishes mastery back to her husband immediately after he grants it to her,†¦show more content†¦She does not tell the knight what to think about women, but instead wants him to learn for himself what women most desire. She gives him, â€Å"A twelfmonth and a day to seeche and lere / An answere suffisant in this matere† (Chaucer l. 915). The knight must interview count less women to find the answer to this question. He is forced to listen, and learn from their desires, instead of following his own and raping them. The Queen allows the knight to live, but forces him to consider and value women’s opinions. Perhaps she allows him to live because all men at times aggressively assert their domination over women and the better option is to rehabilitate them, rather than killing every aggressive man. While the knight is searching for what women most desire he comes across an interesting response. â€Å"For to be free, and do right as us lest, / And that no man repreve us of our vice† (Chaucer l. 942). The woman is asserting her right to freedom. Just as the knight, she longs to do just as she pleases and is unconcerned with male opinion. This is a very liberated statement, which supports both feminism and the Wife of Bath’s own opinions. She has tried to live her life in this manner. It is unclear, however, if Chaucer is using this statement simply for consistency between the wife and her tale or if he is being satirical. He could be suggesting that women are reckless and power hungry or applauding their desire for freedom and