Wife of Bath Vs The Prioress - 1222 Words

Canterbury Tales is a story about a group of thirty people, including the Host, that are traveling to the shrine of the martyr St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The diverse group is a concoction of contradicting personalities that are intricately described by Chaucer. Among these twenty-nine excursionists are two women. One of them is the coquettish Prioress while the other one is the partially deaf Wife at Bath. Although both women possess discernable similarities, both possess divergent personalities and experiences. The Prioress, known as Madam Eglantyne, has an elegant nose, a Lilliputian, soft, and red mouth, a big-forehead, and a glass gray mouth. She wears a cloak, a set of beads, and a broche that reads, â€Å"Love conquers†¦show more content†¦They had no right to own land or voice their opinions. The Prioress and the Wife at Bath are both examples of what women in society were not. The Prioress had no right to own land, yet she still found a loophole t o maintain her estates by having the monk manage them. The Wife at Bath is outspoken, a quality that women were not supposed to possess. She spoke her mind out knows how to defend herself well. However, there is a deviation in each the Prioress and Wife at Bath’s experiences. The Prioress represents a model of a â€Å"religious† person. She possesses good table manners and pretended to be rich. The Prioress also spoke a lower form of French. This indicates that she is educated. On the other hand, the Wife at Bath has had different life experiences that have molded her to become the women that she is in the story. The Wife at Bath has traveled to other pilgrimages throughout the Middle East. She has also had five different husbands, meaning she has had a heavy sexual experience, unlike the Prioress. The prologues of each character vary as well. Before the Prioress starts her story, she praises God and the Virgin Mary. Since her story is about the Virgin Ma ry, she glorifies the Virgin’s power, magnificence, and humility. She also implores God to help her narrate the story properly to tell of God’s reverence. On the other hand, the Wife at Bath justifies herself for theShow MoreRelatedThe Prioress vs. the Wife of Bath2297 Words   |  10 Pagesmedieval society are the Wife of Bath and the Prioress. Through both the Wife of Baths Tale and the Prioresss Tale, Chaucer articulates his opinionated views of the etiquette and conduct of women in the 14th century. By examining both the Wife of Bath and the Prioresss tales, we are able to see the stark contrast between their social standards and demeanors. Chaucers description of the two characters clearly depicts the Prioress as a better woman than the Wife of Bath according to 14th CenturyRead More Canterbury Tales Essay - Sexuality in The Wife of Bath and the Pardoner1711 Words   |  7 PagesSexuality in The Wife of Bath and the Pardoner In Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, an eclectic mix of people gathers together at Tabard Inn to begin a pilgrimage to Canterbury. In the General Prologue, the readers are introduced to each of these characters. Among the pilgrims are the provocative Wife of Bath and the meek Pardoner. These two characters both demonstrate sexuality, in very different ways. Chaucer uses the Wife and the Pardoner to examine sexuality in the medieval periodRead More Contradictions in Chaucers The Canterbury Tales Essay3897 Words   |  16 PagesContradictions in Chaucers The Canterbury Tales There is no question that contradictory values make up a major component of The Canterbury Tales. Fate vs. Fortuna, knowledge vs. experience and love vs. hate all embody Chaucers famous work. These contrasting themes are an integral part of the complexity and sophistication of the book, as they provide for an ironic dichotomy to the creative plot development and undermine the superficial assumptions that might be made. The combination of completely