Wife of Bath in Chaecers Canterbury Tales Essay - 912 Words

In the Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer the story tells about men and women going on pilgrimages, among them the Wife of Bath in search of her 6th husband, who go on a journey to pay their respect to Sir Thomas à ¡ Becket. During the story the Wife of Bath strongly expresses herself as a very strong woman and knows what she expects with the men shes with. As well as this, with all her beauty and respect she was given in life the Wife of Bath displays herself highly. Finally, she ideals her actions with the knowledge she knows from the Bible. Therefore, because of her control, beauty, and knowledge the Wife of Bath is a woman that most women would look up to. With the Wife of Baths five different husbands and the search of†¦show more content†¦She was able to display a sense of independence with her stability, control, and strength. Physical characteristics of the Wife of Bath made herself able to hold her head up high given her the illusion of her being a mo re poweful figure. She liked to show off herself and the money she had, she felt as if [she] was like a cat, for it someone singes a cats fur, then the cat will stay in its dwelling, and if the cats fur is sleek and attractive, she wont stay in the house half a day, but out shell go, before the break of day, to show her fur and go a-catwauling (p. 197). The Wife of Bath was flaunting herself and being proud of what she has. Chaucer protrayed her having elegance when [she] was young and full of wantonness, stubborn and strong and merry as a magpie. How gracefully [she] cuould dance to a harp, and sing just like a nigtingale (p. 201). As beautiful as she was, she was also graceful with dancing and singing. Finally, a lusty one, and fair and rich and young and well off, and truly, as my husbands told me, I had the best quoniam that might be (p. 209). Even though the Wife of Bath was flirtatous and rich people still saw her as being one of the better ones. The Wife of Bath throughou t the tale talks of stories from the Bible, in which she compares her standard of living to the people of the Bible. Never yet in [her] life have [she] heard this number defined. People guess and interpert the text up and down..., where