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The Wife Of Bath's Marriage Essay

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The Wife Of Bath's Marriage Essay
1.) upon what conditions does the wife accept marriage? The Wife of Bath has a very strict criteria when it comes to marriage. She has been married five times starting at the age of 12. Her first marriage most likely was an arranged one where she had no control over the situation which might have helped her in creating her philosophy on the subject/affair. The wife of bath marries on her terms which was the complete opposite of what was accepted and condoned in medieval times. When the Wife of Bath does marry she makes sure that the “agreement” will benefit her and that she is able to somehow control her husband and that he is well endowed and okay for a good romp in the bed. Alisoun views marriage as a type of ‘job which she enjoys especially because of sex which she enjoys. She is portrayed and written as more of a promiscuous woman that will only be laid to bed when she is married.

2.) Does Chaucer the poet's attitude manifest in the WOB prologue? The point of
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The character of the Knight is different than that of what is usual in a fairytale. A Knight is usually portrayed as someone who is virtuous and heroic while in this tale the knight commits a serious crime and must pay the consequences. When the Knight first sets out to find out what women most desire he sees twenty four young maidens dancing and as he soon approaches they disappear leaving only an old woman. This sets the magical element into place and also allows for a great contrast between the hags ugliness and the beauty of the dancing maidens to greater further the point of the element of magic, the time period, and to demonstrate the appearance of the old

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