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Treatment of women in the Canterbury Tales A man without a wife is like a man in winter without a fur hat. Russian Proverb Having read not all but even three of the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer one can definitely say that in that time when these tales were written the role, the attitude, the status of women were quite different from what we have nowadays. A womans voice was not heard in that world. She was under full control of her husband and her main tasks in life were pleasing her husband, taking care of household and children.
A woman was a weak part of a family. For example, this is what the miller tells in his story about one couple: This carpenter had lately wed a wife Whom lie loved better than he loved his life; And she was come come to eighteen years of age. Jealous he was and held her close in cage. For she was wild and young, and he was old, And deemed himself as like to be cuckold. He knew no Cato, for his lore was rude: That vulgar man should wed similitude. (Chaucer, 118) The men were cruel with their women. They watched every single step their women took.
They didnt trust them. Nowadays it is almost impossible to imagine that a woman could be under such a full control of her husband. Today we might hear voice of women even louder and more often than the one of men. Today some women play a leading role in their families and it is their voice that a husband listens to.
In the medieval times a woman had to please her husband, and men, old and already out of mind, often chose young girls as their wives: She was a primrose, and a tender chicken For any lord to lay upon his bed, Or yet for any good yeoman to wed. (Chaucer, 119) And these young and wild women could not be left alone so simple. Men didnt trust their wives. This overprotection led to unfaithfulness: as soon as a woman had a chance, when her husband left to tend to his own chores, a woman could enjoy her freedom. And medieval women did that. They could not stand the cruelty if their men.
The wife of bath tells in her story about her husbands and their attitude towards her: And yet he was to me most brutal, too: My ribs yet feels as they were black and blue, And ever shall, until my dying day. (Chaucer, 219) But neither a modern woman can tolerate this, nor a medieval one could accept such a treatment with her: We love no man that guards us or gives charge Of where we go, for we will be at large. (Chaucer, 216) Forbid a thing, and that thing covet we; Press hard upon us, then we turn and flee. (Chaucer, 219) But husbands and church of course interpreted this womens wish of freedom as an immorality. They could cite many examples from the history of mankind when a woman caused death, war, conflicts. Lo here, expressly of women, may you find, That woman was the ruin of mankind. (Chaucer, 234) The nuns priest also blames women in all the troubles. He thinks that only a stupid man can listen to the advices that a woman give: Now womens counsels oft are ill to hold; A womans counsel brought us first to woe, And Adam caused from Paradise to go, Wherein he was right merry and at ease. (Chaucer, 360) A woman has her own tasks and she must fulfil those. She must stay at home and obey her husband. There was not even a single word about education or intellectual work.
The place of a woman was right beside her husband and children in thei home. But of course women had quite a contrary point of view: And I pray Jesus to cut short the lives Of those wholl not be governed be their wives; And old and querulous niggards with their pence, And send them soon a mortal pestilence! (Chaucer, 246) But these words only remained in their heads, in their hearts and in thei souls. They could not and did not speak out loud. Most of the modern women can not even imagine how terrible a life of a medieval woman was. God grant that they never get to know that. Bibliography: Chaucer, Geoffrey.
The Canterbury Tales. New York: Bantu Books, 1964. Power, Eileen. Medieval People. Suffolk: Methuen & Co. , 1970. Rhine smith, Harvey.
The Middle gae's Family, Western European. Princeton: Princeton Printing Press, 1993.
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Research essay sample on Treatment Of Women In The Canterbury Tales
