Geoffrey Chaucer wrote one of Chaucer’s most complex, outspoken and complex characters, Alison. Social norms from the period make her confident, sarcastic remarks even more controversial. Chaucer portrays Alison as an independent and strong woman. However, he sometimes overemphasizes these qualities. Chaucer portrays Alison as more of a reflection of men than of women. He shows how men are surprised to see that a woman treats them in the same way they treat women. Chaucer’s motives can be seen in lines 106 to 113. This gives a clear picture of Alison and her attitude towards society.
Chaucer tries to keep Alison away from God. This is evident in the passage. These ten lines contain three references to “perfection”, including “perfectly”. All are connected with God and portray him as perfect. She says that God is responsible for the perfection of this world and keeps herself away from it. She says, “Gentlemen, please excuse me, I’m not that” (Chaucer 111). Alison is not ashamed of her lifestyle. In fact, she admits it openly, saying that she values her own happiness more than her husband’s. This passage tells us a great deal about Chaucer. Chaucer believes Alison is less than God because she does not adhere to social conventions. He stresses that God has a standard that is perfect and Alison doesn’t meet it.
Alison emphasizes virginity and compares it again to perfection. She acknowledges that virginity can be a religiously valid expression. She is an outspoken and bold narrator but she doesn’t mean to disrespect those who want to keep their virginity for marriage. Instead, she simply says that she does not belong with those people. Chaucer creates a character who is bold in a society that was governed by strict religious laws. In this period, it was taboo to talk openly about Alison’s sexuality outside of the context marriage. She repeats that idea in the first prologue. “The prize was set for virginity. Let’s catch it whoever can. Let’s compare who ran best” (Chaucer 76-75). By describing virginity in terms of “prize”, Chaucer highlights the flaws that come with placing too many expectations on someone who has lost their virginity. It appears that it is more important to be the first one there than find the right person and the right reason. Alison’s boldness and bravado would make the reader think. Her promiscuity doesn’t revolutionize the role of women during this time. In fact, her empowerment is directly linked to sexuality. She feels less self-worth without this.
Chaucer’s overly dramaticized portrayal seems to feed the negative stereotypes of women at the time. Women were defined more by their relationship with men than by their personal accomplishments or autonomy. The title of The Wife of Bath in the prologue is an excellent example. Chaucer decided to call her Alison first, rather than calling her by the name of the narrator. Alison, portrayed as a strong woman who is independent, still finds value in her relationship with the men. She is overly focused on her own sexuality to prove her worth. In fact, she says that her sexuality is what gives her value. She believes, in direct opposition to feminist ideals and against feminism itself, that she is only valuable because of her sexuality. The “flowers of my youth” refer to a woman’s declining fertility as she ages. She is taking advantage of the fact that she has a limited time to be desirable. The only thing that she considers a marriage to be about is sex. She does not refer to marriage when it comes to love but only in terms of lust.
Alison also makes reference to the Bible a few times in the argument she presents, but misinterprets it and uses it to her benefit. She claims that God “did not command everyone to sell everything they owned and give the money to the needy, And follow in his footsteps.” (Chaucer 108) She is fixated on the Bible’s statement that you have to be perfect in order to follow Jesus. This is the direct translation of a verse from Matthew that says, “Jesus said to him, ‘If You Want To Be Perfect, Go and Sell All Your Possessions, Give the Money to the Poor, And You Will Have Treasure in Heaven. Matthew 19:21). The Bible clearly states that man is far from perfect and that being “perfected” means to be closer than ever before to God’s ideals for mankind. In this example, they might seek Godly Perfection by being generous and selfless. Alison’s rejection of these ideals is due to her belief that she has distanced herself from God. Chaucer is a satirical novelist, so this shows more of Chaucer’s intentions than Alison. Alison is a bold, outspoken woman who seems to have little knowledge of the Bible. Chaucer did give a voice to a woman, but it was one that was misinformed. It also played into the idea of women not being able to think critically and understand complex ideas. Alison’s actions seem to be a way of masking her insecurities.
The story she tells illustrates this distorted sense of herself. In the story, the woman is old and unattractive, which makes it hard for the knights to want her as a wife. This illustrates Alison’s belief that the body of a woman is the most important asset. Chaucer described the woman’s character as “foul old poor and foul” but there was still a lot she could offer. The knight didn’t see her poverty and couldn’t accept her marriage. The prologue introduces Alison to the reader and helps them understand her motivations for telling the story she does. Chaucer appears to be reversing roles in society and the views of women. This is similar to what he said in the prologue. The knight was shocked at the thought that he would marry someone who didn’t like him, but many women of this era were forced to do so. Marriage was considered a way for women to get money and gain status, rather than marrying someone they loved. Chaucer takes a shot at gender roles by showing a woman who is in charge in the prologue, followed by a story that places a man into a vulnerable situation.
The Wife-of-Bath prologue, found in Canterbury Tales, is important in addressing feminism at the period. It also discusses marriage and gender roles. Chaucer’s character Alison is used as a way to expose society’s flaws, from virginity to God. Chaucer presents Alison, who he calls a feminist, in a negative light. This exposes Chaucer sexism towards women and his misperception of their behavior. Chaucer is a master storyteller, and despite his flaws, his work provides an insightful look at how women and men are treated in our society. Alison serves as an important role model for women, regardless of whether or not the reader perceives her to be rude and brash.
Works Cited
Chaucer , Geoffrey. “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale.” Chaucer: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale — An Interlinear Translation,sites.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/teachslf/wbt-par.htm.
“BibleGateway.” Matthew 19:21 – – Bible Gateway, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2B19%3A21.