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Tricky Wife of Bath question

Hi, I've been set an essay on the Wife of Bath (its the June 2008 question part B for AQA English Lit) and am finding it really hard to think of many good points - I was just wondering if anyone could help me out or has maybe done this question and could give me a few pointers? Thanks :smile:

The question is:

Beginning with a close analysis of the extract below, consider the view that, ultimately, men are presented as triumphing over women in The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale.

'This knight aviseth him and sore siketh,
But atte laste he seyde in this manere :
‘My lady and my love, and wyf so deere,
I put me in youre wise governance ;
Cheseth youreself which may be moost plesance,
And moost honour to yow and me also.
I do no fors the wheither of the two ;
For as yow liketh, it suffiseth me.’
‘Thanne have I gete of yow maistrie,’ quod she,
‘Sin I may chese and governe as me lest?’
‘Ye, certes, wyf,’ quod he, ‘I holde it best.’
‘Kis me,’ quod she, ‘we be no lenger wrothe ;
For, by my trouthe, I wol be to yow bothe,
This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good.
I prey to God that I moote sterven wood,
But I to yow be also good and trewe
As evere was wyf, sin that the world was newe.
And but I be to-morn as fair to seene
As any lady, emperice, or queene,
That is bitwixe the est and eke the west,
Dooth with my lyf and deth right as yow lest.
Cast up the curtin, looke how that it is.’
And whan the knight saugh verraily al this,
That she so fair was, and so yong therto,
For joye he hente hire in his armes two,
His herte bathed in a bath of blisse.
A thousand time a-rewe he gan hire kisse,
And she obeyed him in every thing
That mighte doon his plesance or liking.
And thus they live unto hir lives ende
In parfit joye ; and Jhesu Crist us sende
Housbondes meeke, yonge, and fressh abedde,
And grace t’overbide hem that we wedde ;
And eek I praye Jhesu shorte hir lives
That wol nat be governed by hir wives ;
And olde and angry nigardes of dispence,
God sende hem soone verray pestilance ! '
Reply 1
Avatar for Absurd
Absurd
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I would talk about antifeminism, sexuality, female dominance, love, and sex. Do men triumph over women in this tale, or does the Wife of Bath outsmart and dominate them?

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