Gender
How is the relationship between men and women portrayed?
According to Alison, the ideal relationship between man and woman (husband and wife) is one in which the wife has control over the husband. Initially, she discusses how men are allowed to have multiple wives (King Solomon), but women aren’t supposed to (Jesus criticizing) (Chaucer 237). Roles of husband/wife are also different. Women participated in domestic affairs (cooking, cleaning, etc) (Chaucer 249) but can also assume control of household (compromise b/w Alison and Jankin) (Chaucer 277).
What are the power relationships between men and women?
Typically, men had power over women ex. wife beating (Chaucer 261/277) and taking wife’s property (Chaucer 267). This demonstrates that the man’s power over his wife is largely physical in nature, and he takes “ownership” of his wife (and her property). However, Alison also demonstrates how women can have power over their husbands through sexual means (Chaucer 243) (old man husband “appetite” (Chaucer 257).) or emotional (jealous husband (Chaucer 261), and fake wet dream (Chaucer 265).) This demonstrates how women use more subtle means to achieve power.
How are male and female roles defined?
Female: females take on a largely domestic role in the husband/wife relationship ex. control of household and chores (Chaucer 277). In the tale, women took on a larger role of authority ex. knight is handed over to the queen, knight learns from women on his quest (Chaucer 281). In the prologue, Alison combats the expectation that women should be submissive in all matters (including sex) (Chaucer 247).
Male: males are depicted in the tale as being victims to women in many situations (stories of bad women from Jankin’s book (Chaucer 271).) In Alison’s viewpoint, men should remain submissive to women/their wives for the best relationship (Chaucer 301).
What constitutes masculinity and femininity?
Femininity: traits of women are deception, shrewd, lecherous. Ex. Eve as source of original sin (Chaucer 273), King Midas’ wife who told his secret (Chaucer 285). Women also depicted as materialistic and shallow (Gave up her husband for a brooch (Chaucer 273).)Paradoxically, wives are also supposed to be industrious and faithful to their husbands and remain chaste (Chaucer 241). Femininity is also defined by beauty as demonstrated in the tale of the knight and his wife (Chaucer 301). Also by how Alison/others liken young beautiful women to flowers (Chaucer 259) which is symbolic b/c flower=beauty and delicacy.
Masculinity: power, authority, physical aspects. ex. Hercules and Samson being prime examples of masculinity (Chaucer 273).
How do characters embody these traits?
Prologue: Alison is very promiscuous; she mentions how she once was beauty (flower) in her young age (Chaucer 259), also talks about her enjoyment of frivolities (Chaucer 271). Women’s deceitfulness is also demonstrated in Alison’s manipulative behavior towards her husbands to get what she wants (Chaucer 243). However, Alison also becomes a faithful and dutiful wife to Jankin once she gains authority over him (Chaucer 277).
Tale: The “old hag”/knight’s wife turned beautiful once she gained sovereignty over the knight, and remained faithful and submissive to him (Chaucer 301).
Do characters take on traits from opposite genders? How so? How does this change others’ reactions to them?
Alison takes on the boldness and authority of a male by exerting control over her husbands through manipulation. In the tale, the queen assumes a role of authority by taking control of the fate of the rapist knight. Additionally, the “old hag” exerts control over the knight as well by coercing him to give up his choice to her. Conversely the knight takes on a more submissive role by giving in to the authority of several women (queen-quest, old hag’s request(s)). At the end of the tale, Alison notes how meek husbands are the most ideal, an inversion to the belief that submissive