Honestly, she's sexy and sharp as a tack, and I don't believe that depictions of the Wife of Bath necessarily do her justice. Because like Scarlett, she's not just a sex object, although she is more than aware of her appeal. She is well-read and knows it (this is one difference between her and Scarlett, a Southern belle who had better things to do) and frequently uses it to her advantage. She even has knowledge of the Bible, saying that Solomon was just as promiscuous than she is, if not more. Honestly. She's aware of all of those religious bigots who are judging her sexual confidence, and is better read in their own book than they are. I adore her for this.
Her sexual confidence, in my opinion, makes her so great to me. Her attitude is basically, "Yeah I've had five husbands. Maybe I'll have six. Sex rocks." She is so comfortable in her own skin. I also love how she describes her marriages, particularly the man she describes near the end of her prologue, whom she seems to love the most. They can both be hurtful and manipulative, but they have an honest and true marriage. As a married woman, I appreciate this. Maybe I'm reading into it too much, but their passion is so apparent to me.
Her tale is interesting as well, particularly due to the fact that the moral seems to be (if I'm reading it correctly) that want women want the most is free will. This is interesting coming from the Wife of Bath as she is always seeking this. I'm not sure how this story translates today. Is free will really what women today want most? I would say having free will today goes without saying. So what do we wish? I myself like a man who can make a mean chicken taco, but what do all you ladies (and gents) want in a relationship?
Well Written Julia! the comparison between the Wife of Bath and Scarlett was very interesting to read and definitely helps me attach some aspects of the Wife of Bath to something else so thank you! I agree that the moral of women wanting free will and that they don"t just want power over their spouse is quite apparent! a great chicken taco would be great haha! I agree that the two love each other despite the manipulation! As a young lover, I haven't pondered through many relationships but I would think that the understanding of one another is pertinent in a relationship. Amongst, of course loving, committing, and caring for one another.
ReplyDeleteThe Wife of Bath is hands down the best part of this story, and the only thing I don't like about her is that she ends up with a total freaking turd (like girl should get gone and find someone who is not an actual rapist). While I don't think the moral of the story 100% translates to today, I do think the idea of sovereignty and freedom of patriarchal demands is still something that many women want. Aside from the fact that, globally speaking, a large amount of women do not have the freedom to live the lives they wish, I also think that freedom as an idea can extend to multiple areas. For instance, I don't feel that I am free to walk the streets at night, because some dude (like the actual pile of shit from this story) might attack me. In that respect, I think until we are treated like fully equal beings to men, the moral of this tale still stands.
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