Women in the 20th century would most likely stand out if she were to be transported back into the time of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. Women during the 14th century were to be "seen and not heard". Their rights in society as well as their role was subordinate to medieval man's. In specifically two tales of The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer expresses his opinionated views of the manners and behaviors of women during the 1300's. In the Wife of Bath's Tale, Chaucer portrays an extravagant and lusty woman, where as the Prioress is well mannered with a lady like demeanor. Chaucer's descriptions of the two characters clearly depict the Prioress and a better woman than the Wife of Bath according to 14th Century standards pertaining to appearance and general manners, education, and their deportment towards men.
             The manners and appearances Chaucer gives to each of the characters to bring them alive vary drastically. Women at this time did not posses the integrity, potency, and self-confidence to live, travel, and think independently. In the prologue Chaucer says that the Wife of Bath had "thrice been to Jerusalem . . . to Rome and also to Boulogne St James of Compstella and Cologne" (15) which shows the reader that she is not the average subservient female of Medieval society. Also, Chaucer includes that "she'd had five husbands, all at the church door" (15) which indeed illustrates that she is not the archetypical 14th century woman due to the fact that divorce in the era of Chaucer took on a whole different meaning than in today's society where it is a regular occurrence. The Wife of Bath represents the liberal extreme in regards to female stereotypes of the Middle Ages. She contrasts with the typical medieval woman because she is equip with confidence that Chaucer exposes when saying that she audaciously showed of her best kerchiefs on Sundays. Her radiat
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