Comment on The Wife of Bath’s Prologue as an example of social criticism.
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The Wife of Bath's Prologue as an example of social criticism
Explanation:-
Chaucer's representation of the Wife has been labelled as being both ‘feminist' and ‘anti-feminist'. Depending on your point of view, either of these descriptions might provide a form of social criticism, either of the Wife or of the social world she inhabits.
Chaucer cleverly uses a first-person narrator so that we are drawn to make our own judgements of the Wife, but these judgements are belied by ironies and contradictions.
She argues forcibly against misogynist views of women but reveals herself as a violent, dominating woman, ready to trade sex for material advantage
Ironically, she reveals herself to be the garrulous, indiscreet, deceitful woman, the ‘jangleresse' and gossip that has been under attack by male authorities. She is as free with her speech as she is with her sexual activity.
There is a moment of poignancy in Chaucer's handling of her when she acknowledges her ageing.