The Wife of Bath: Portrayal of Relationship Between a Man and a Woman

Dame Alison gives an example at the end of the Wife of Bath's Tale of a situation where the knights abuse their power over a girl and are disciplined. If the Knight rapes a virgin and steals her youth, he not only has the control in the connection, but he utilizes the power to achieve what he desires. Bath's wife showed her disgust at such abuse by replying to the King: 'the knight was condemned by course of law to die, and perhaps the statute in place then was so severe that he would have lost his head' (31). The Wife of Bath uses the virgin's attack by the knight to protest about pagan people who have violated their power over girls. Instead, she proposes that an optimal partnership is created when a person has control over the guy. The Wife of Bath establishes at the end of the story a different relationship between a man and a woman, the Chef and the old man. Both have no features of perfect marriage as shown by the King and the Queen at the end of their engagement. The pair do not consent much since the Knight hesitates to wed the old woman. However, the old woman finally persuades the Knight to remain married to her and he decides, 'I care not which of the two, for it is sufficient to me to please you' (33). The old woman answers with this argument, 'Then I will rule over you,' she says, 'Then I have the mastery over you,” she said, “since I may choose and govern as I wish” “Yes, surely, wife,” he said' (33). 

Therefore, the Knight openly gives the old woman independence and therefore complies with the advice of the Wife of Bath on a happy and peaceful life. The old woman becomes a young maiden after this submission, 'And when the knight saw truly that she was so fair and so young, he clasped her in his two arms for joy, his heart bathed in a bath of bliss' (33). Bath's wife tries to convince her audience that the guy who does not abuse his authority and allows his wife independence will have a happy relationship.

Dame Alison conveys the conception of a positive relationship between a man and a woman in the 'Wife of Bath's Prologue,' where man allows women to govern openly. Five different times The Wife of Bath has been married, the first four times to wealthy men who, when they died, would bequeath to her all their money and property. Her fifth man was special, though. She 'took for love and not for riches' (28). She prescribes an ideal relationship with that man she likes. Yet marriage ends with great difficulties, yet eventually her husband “put the full bridle into my hand, to have the governance of house and estate, and over his tongue and hands as well' (30). The Wife of Bath's husband grants the power of her connection and understands by himself that he must grant his wife independence and not thus exclude her from the medieval society of girls. There was no dispute between Dame Alison and her husband as soon as this transfer of power occurred, but she 'was as loving to him as any wife between Denmark and India, and as true also; and so was he to me' (30). The Wife of Bath says that the man gives power to the girl and controls her life in a peaceful and happy partnership.