Feminism
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Medieval Feminism
“Anti-feminism was undoubtedly one of the loudest voices amongst the competing opinions about women in the later Middle Ages...”
In the Medieval period, anti-feminism was a huge part of society. The society in the Middle Ages was revolving around men, and only men. Women had to "know her place" in society and "know the men's place" in society. The only power woman had was when it came to marriage. The family of the bride would give a dowry to the groom's family in exchange for marrying their daughter. The influences of women were very much underestimated at the time, just because they were woman. Rigby writes, “Anti-feminism was undoubtedly one of the loudest voices amongst the competing opinions about women in the later Middle Ages...”. Having such an ignoramus impact on Medieval society, anti-feminism was a key topic in some literature, such as The Canterbury Tales. "The Nun's Priest Tale", along with other tales, contains anti-feminism, which is explained below.
Examples of anti-feminism in "The Nun's Priest Tale":
Examples of anti-feminism in "The Nun's Priest Tale":
- "O woman's counsel is so often cold! / A woman's counsel brought us first to woe/...If I suggest woman are to blame..." (Chaucer 226). Chaucer states that women's advice shouldn't be taken. Their opinions and advice lead to men's downfall and are to blame for men's mistakes.
- "Of seven hens, all there to do his pleasure. /They were his sisters and his paramours..." (Chaucer 215). Men in the Middle Ages, objectified women which is exactly what Chaucer says by saying "all there to do his pleasure." Out of Chanticleer's seven wives, he only truly loves one of them, Lady Pertelote. The other six are merely to satisfy him and to make him happy.
- "Woman is man's delight and all his bliss" (Chaucer 223). Woman are in the world to have one purpose, and that is to make men happy. By saying that women are just here for men, it is proving the anti-feminism, around in this time period, is apparent.