Essay Example on Chaucer on Women: Obedience & Virgin Mary

Chaucer is remembered in English poet as the author of various Canterbury tales, also referred to as the father of English in the poet. He has multiple views on religion, women, and marriage.

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ON WOMEN

Chaucer considers a good woman to be an obedient person. If a woman disobeys her husband or any male person, she is regarded as a weak creature mimicking the characters of Eve. A woman is compared to the Virgin Mary if she remains loyal and obedient to her husband regardless of the situation. These two types of women are the definition of a woman represents the definition of women in his Canterbury Tales. In patriarchal English primitive society, the behaviors of a woman were not endured. The wife of Bath is used to analyze the characters of females and their subjectivity requirements. In the patriarchal world, women are excluded from any emotional or social power. Though women are expected to be obedient to their males' authority, they also have an opportunity to challenge patriarchal beliefs. Women are not allowed to inherit the properties of their husbands when they died. According to Chaucer, view females are supposed to be submissive and accept the authority of males without questioning; otherwise, they are regarded as weak in society.

ON RELIGION

Religion in England can be used to define the lifestyle of people in society. Chaucer uses religion to identify England's people are and their daily lives. Churches experience significant corruption, which is evident by many religious characters such as Pardoner, Nun, Monk, and Friar. He lives a very dishonest, lavish, and wasteful lifestyle. Many clergy members are corrupt and untruthful to their undertakings. Chaucer uses the Monk to show how he vowed to live a life of poverty, obedience, and chastity and immediately becomes partial to the clergy and the religious life. The Monk is selfish who prefers hunting rather than his spiritual life.

ON MARRIAGE

Chaucer views happy marriage as one in which both men and the women are of the same age, there is respect and boundaries for each other, and also, the wife has control over the majority of the issues. There are many challenges associated with spouses who differ significantly in age. Women are sometimes not happy with ancient husbands who tend to slake skins early, and they tend to shift their attention to young men. Though the young men may not have much to offer in a marriage, both respect and boundaries play a significant role. Grisilde, one of his characters in the Canterbury tales, can live a happy life only after creating boundaries in their marriage. Chaucer believes that happy men in marriages are those who relinquished the control they always demand. He also believes that a successful marriage is made up of spouses with similar ages, boundaries, and power placed in the hands of the wife. Both partners must be loyal, loving, and generous to each other irrespective of the circumstances.