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CHAUCER AND POPE.
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Approaches to women by the two poets.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Approaches to women by the two poets. Discusses Chaucer's view of women exemplified by "The Wife of Bath" in the CANTERBURY TALES, and Alexander Pope's THE RAPE OF THE LOCK. Pope's satirical view of aristocratic women. Difference in sexual aspects of both poems.
Paper Introduction:
CHAUCER AND POPE: TWO LOOKS AT THE NATURE OF WOMEN
There was no feminism in the middle ages nor in the time of Geoffrey Chaucer or, centuries later, Alexander Pope. The big difference in the approaches to women by these two authors was that Chaucer’s Wife of Bath was, more or less, Everywoman. While Pope, however, sneered at the upper classes, in his time it was rude to laugh at the foibles of women. So, he ridiculed what turned out to be a family feud in reality, when a suitor snipped a lock from the hair of his beloved.
Say what strange Motive, Goddess! cou'd compel
A well-bred Lord t'assault a gentle Belle?
Oh say what stranger Cause, yet unexplor'd,
Cou'd make a gentle Belle reject a Lord?
In tasks so bold, can little Men engage,
And in
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Perhaps this is literary heresy, but I could see "Belinda" portrayedin a film by Gwyneth Paltrow, while the Wife of Bath surely is RoseanneBarr. She has hadfive husbands, the first one when she was twelve (people married earlier inthose days). 547). What this poem did was put satire in the ways of pompous Britisharistocracy, and aristocratic women so insistent on their station in life.It was not so much putting down a woman as it was poking fun at hersnobbish aristocratic family and the way women were conditioned to act: There affectation with a sickly mien, Shows in her Cheek the Roses of Eighteen Practis'd to lips, and hang the head aside Faints into Airs and languishes with Pride (Pope Canto IV lines 31-34, p. Unfortunately, the lovers ended upmarrying other people, long before Pope actually revised the poem to itscurrent reading in 1717. So, if there is avast difference in how women are described in these two works, it isobvious that the Wife of Bath would be a lot more fun to be around. (Pope, Canto I, lines 7-12, p.547). So, heridiculed what turned out to be a family feud in reality, when a suitorsnipped a lock from the hair of his beloved.Say what strange Motive, Goddess! Chaucer's Wife of Bath is neither noble nor high-born, and her mannerscertainly would put off those families of which Pope made fun. Notlikely. Criticssay that The Wife of Bath is the most fully realized of the characters inThe Canterbury Tales. But then, the entire work was meantnot just to be read (all too few people could read in those days) but to betold to small groups, or individuals, who would enjoy these differenttales. Well, maybe not laugh, but at least snickerpolitely. 547). cou'd compelA well-bred Lord t'assault a gentle Belle?Oh say what stranger Cause, yet unexplor'd,Cou'd make a gentle Belle reject a Lord?In tasks so bold, can little Men engage,And in soft Bosoms, dwell such mighty Rage? Right away, the readerunderstands that this is not a serious poem about serious events, but aboutsomething so trivial and blown up to such enormous misunderstandings, thatthe only way to explain it is to be a little funny, and a lot less pompousabout it. The Wife of Bath would even get the scissors. "Slight is thesubject, but not so the Praise, is She inspire and He approve, myLays"(Pope Canto I lines 5-6 p. They surely could get to know and understand both the sexual needsand, in the Tale itself, the romantic view of love and marriage that maywell have eluded her in real life. Yet,these women are of nobility or well-born. Chaucer's taleis earthy, especially in the prologue. She evencalls on Jesus as a reminder that he never said anything about virginity.And, after all, "Tell me to what purpose or end The genitals weremade....In getting, when we do not God displease" (Chaucer 258). But, the Wife of Bath neverapologized for either her many marriages or her need for sex. While Pope, however, sneered at the upperclasses, in his time it was rude to laugh at the foibles of women. Pope never really makes fun of Belinda or even implying she wasanything but a virgin. The big difference in theapproaches to women by these two authors was that Chaucer's Wife of Bathwas, more or less, Everywoman. Of course, he makes fun of femaleswith such observations of female behavior when rattled: "Fans clap, Silksrustle, and tough Whalebones crack" (Pope Canto V lines 4 -41 p. The first lines of the poem really explains it all: "Whatdire Offence from am'rous Causes springs, What mighty Contests rise fromtrivial Things" (Pope Canto I lines 1-2, p. Pope actually entitled this poem: "The Rape of the Lock, an Heroic-Comical Poem". But, the most interesting difference between"Belinda" and The Wife of Bath is that the latter is truly sexual. 562). CHAUCER AND POPE: TWO LOOKS AT THE NATURE OF WOMEN There was no feminism in the middle ages nor in the time of GeoffreyChaucer or, centuries later, Alexander Pope. 558).Although the real-life woman was not named Belinda, to anyone who knew ofthe case of the "Rape of the Lock" surely would recognize the "wronged"lady. WORKS CITED:Chaucer, Geoffrey: "Canterbury Tales" Complete Works of Chaucer, Great Books of the Western World, Vol. The difference between views of these two women is enormous. But, she obviously loves being married, or at least havingsex: "Praise be to God that I have wedded five, Welcome the sixth whenevercome he shall" (Chaucer 256). Pope also makes sure that his satire is even-handed. Untilwell past the Victorian Age women in England were required to be chaste andvirginal. Even the fact that her lover DARED to touch her hairand remove a lock was almost like heresy. 22, Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica and University of Chicago Press, 1985.Pope, Alexander: " The Rape of the Lock" (included in:) Ferguson, Margaret, Salter, Mary Jo, and Stallworth, Jon: The Norton Anthology of Poetry New York: W.W. She even says she tore some pages out of her husband'sBible at one time, after he reminded her the Bible states that women shouldbe submissive. While there is a different approach to religion - after all theChurch of England was established long after Chaucer - the Wife makes funof the Bible in the sense that she says it was written by monks who knewnothing about women. Perhapsher table manners wouldn't be proper, but compared to "Belinda" she wouldbe full of surprises. As it turns out, there is nohistorical proof that this even actually happened, but the people mentioned(with fictitious names) are real. Would she resent having a lock removed by a lover? Norton (1996).No author listed: "Analysis of the Wife of Bath Prologue and Tale"www.classicnote.com/classicnotes/titles/canterbury Shecontinues defending her many husbands: "In wifehood I will use myinstrument As freely as my Maker has it sent" (Chaucer 258). Again, one has to realize the different audiences for which the twoworks were meant: the common people calling for entertainment in the caseof Chaucer, and the snobbish upper classes being able to laugh at thefoibles of one of their own. There is noway that any woman of Belinda's social status would ever dare to suggestthat she has her sexual organ and that it was meant for man to havepleasure with it. Given a choice, at the end of her tale, ofhaving a plain woman who would remain true or a young beauty who mightflirt, the hero chose the former, and as a result got both.
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