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Gender Roles

Thesis

Thesis

These specific works, such as Lois Tyson's Feminist Theory, The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale, The Franklin's Tale, and The Miller's Tale, demonstrate how men and women were perceived throughout this time period. Patriarchy stifles women on all fronts—economically, politically, socially, and psychologically. Women in patriarchal settings are seen as the "other." She was excluded and objectified because of her deviation from the "masculine norm." Culture dictates our gender; biology determines our sex. Whether or not people were conscious of it, gender had a role in every area of humanity. Men are typically portrayed as being powerful, logical, caring, and resolute. Women are viewed as sensitive, frail, caring, and subservient in traditional gender roles. Men are unfairly burdened by the notion that women are inherently inferior. Men are not permitted to fall short with their protection, be vulnerable, or exhibit vulnerability. Men and women's interactions are completely dependent on who has more power.

Women marriage

"And also moreover come of such noble ancestry that wel unnethes dorste this knyght, for drede, that this knight hardly dared, for fear, Telle hire his wo, his peyne, and his stresse. Tell her his woe, his pain, and his distress" (The Franklin's Tale, 735-738). In Franklin's Story, the knight seemed to think that because the woman came from a noble family, she just wouldn't love him back or that it would be beneath her. Being that traditionally guys were supposed to seek women for marriage, it is rare for him to simply consent to marry her after she makes the decision to do so. Additionally, it demonstrates how social status impacted courtship at the time. This only reinforces the idea that males shouldn't let their guard down, let themselves show their fragility, or expect women to be open to them.

Women's marriage

"Thou sayest we wives will hide our vices til we be fast, and thanne we wol hem shewe until we be securely tied (in marriage), and then we will them show wel may that be a proverbe of a shrewe! Well may that be a proverb of a scoundrel!" (The Wife's of Bath's, 282-285). Men are frequently tricked into thinking that women are who they claim they are throughout a relationship and up to marriage. The woman enters marriage trying to get something rather than just being in for the guy, therefore after marriage comes, the man is in for a shock as to who and how the woman actually is. As a result of how the future women are seen, things will be more harder for them.

Women inequality

During the middle ages, women did not have equal rights, and they were also not entitled to vote, get married, or have their own children. Says Lois Tyson, "These gender roles have been used very successfully to justify inequities, which still occur today, such as excluding women from equal access to leadership and decision-making positions (in the family as well as in politics, academia, and the corporate world), paying men higher wages than women for doing the same job (if women are even able to obtain the job), and convincing women that they are not fit for careers in such areas as mathemat-ics and engineering" (Tyson, 85). Using the abuse of women as an example, the plan of positioning males to progress more than women is demonstrated. They thus don't have the same rights as males, which makes life considerably harder for them and gives the impression that women are less capable than men. Numerous opponents of female leadership will cite these same reasons in an effort to undermine women's positions and convince the public that women are completely unqualified by relying on the ingrained belief that men are better.

Women's inequality

Men inheritence

According to the quote, males undoubtedly had far more control over women. "This carpenter hadde wedded newe a wyf, this carpenter had recently wedded a wife, which that he lovede moore than his lyf; whom he loved more than his life; of eighteteene yeer she was of age. She was eighteen years of age. Jalous he was, and heeld hire narwe in cage, Jealous he was, and held her narrowly in confinement, For she was wylde and yong, and he was old for she was wild and young, and he was old and demed hymself been like a cokewold. And believed himself likely to be a cuckold" (The Miller's Prologue, 3221-3226). If an 18-year-old lady doesn't want to be married, she shouldn't be forced to do so. However, if you are compelled to marry someone you do not love, I can understand the impulse to cheat. I do not, however, believe in cheating. The carpenter is aware that she doesn't want to marry an older guy and that he is essentially married to a teenager. It was probably customary for him to treat her almost like a pet or a possession, attempting to keep her in a small space so she won't try to flee.

Men's inheritence

Men's right

Men with land paid others money so they would protect it for them. Poor men had to labor as farmers or on the estates after rich men served as knights. To produce food, fuel, wool, and other resources, peasants had to work the land. Men were also in a position of authority superior to women, therefore they came off as being more "dominant" than women. "I say that I’m recovering because I learned to recog-nize and resist that programming. For me, such recognition and resistance will always require effort—I’m recovering rather than recovered—not just because I internalized patriarchal programming years ago but because that program con-tinues to assert itself in my world: in movies, television shows, books, magazines, and advertisements as well as in the attitudes of salespeople who think I can’t learn to operate a simple machine, repair technicians who assume I won’t know if they’ve done a shoddy job, and male drivers who believe I’m flattered by sexual offers shouted from passing cars (or, worse, who don’t give a moment’s thought to how I might feel or, worse yet, who hope I feel intimidated so that they can feel powerful)" (Tyson, 86). This demonstrates how our culture still views males as having a prominent role in the world. Giving males too much authority so they could take over if they wanted to is obviously deceptive and gives women less of a chance to succeed.

Men's dominance

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