The Changing Society of the Middle Ages in The Wife of...

The Changing Society of the Middle Ages in The Wife of Bath When the Middle Ages began, society was divided into a rigid class system. But by the time Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales, the world was changing rapidly. A new social mobility was granted, and the middle or working class was created. Before this, women were ignored and often blamed for the plights of their society, and the new social mobility opened many new doors for women. Women, whom for years were starved for control and influence in their world, suddenly could exercise power over their husbands and other men. An example of these revolutionary women can be seen in Chaucers Alison, the Wife of Bath. The Wife of Bath, a character in The Canterbury†¦show more content†¦The church played a large role in suppressing women. Interpretations of the story of Adam and Eve tended towards an unfavorable view of woman and these interpretations helped the church men of the Middle Ages formulate their views (Lucas 3). As the church developed, regulations regardin g marriage under [...] under church law gave women a subservient place, overseen first by fathers or guardians and then by husbands (Lucas 10). Women always had to be monitored for their behavior. But when women began taking the upper hand in their homes, they escaped the watchful eyes of their husbands and fathers, and realized how much they enjoyed sovereignty and freedom. According to the Wife of Bath, women do love the best to be quite free to do [their] own behest (Chaucer 429). Unfortunately for them, men did not have much say in this new domestic revolution. Regarding men, Alison simply states women love no man that guards [them] or gives charge of where [they] go (Chaucer 321). In the Middle Ages, the church tried to campaign against marriage. The church leaders even devised stories of evil, abusive husbands, in hopes of driving young girls to become nuns. 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