Essay on The Wife of Bath by Geoffery Chaucer - 1019 Words

The Wife of Bath nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Wife of Bath, or Alison, is a worldly woman. Not only has she traveled the world, she has experienced the world, in the sexual manner. Alison herself states this at the beginning of her tale, â€Å"Were there no books at all on the subject, my own experience gives me a perfect right to talk of the sorrows of marriage . . . I’ve married five husbands . . . .†(Chaucer 174). The point of Alison’s long-winded prologue is to crush the idea that men have a hierarchy of dominance over women. Chaucer makes this point, and also the point, through Alison’s tale, that if women are given what they want, then they will be obedient and faithful to their men. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The worldliness of†¦show more content†¦At this notion, the Pardoner, another one of Chaucer’s characters, asks why he should even wed if his wife is going to control his body. Alison quickly replies that he should listen to her tale before he makes judgements about the â€Å"gift† that women have. Now Alison begins her tale. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Alison tells the tale of a knight in King Arthur’s Court who rapes a beautiful young maiden out of lust. The knight is sentenced to be decapitated. However, the queen and other ladies of the court ask Arthur to give the knight one chance to save himself, and being obedient to the wifely counsel, Arthur agrees. The knight may live, if within one year he can come back to the court and tell them what women want most in the world. Alison continues her tale, telling all of the different answers that the knight receives, such as sex, money, flattery, and even remarriage. Not thinking that any of these answers are true he continues on. Nearing the end of his journey, the knight spots a group of women dancing in the woods, but when he gets to where they were they have vanished and all that remains is an ugly old woman. The old woman ask if she can help and the knight tells of his predicament. The old hag says that she knows the answer and offers to help only i f the knight pledges himself to her. Returning to the court, the knight gives his answer to the women. The knight replies that whatShow MoreRelated The Wife of Bath by Geoffery Chaucer Essay696 Words   |  3 Pages Analysis of the Wife of Bath nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Chaucer starts his prologue with the description of twenty-nine people who are going on a pilgrimage. Each person has a different personality that we can recognize from the way people behave today. He purposely makes The Wife of Bath stand out more compared to the other characters. â€Å"In the â€Å"General Prologue,’ the wife of bath is intentionally described in an explicit way to provoke a shocking response† (BlackmanRead More Womens Themes in The Wife of Bath by Geoffery Chaucer Essay2244 Words   |  9 Pages Geoffery Chaucer wrote his legendary Canterbury Tales in Medieval times when women were considered as servants to their husbands and powerless. This was a time where church and state were one entity and in the church’s eyes women were supposed to be gentile and and virtuous. Sexuality and education of women was condemned by the church and state. The clothing during that time also represen ted the ideals of that time. Their skirts were long and ankles were never to be shown naked in public. YoungRead MoreBeowolf, The Art of Courtly Love, and The Wife of Bath and 810 Words   |  4 Pagesthe hierarchy by the hierarchy, whom the lower and middle class were supposed to look up to. This brings the question, who were the real heroes? What even was a hero during this time? Was it a real thing, or were heroes just a work of fiction? Geoffery Chaucer was a king’s yeoman, esquire, and a messenger. This allowed him to meet a variety of people from across the globe, as well as those of nobility. This allowed him to write a story that accurately captured different people’s personalities, whichRead MoreReality of Human Nature Hidden Behind the Canterbury Tales Essay1460 Words   |  6 Pagesmentally, people are much alike than they think. This links into Geoffery Chaucer’s work, â€Å"The Canterbury Tales†. Chaucer tells his readers that his main purpose of the book is to reveal his belief on what causes people to misbehave. The argument is that the reason why people tend to act up is because of human nature. Chaucer hints this idea throughout the tales. Some of them that help prove Chaucer’s fact to be true are: â€Å"The Wife of Bath Tale† and her version of living day-by-day with different husbandsRead MoreWife of Bath vs. the Pardoners1251 Words   |  6 PagesCharlott e Stern Period 6 March 30,2012 Wife of Bath vs. The Pardoners Geoffery Chaucers The Canterbury Tales is an example of an extremely complicated and wondrous piece of fictional work. The main story lines plot is a contest between a diverse group of pilgrims on their way to Thomas Beckets shrine. in order to win the contest the pilgrim must tell â€Å"tales of best sentence and moost solaas,†, which means the stories must be filled with moral and entertainment to win the feast. EvenRead MoreRole of Women in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight and The Wife of Bath’s Tale1651 Words   |  7 PagesIn the Middle Ages, the roles of women became less restricted and confined and women became more opinionated and vocal. Sir Gawain and The Green Knight presents Lady Bertilak, the wife of Sir Bertilak, as a woman who seems to possess some supernatural powers who seduces Sir Gawain, and Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Wife of Bath Prologue and Tale, present women who are determined to have power and gain sovereignty over the men in their lives. Th e female characters are very openly sensual and honest aboutRead MoreLiterture Final Exam Notes1143 Words   |  5 Pages wyrd: fate; destiny Canterbury Tales CT pilgrimage was from London to Canterbury. 31# travelers were to tell 4# stories each on the journey. Purpose was ______________________. Characters from CT: Wife of Bath, Knight, Miller, Pardoner, Parson, Host of the Tabard Inn. †¢ Wife of Bath: gap-toothed woman; had 5 husbands; wears red; handsome; confident †¢ Knight: a gentlemen who represents chivalry and honor †¢ Miller: red-head, braen with no brains, cheats on the grain scales; tells tavern

Essay on The Religious Context of Beowulf - 629 Words

There has long been controversy and speculation over the religious context of the poem Beowulf. Many believe that Beowulf was written to be strictly a Pagan tale, yet some insist that there is a subtle but definite theme of Christianity that outlines the poem. Although it is tough to decipher the actual intensions of religious outlook in Beowulf, (not having discovered the true author) it is safe to conclude that both Pagan and Christian components are established within the text. Beowulf was originally thought of as a Pagan tale which happened to be scribed by a Christian monk. This first piece of information confused people immensely. Some found it hard to believe that a Pagan legend would be left in the hands of someone who†¦show more content†¦The text roughly exhibits this as Beowulf indirectly alludes to the idea that god is watching over him and he often relieves him of help. In the text, a tension arises between the innate construction of the poem and the Christian ideals added. Throughout Beowulf, there is a combination of pagan ideals of fate or wyrd, and the will of God, the similar concepts of afterlife, and the contrasting ideas of the individual. According to Christianity, God instills within mankind a sense of free will, which directly contrasts with the pagan idea of fate. These characteristics of paganism and Christianity jointly convert. Christianity influenced much of the literature during this time period. Although the poem never mentions Christ, the poet did use various characters and references to the Old Testament. The poet uses them sparingly, but the references to biblical events and characters are plainly visible. Again, a strong example of the intertwinement of Christianity in the story is provided with the mere fact that the biblical figure Cain is supplementary to the story. The pagan elements in the epic poem are evident in the characters superhuman embodiment. Beowulf takes it upon himself to save the Danes from Grendel. In his battle with Grendel, Beowulf chooses not to use weapons; he relies on his bravery and tremendous strength. During the fight, Beowulfs strength takes over and heShow MoreRelatedThe Dream Of The Rood And Beowulf1488 Words   |  6 Pagespieces â€Å"The Dream of the Rood† and Beowulf there are two powerful kings being represented that are set in overlapping values that benefit their true courageous deeds. Both are considered good, but do they mean the same thing in Christianity and paganism contexts? Specifically, the two pieces both fuse together Christian and pagan ideals to show their two powerful kings represented in two completely different manners. In the literary work Beowulf the character Beowulf is known as the king along withRead MoreGrendel and Obj1412 Words   |  6 PagesBeowulf Multiple Choice Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. Comprehension The questions below refer to the selections â€Å"from Beowulf, Part One,† â€Å"from Grendel,† â€Å"Life in 999: A Grim Struggle,† and â€Å"from Beowulf, Part Two.† ____ 1. Beowulf slays Grendel in order to  Ã¢â‚¬â€ |a. |save Hrothgar and the Danes from the monster | |b. |prevent Grendel from invading theRead MoreEssay on Good vs Evil in Beowulf1568 Words   |  7 PagesIn Beowulf, the clash between good and evil is the poems main and most significant focal point. Although the epic poem Beowulf utilizes many characteristics of Christian themes, the violence in the poem relates to paganism. By exploring the characteristics of â€Å"good vs. evil† such as Cain, Grendel and Beowulf, this paper will explore the elements of Beowulf in such a light. The Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf, was originally told orally then later was written down anonymously in the Old English languageRead MoreChristianity And Paganism In Beowulf775 Words   |  4 Pages In Beowulf the differences between Heorot and Grendel’s swamp are personified through setting descriptions, religious context and Beowulf’s heroic traits compared with Grendel’s anathematic characteristics by highlighting the major conflicts between Christianity and Paganism, emphasizing the contrast of man against monster. Christian ideas are ingrained in different characters, the glorious and brave Beowulf exemplifies good Christian values, while Grendel personifies evil in a devil-like characterRead MoreEssay on Christian and Pagan Ideals in Beowulf1343 Words   |  6 Pagesvalues, and past events. Written down in approximately 1,000 A.D. by an unknown author, Beowulf, originally a pagan fable, became a Christian allegory upon its transcription by Christian monks. However, as scholars have debated over the religious context in Beowulf, the attempts by the monks to turn the epic poem into a Christian parable ended merged, including both original and Christian aspects. Throughout Beowulf, the epic combines pagan ideals of fate or wyrd and the will of God, the similar conceptsRead MoreEssay about Christian And Pagan Ideals In Beowulf1335 Words   |  6 Pagesvalues, and past events. Written down in approximately 1,000 A.D. by an unknown author, Beowulf, originally a pagan fable, became a Christian all egory upon its transcription by Christian monks. However, as scholars have debated over the religious context in Beowulf, the attempts by the monks to turn the epic poem into a Christian parable ended merged, including both original and Christian aspects. Throughout Beowulf, the epic combines pagan ideals of fate or wyrd and the will of God, the similar conceptsRead MoreBeowulf : Christian Or Pagan Epic?865 Words   |  4 PagesMichael Smith Waterman English 12 24 September 2015 Beowulf: Christian or Pagan Epic? Believe it or not, Thor was not just a fictional superhero that appeared in comics created by Marvel. Ultimately stemming from Proto-Indo-European religion, Thor is a prominently mentioned god throughout the recorded history of Germanic mythology and paganism. Pagans, a member of a community observing a polytheistic religion, dominated Southern Europe society and literature until Christianity slowly drove out paganismRead MoreChristianinty in Beowulf686 Words   |  3 PagesBeowulf is an epic poem that is highly revered by scholars. The poem focalizes on the hero Beowulf – a Geat belonging to Sweden – and his journey to capturing immortality through his achievements and legacy: Beowulf secures victories in vicious fights with baneful creatures. A religious presence – of both Christian and Pagan beliefs – seems to be steadfast, all through Beowulf’s battles; on the account of these battles, readers can infer that even the strongest heroes need spir itual assistance orRead More Beowulf Society Essay1717 Words   |  7 Pages Beowulf Society The earliest known manuscript of Beowulf is thought to have been written in the tenth century, however, the poem had most likely been told as an oral tradition for centuries before that. In fact, the poem’s events date back to the sixth century. However, because there is only one manuscript of Beowulf still in tact very little is known about the poem or its author. The poem does, however, give us great insight into the culture of the people who composed and told this epic tale.Read MoreBeowulf Society1744 Words   |  7 PagesBeowulf Society The earliest known manuscript of Beowulf is thought to have been written in the tenth century, however, the poem had most likely been told as an oral tradition for centuries before that. In fact, the poems events date back to the sixth century. However, because there is only one manuscript of Beowulf still in tact very little is known about the poem or its author. The poem does, however, give us great insight into the cult ure of the people who composed and told this epic tale. Because

Impact of Continental Drift on Evolution Essay Example For Students

Impact of Continental Drift on Evolution Essay Continental drift has helped create the diversity we see present in modern day plants and animals. Through a process of speciation, the movement of the continents has had a generous role throughout evolution, effecting and distributing flora and fauna. The Earth’s continents were once one, a large supercontinent called Pangea that later separated into two smaller ones known as Gondwana and Laurasia. The separation and collision of continents has not only created some of the valleys and mountain ranges which are significant landmarks on the Earth’s surface, but it has also brought species together and apart again, consequently letting natural selection take over and lead to the animals we see today. â€Å"The timescale on which continents have drifted about is the same slow timescale on which animal lineages have evolved, and we cannot ignore continental drift if we are to understand the patterns of animal evolution on those continents. The Process of Speciation Although speciation could be seen as both a natural and a manmade phenomenon, in the case of continental drift it is a naturally occurring one. The process of speciation takes place when a group of animals of the same species find themselves isolated from one another. There are many cases in which speciation can occur outside of continental drift, some examples are mountain ranges and large bodies of water. We will write a custom essay on Impact of Continental Drift on Evolution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Continental drift mainly effects plant species and animal species that live in a wide range; the drifting of the continents broke up and separated species in such a way it was no longer possible for them to come in contact with one another. The non-contact relationship members of that species share with each other would eventually result in genetic isolation in which it would no longer be possible for those species to exchange genes and reproduce with each other. Therefore those now separate species would change themselves for natural selection so they can fit and adapt to their new environments. Pangea to Gondwana and Laurasia Up until roughly 120 – 160 million years ago, the world was only one large supercontinent known to scientists and geologists and Pangea. Pangea saw hundreds of millions of years of animal life, from simple arthropods and ferns to reptilian dinosaurs. The whole time Pangea was drifting apart, and consequently took hundreds of million years to form two major landmasses: Gondwana and Laurasia. Due to the different climates on these two continents, species of plants and animals changed themselves to adapt to their natural surroundings, even though they had once lived on the same landmass. Gondwana contained what is present day Africa, South America, India, Australia and Antarctica leaving Laurasia North America, Europe, Greenland and Europe. Placental Vs. Marsupials – Survival of the Fittest Marsupials evolved roughly 20 million years before Placental animals did. Although both animals evolved in Laurasia, marsupials were traced to having evolved in southern Laurasia and placental animals closer to the central area of the continent. Because of their time of evolution and locations, many of the marsupials moved from Laurasia to Gondwana just as the split between the two supercontinents were occurring. The marsupials spread throughout South America / Africa continent of Gondwana and through that the bridge to the Australia / Antarctica continent. By the time placental animals had fully adapted, there was no longer a bridge connecting Gondwana and Laurasia, so the marsupials stayed on one supercontinent, and placental animals on another. But the continents did not stop drifting. When the continents of Gondwana crashed into Laurasia, placental animals subsequently spread into the South America / Africa area. Being better adapted in general, they out competed nearly all the marsupials in that area and the marsupials in turn died out. .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b , .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b .postImageUrl , .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b , .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b:hover , .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b:visited , .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b:active { border:0!important; } .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b:active , .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u38787fdb11f8c6f4443a7f6863d1a62b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Flight Of The Phoenix EssayThe bridge from the South America / Africa area to the Australia / Antarctica area closed out, so placental animals could not completely dominate there. Weather it be though speciation or survival of the fittest, every aspect of animal life as we know it has been affected by continental drift one way or another. Geologists and Biologists alike could trace the shifting of the tectonic plates and note the effects it has on both the Earth’s surface and the Earth’s biodiversity. Continental drift is responsible for the diversity we see in animals today, and in the far future it will likely be still responsible for it. Appendix FIGURE A Alfred Wegner was the first person to make the suggestion that all the continents were once one. Because he had no proof, he was disregarded. We now know today that the tectonic plates are in fact moving, and bringing the continents with them and that Pangea did in face exist. One of Wegner’s proofs of Pangea was the jigsaw fit between South America and Africa. Image is courtesy of http://www. canadiangeographic. ca FIGURE B After Pangea and before the continents drifted to the way they are today; there were only two major continents: Laurasia and Gondwana, as you see in the figure on the left. Image is courtesy of http://anthro. palomar. edu Bibliography 1. Dawkins, Richard. The Selfish Gene. Oxford University Press. 1976. 2. Van Nostrand’s Scientific Encyclopaedia. Volume 3 page 147 3. http://biology. clc. uc. edu/courses/bio303/contdrift. htm 4. http://saif181. tripod. com/id2. html Quote by Richard Dawkins. Definition courtesy of http://saif181. trypod. com/id2. html. Refer to Figure A in appendix Refer to Figure B in appendix

Maya Angelou Essays (1505 words) - Literature,

Maya Angelou She was born under the name Marguerite Johnson, but her brother Baily renamed her Maya. Her parents, Baily and Vivian Baxter Johnson, got divorced when she was very young. Maya grew up in a very racist town. There were many problems in her life, in which she describes in her autobiographical novel "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings". At the age of 16, she became pregnant, while experimenting if her sexual preference was males or females. She had to get numerous jobs to support herself and her son, Clyde, who was later known as Guy. In 1952, she married a man named Tosh Angelos, but due to his atheist ideals, which grew to be unacceptable to Maya's religion, the marriage soon ended. In order to have money to support herself and Clyde, she was forced to become a dancer and a bar girl in a strip joint. After she got enough money, she moved to New York and sang at various clubs. Maya started her writing career in New York with the Harlem Literary Guild. She made contracts which led to her recognition as a producer, director, and performer. In 1960, she married a South African freedom fighter, Vusumzi Make. They both got jobs as editors of the Arab Observer. The marriage ended three years later, and Maya moved to Ghana. She felt at home for the first time of her life. This is when she started her first writings. Maya was nominated for an Emmy Award for her acting in "Roots" and "Georgia, Georgia". She also received a Pulitzer Prize Nomination for her poems "Just Give Me a Cool Drink ?fore I Die" (1971) and "And Still I Rise" (1976). Being President Bill Clinton's favorite writer, he asked her to write and deliver a poem for his 1993 presidential inauguration. She also wrote a poem for the "Million Man March". "On the Pulse of Morning" became a best-selling book on 20 January 1993. Now, Maya is a Reynolds professor of American Studies at Wake Forrest University in North Carolina. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou wrote "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" to express the hardships of growing up a black woman in the time of racism and hatred. During this autobiography of Maya's life, she tells about how racist people are against her and her family, along with every other black, and how being a girl is also hard due to rapes and having to have children. People were also very religious at this time to the point that if someone did something against the religion, they would receive a beating. When Maya was three, and Bailey, her brother, four, they both left Long Beach, California to live with their father's mother, Anne Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas. They grew so much respect for Anne, that they soon called her Momma. They lived with Momma and Uncle Willie, who is crippled. Momma owned a store in the center of town which became a big success. All of the workers in town went there for lunch every afternoon. Momma was very religious, to the point that the kids would get hit every time they disobey the religion. Uncle Willie was also very strict. He made Maya and Baily at ages five and six, learn the times tables. Then he would test them and if they made a mistake, he would push them closer to the heater. The town that they live in is extremely racist. Every black talked about how dirty the white men are, they called them "powhitetrash". Almost every day, being that all blacks hated whites, and vice-versa, a bunch of whites would go to the store to make fun, abuse, command Momma around the store. "People in Stamps used to say that the whites in our town were so prejudiced that a Negro couldn't buy vanilla ice cream. Except on July Fourth. Other days he had to be satisfied with chocolate" (Angelou 49). "A light shade had been pulled down between the Black community and all things white, but one could see through it enough to develop a fear-admiration-contempt for the white ?things' ? white folks' cars and white glistening houses and their children and their women" (Angelou 49). One time when Maya went to a white dentist, she was told that he would rather stick his hand in a dog's mouth than a nigger's. When Maya and Baily went to school, the teachers would tease them and be mean to them, just because of their