During medieval time, many women decided to dedicate or devote their life to God. Some were from wealthy family others like the nuns not and therefore they had to do the hard work within the Convent. like nuns, the Prioress had to make the same vows to God such as leaving behind ordinary or material things. However, The Prioress differ from nuns, the way they dressed as well as way they behaved.
The widow in the "Nun's Priest," by Chaucer reflects the life of a peasant woman who lives in poor conditions. this woman hasn't inherited any wealth from her husband only misery. Unlike the Wife's Bath who accumulated wealth by marrying several husbands. Due to her economic conditions, she lives a life very different from other widows because she had nothing to fight for and therefore her life is just like any poor person who has to work very hard to make the end.
The character of Allison in "The Wife's Bath," by Chaucer was a woman who married several times with wealthy husbands. This brought her great benefits such as learning how to conduct business and how to behave within the most affluent social class. She also used her sexual attributes for personal gain. This is proven when she said, :I have the powere during al my life upon. Upon this proper body, and nat he time" (Line 164). Many of these husbands were wealthier and older than her so she had a purpose in her mind and that was the influence and money theses husband could give her in order to scaling a wealthier social class and independence.
One important achievement obtained by married women during the medieval time was the right to inherit the wealth of their husbands by their deaths. The will was a legal document that enable many widows not to be economically destitute like before. Among the widow women who benefit with this legal law was the Wife's Bath. She has the misfortune or fortune of widowed several times and as a result she became a wealthy and powerful women.
During the Middle Ages, women exercised roles in the labor field as men. This sort of movement, where women have legal right to work, was called "Femme Sole." This was an improvement for women by conducting business apart from their husbands (page 3). Single widows as well as married women, were able to achieve independence. To illustrate, Margery Kempe was a woman who, in addition to performing household chores, was also a business woman whose profits were for herself. She decided to become independent woman, removing her husband's power.
Margaret Paston was a young girl who married at age
of 18. Due to the absence of her husband, she had the responsibility to take over the house's administration as well as her husband's affairs. Among
her chores she cooked smoked ham and bacon, baked bread, preserved fruits and
ran the estates as though she was her husband (page 1). Be in charge of the affairs of her husband was not an easy task for her because she was not used to have a close relations with men other than her father or husband. likewise, the comportment book, "The Good Wife's Guide," reflected a married young girl who had to assume household responsibilities as well as assistant business of her husband.
In middle ages, mothers were devoted to the task of instilling into their daughters what society expects of them. Hence, the existence of books and poems to dedicate them. These poems were intended to explain the importance of home managing, subservience and so on (page 1), as well as their duties towards their husbands.
The widow in the "Nun's Priest," by Chaucer reflects the life of a peasant woman who lives in poor conditions. this woman hasn't inherited any wealth from her husband only misery. Unlike the Wife's Bath who accumulated wealth by marrying several husbands. Due to her economic conditions, she lives a life very different from other widows because she had nothing to fight for and therefore her life is just like any poor person who has to work very hard to make the end.
