The Wife of Bath Insights

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Author of "The Wife of Bath's Tale"

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Chaucer

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Setting of "The Wife of Bath's Tale"

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England

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The literary structure in which The Wife of Bath is written

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Frame

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Central theme: Female sovereignty

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desire for control in marriage

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Plot event: Knight's quest

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discover what women most desire

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Author's purpose: Challenging gender roles

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medieval views on women and marriage

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Which detail in the “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue” hints at how the Wife of Bath will narrate her tale?

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The Friar complains in the prologue that the Wife of Bath’s opening remarks are too long, and she includes a long digression about Midas in the tale.

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Reasoning behind the old woman's transformation

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grants her choice, showing respect for her will

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Planning: The Wife's use of personal experience

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her argument for female authority in relationships

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Strategic use of storytelling by the Wife

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audience to question societal norms