Character Analysis on Alisoun from the The Wife of Bath - Research Paper Example

She appears to be longing for people and men to be specific to acknowledge her and is looking for eventual power over them. Alisoun thinks that she is experienced and therefore has the supreme authority since she has been married severally, and this was her fifth husband. “Husbondes at chirche dore she hadde five, Withouten other compaignye in youthe (Norton, page 92)”. She unquestionably deems herself an influence on the medicine of love. She believes that she knows everything concerning love and sex.

Alisoun is beautiful and exceptionally knows how to attract men’s interest, and this we see as she puts on classy outfits that are easily noticeable. Her outfit mainly is to strikes men’s attention. “Her "gites" are of scarlet, the choicest material (Carruthers, page 213)”. She makes use of the bible as an instrument to acclaim her behavior. She talks about her life with her five partners and how she had power over all of them saying "I governed hem so wel after my lawe,” (Norton 122) which pointed out that she ruled them in accordance with her rules.

Shortly after she says "For God it woot, I chidde hem spitously (Norton122). An additional example is when she fakes that her fifth husband had killed her with an aim of making him feel sorry for beating her and feel more powerful: “Thief, thus muchel am I wreke. Now wol I die: I may no lenger speeke” (Norton, page 122). She also has power over her men for their entire lives, and she declares this repeatedly: “I have the powere during al my life. Upon his proper body, and nat he (Norton, page 164)”.

Alisoun displays some bold character when she states: "In wifhood wol I use myn instrument as freely as my Makere hath it sent. If I be dangerous, God yive me sorwe: myn housbonder shal it han both eve and morwe whan that him list come forth and pay his dette. An housbonde wol I have, I wol nat lette, which shal be bother my dettour