Wifely Duties

     Sometimes when a woman gets married it’s a signed contract with their husbands. The reading of “Margaret Paston” was a good example of wifely duties   which I found a little more modern but too overwhelming with duties for the wife. Married at a young age of eighteen, her duties consist of taking care of the children, making the clothing, oversea the estate and collect the rent, while the husband was away. Her husband trusted her enough to take care of his business and made sure that everything ran smoothly. Margaret had more of a normal family relationship where the women had access to the assets of the husband, although there was a lot to do, women in these times didn't depend on servants but  made use of their own skills in their daily life. I look at this in a positive light because Margaret keeping herself busy helps to keep her out of negative activities.

Shipmans Tale

     The Shipman’s Tale reading written by Geoffrey Chaucer introduced the deceiving activities of a wife while her husband is away. Woman greed for money to pay her dues results in her paying back with sexual favors; similar to the behavior of the peasant girl in “The Name of the Rose”.  Such degrading behavior from a woman with opportunities but to have the finer things in life she lowers her standards as a wife. “That in his hous as famulier was he” line no.31 describes how she brought this man in her home of matrimony to have intimacy. If this woman was busy as Griselda she would have found no time to engage herself in such activities; selling her body like a prostitute.

The Comportment Books

     The significance of The Comportment Books is mold women behavior in the ways of; obedience,wifely duties and respecting their husbands. These books where written by men in the medieval time. Although many might find it to difficult or harsh to live up to, but it was a good way for men to take control of wives and daughter under a moderate control."A woman’s demeanor and behavior reflect her standing in society in relation to her husband and as such she is a representation of him" I prefer women in this manner where they play their part in making a good representation of the husband, thus the women behavior was normally reflected on the husband. Unlike" The Name Of The Rose" movie women were treated with respect.