Age Of Empires With A

… Essay, Research Paper

Age Of Empires, With a Little Neanderthal Persuasion

Stalking through the columns of trees, girded in nothing but a loincloth and a club of monstrous proportions you look around unfamiliar surroundings. Cherry petals are falling on and around you as the tender grass crushes under your large bare feet. Looking into the clearing you sees a young man garbed in clothing the likes of which you have never seen. At his side is the sharpest blade you have ever seen but he looks like a gentle enough person. Sitting slowly down you examine his features, high cheekbones, slight nose, slanted eyes, and long, straight black hair bound in a band. He looks nothing like you do. You stand at least two feet taller than he does and, naturally muscled, you are amazed at such a slim figure exuding such power. You try to imitate his sitting posture but cannot because your flexibility is nonexistent next to the young man’s. His eyes slowly open and, with a shout, he starts at your presence. His sharp blade whips from its sheath and whistles toward the side of your head. You may be primitive but you are by no means dead, you bring up your club of hardened wood just as swiftly and the blade digs into it with a solid chak sound. You are perplexed at his reaction and grip his sword wielding hand. The defensiveness in his eyes melts as he sees your apparent fear and bewilderment. You are relieved as the sharp object is returned to its sheath and he puts an hand on your massive arm. He speaks in a language you know not but you can hear his worry. He offers you a round object that smells of meat and the sight of it elicits a growl from your stomach. Eating vigorously you wonder why and how you are here, but you are glad that you have found someone that is kind enough to help you. He laughs heartily and speaks to you again, you know that it will be all right. Some things are out of place in time and some come before their time. The Wife of Bath is reminiscent of the modern woman in terms of assertiveness and having no qualms about her sexuality.

The Wife of Bath is a woman well ahead her time in dogged tenacity as well as twentieth century assertiveness. The quote, “In making cloth she showed so great a bent, They bettered those of Ypres and of Ghent,” speaks perfectly of her tenacious business sense. A woman of the fourteenth century was never to be so business oriented, it was downright shameful. She however gave no second thought to this and continued as her will bade her do. She displays her assertiveness through the comment, “But as I had them eating from my hand and as they’d yielded me their gold and land, why then take trouble to provide them pleasure unless to profit and amuse my leisure?”. Alison (The Wife of Bath) shows her extensive power over men and her innate skill to manipulate. This is evidence of her determination to succeed and her evident mastery of the art. Her independence and tenacious attitude aren’t the only thing that is out of place however there is more.

As stated before the Wife of Bath is a woman well ahead of her years in being comfortable with her sexuality. The statement “Why else the proverb written down and set In books: ‘A man must yield his wife her debt’? What means of paying her can he invent unless he use is silly instrument?” is an open declaration of her apparent joy in partaking in the “Art of Lovemaking”. No self respecting woman would be allowed such an outburst but the Wife of Bath is different. She commands a certain amount of respect more than the ordinary woman and is so unabashed that it is accepted (possibly encouraged). Alison then goes on to say, “A knowing woman’s work is never done to get a lover is she hasn’t one, but as I had them eating from my hand and as they yielded me their gold and land, why then take trouble to provide them pleasure unless to profit and amuse my leisure?” again asserting a mastery over men through the Arts. She knows the power of a woman and her “accouterments” well enough to use them to satisfy her whims as well as her needs. Just like some women of today, she enjoys lovemaking but also uses it as a tool to advance her endeavors. Even though you may already see the resemblance to a 21st century woman, there are indeed more examples.

Surveying her empire, Cleopatra looks upon the vast wealth and prestige she has accumulated. She is able to have any man she wants and is in essence the ruler of Egypt. Caesar was enamored with the woman as was the general Brutus. She used her womanly wiles to etch a name for herself in history and by the seat of one of the mightiest rulers the world has ever known. Cleopatra is not unlike the Wife of Bath in her thirst for equality and sovereignty and they both succeeded very well. Exactly how powerful is the creature that is a woman? Even though men have kept them subservient for so long, they are realizing their potential and taking charge of their lives rather than have a man do it for them. Once again, the Wife of Bath is reminiscent of the modern woman in terms of assertiveness and having no qualms about her sexuality.