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Inconsistencies in The Wife of Bath

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The main character's narration in "The Wife of Bath," by Geoffrey Chaucer construct a masked persona with lies to hide the soft side of herself. However, Alisoun's real feeling being exposed as she continues with her narration, which creates the inconsistency in her narrative. Alisoun shows her seduce and manipulates her husbands in an intelligent way that make them feel crazy about her; but at the same time, it seems like she is the one that desire for them. "The Wife of Bath" builds up her mask with a tough and authoritative persona, but everything she describes about her relationship with the fifth husband seems to be inconsistent with that mask. This is how Alisoun characterizes her persona at the beginning of the prologue: Upon his flessh whil that I am his wif. I have the power during al my lif Upon his propre body, and nat he: (163-65) Alisoun declares that she will "have the power  over her husbands all her life; and "his propre body  is belong to her, "nat he . However, in reality thing seems to be the opposite of what she constructs her persona: That though he hadde me bet on every boon, He coude winne again my love anoon. (517-18) Her fifth husband, Jankin, has beaten her on every bone but he somehow manages to "winne again  her love. This clearly is not what she means by "have the power ¦Upon his propre body . Alisoun's fifth husband actually has the power over her body instead. Moreover, she is willing to give all her heart to him "That al myn herte I yaf unto his hold  (605). The Wife of Bath claim all her heart belongs to her husband is contradict with what she claims to be "have the power , it also reveals the truth that her husband is the one have the power over her. This is totally inconsistent with her personality from the beginning of the prologue, a type of woman that is independent and dominant over men. Alisoun seems to have affection to all of her husband rather than just using them for money a

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