In “The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” the power shifts from male dominance to female dominance. It talks about how men used to rule over women, but then, Chaucer completely flips the script. Instead, the women seize control and start to call the shots. “My liege and lady, in general,’ said he, / ‘A woman wants the self-same sovereignty* / Over her husband as over her lover, / And master him; he must not be above her. / That is your greatest wish, whether you kill / Or spare me; please yourself, I wait your will” (Chaucer 286). This quote really sets the message that women are in charge and the men have absolutely no say in what the women do. Even if they disagree with a woman’s choice, it is out of their control. A woman with complete control is not something you often see, but during the Middle Ages, life was completely different.
In “The Franklin’s Tale,” Chaucer makes it clear as to what he believes is the