In married life I mean to use my gadget
As generously as my Maker gave it.
If I be grudging, the Lord punish me!
My husband’s going to have it night and day,
At any time he likes to pay his dues.
I shan’t be difficult! I shan’t refuse!
The Canterbury Tale: The Wife of Bath’s, Geoffrey Chaucer, page 222-223.
Alice lets it be know that she is not afraid of her sexuality and her duties as a wife. She embraces these duties, but let her husbands know they have a debt with her if they want sex with her whenever they want. She uses her power of sexuality to get what she wants and while it was unconventional to say these things back then, it she’s she was a real independent woman. She was empowering herself by letting it be know that woman are sexual beings too and should have to hide that fact just because of their gender.
