In this case, I will be focusing on the women in the Miller's tale and In a Grove, looking at the relationship between the men in both tales and how they're portrayed by the authors.

Alisoun is one of the main protagonists - or rather - the object of desire or the main protagonists Nicholas, Absolon and John. She is the much younger wife of John, you know, the carpenter.

Chaucer introduces her through a lengthy description of her physical appearance.

Chaucer uses imagery to compare Alisoun to small, meek animals like weasels. The use of 'milk' also enhances the animalistic portrayal of her.

- weasel = usually preyed upon --> hence, symbolises and foreshadows how she'll be attacked and possessed by 'predators' = men

- milk = domestic, maternal (gender roles)

--> unlike Emily in the Knight's tale, Alisoun is compared to less poetic, unflattering objects --> possibly because the narrator drew the descriptions from his own village life

"likerous eye" --> young, lustful, of course she takes up Nicholas' suggestion and sleeps with him
The use of "likerous" suggests that all women are expected to act like this (flirty)

And yet, it is vital to understand that in Chaucer's time, one's inner characteristics were seen as more significant than their exterior. And yet, Chaucer goes into a great length to provide a detailed description of Alisoun...

This implies how she's not worthy of a character/ and that she is nothing but her body and a sexual object.

- she's an assortment of desirable components
EVEN THOUGH
the descriptions of men also emphasises their sexuality (sexual appetites) but we also learn about their characteristics as well
- eg. we learn that while Nicholas is lustful , he is also a student with textbooks with an interest for astronomy

- even john, who is gullible and dumb, is seen to engage in business activities and we see his skills in carpentry

- But Alisoun? she's introduced as a body linked to natural elements (mainly animals)

(very little is mentioned of her accomplishments)
- no mention of her work, accomplishments, or goals
- the point is that women are not described in terms of her aspirations or achievements, but rather her physcality and sexuality, her body alone

Masago is the wife of the murdered samurai found in a grove.


She also partakes in a love triangle between the robber, Tajomaru, and her husband, Takehiro.

Unlike Alisoun, where the narrator provides a lengthy description of the female character, Masago is introduced and brought up in several testimonies. Her nature can be deciphered from Tajomaru and Takehiro's accounts.

So as readers we are set with the task of piecing the information to determine who she is

This way we actually don't know her true nature but we get an idea of how others view her
Which leads me to my next point...

We will now look at the men in both tales and their perception on the women in their stories.

Clerk living in the carpenter's house. Knows of 'secret love'.

One of the competitors in the love triangle.

Has a distorted sense of superiority in which he believes that he has power due to his knowledge

Alisoun is merely the sum of her physical parts --> obvious from the way nicholas lusts after her

also john, the husband, is seen caring about his wife for her exterior as he keeps her locked away (jealously)

By focusing on words like "hips (hip bones)", "loins", "queynte", Chaucer sexualizes her like an animal
--> making sex the only and main characteristic of Alisoun
By drawing attention to things like her hips, legs, and loins, the reader's attention is draw to such parts and describing her in animalistic comparisons and language makes sexuality her main and possibly only character trait.

-> the use of "deerne love" again suggests that for him, Alisoun is just another married girl to be wooed and violated
--> not worthy of a personality

--> parish clerk that tries to woo her
--> hides his lust for her through 'romantic gestures'
--> like the

--> holds her high (worships her) but secretly just wants her for her body

mouse + cat = predator-prey
- likerous

Next we will be looking at the men in in a grove

Tajomaru is the well known criminal who apparently killed the samurai, according to his claims. He also has the longest passage --> elaborates on his magnificent swordsmanship and ability to commit crimes (egoistic)

From his perspective...

He saw her as a women like no other, with guts, vicious and violent, worthy/desirable as a wife

Shows his exaggeration
how much he desires her
--> object of his conquest

- like nicholas Next we will be looking at the men in in a grove

Takehiro --> the husband/victim
samurai
pretentious
honor

makes her sound like she was dumb enough to fall for the robber's sweet words
--> its expected

he instead focuses on her beauty
--> thats all he cares about really

- women are the root of the problem

- her beauty cost her her husbands life
- her beauty caused trouble
- because she was easily fooled

She even blames herself for the events --> notice "i was violated by" instead of the robber violated me
--> subtly shows herself being objectified

also like in miller's tale:
- it is alisoun who is copulated with, not nicholas (hence, she is the sexual object)

- women in akutagawa's time had the responsibility of keeping a good reputation
--> hence, she must've been in a lot of pressure
--> and after she was violated, she must've felt awful (bad reputation)

- flirtatious
- her beauty and flirty ways caused trouble

- she becomes what each of her lovers want her to be (nicholas --> sexual object, absolon --> someone to worship, and john --> a thing to save from the flood)

The fact that she's the only one who isn't punished goes to show that she won't learn from her mistakes, so why punish her? (alisoun)

- in conclusion, while both women are set in different times and places, they both still endure the same misogynistic behaviour directed towards them.

- they both were in these love triangles in which resulted in either being humiliated and killed
--> dangers of assuming that they knew her
--> because of the stereotypes
--> suffers punishment