In Beowulf, Sir Gawain, and The Wife of Bath's tale, to what extent do the females fit a certain stereotype and how do they differ from the female...

In Beowulf, one woman shows strength within a stereotype while another woman, a "monster," assumes male characteristics that challenge typical notions of feminity. Wealhtheow, the queen of Daneland and Hrothgar's wife, fulfills a typical woman's role by acting as the hostess in the mead hall. At the same time, she shows strength and autonomy as she fulfills this prescribed position, affirming the status of the important men, and challenging the appointment of Beowulf as king rather than...

In Beowulf, one woman shows strength within a stereotype while another woman, a "monster," assumes male characteristics that challenge typical notions of feminity. Wealhtheow, the queen of Daneland and Hrothgar's wife, fulfills a typical woman's role by acting as the hostess in the mead hall. At the same time, she shows strength and autonomy as she fulfills this prescribed position, affirming the status of the important men, and challenging the appointment of Beowulf as king rather than her own sons. In contrast, Grendel's mother breaks the stereotypic feminine mold--she is neither peacemaker nor hospitality giver but an aggressive, seemingly out-of-control, warrior. She does, however, fill the anti-feminine archetype of the devouring, castrating female.

In the Wife of Bath's tale, Guinevere plays a female role as the wife of King Arthur but also displays wisdom, insight and autonomy when she is allowed to pass judgment on the rapist knight, sentencing him to a quest meant to build his empathy for women. The Wife of Bath herself, one of the spunkiest characters in English literature, breaks stereotypes in a number of ways: she is outspoken, frank, no-nonsense, owns her own business, speaks contemptuously of some men, and tells a tale that concludes with a message that turns conventional wisdom on its head: women, she insists, want to rule their husbands, and moreover, allowing them to do so leads to happy, fulfilling marriages.

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, both Morgan le Fay and Lady Bercilak exert power over men. It's le Fay's command to Lord Bercilak that he come to court disguised that sets the action in motion while Lady Bercilak controls Gawain through the gift of the green girdle. She also manipulates him through her understanding of his fear of death. Both women fit archetypes: Le Faye the threatening "crone" and Lady Bercilak "the temptress" who in part controls Gawain because of his physical attraction to her, but both characters also show that women can use their wits and power not simply in service of men but to exert control and manipulate events in their own favor in a male-dominated society.