Chaucer, at least on the surface, recreates the commonly perceived stereotype of a vile woman in Alisoun; and as D. W. Robertson states in Chaucer's Exegetes, "She is nothing more than an elaborate iconographic figure designed to show the multiple implications of an attitude." Alisoun is described as a sort of iconoclast, transgressive to the core, hoarse and incorrigible. Indeed, her attempt to behave as a preacher was itself an act of rebellion, as it was and still is generally forbidden for women to preach. Alisoun's expression and actions appear to be completely governed by self-interest, as can be seen through his selective exegesis of the Bible, wherein lies the amusing irony of it all: that he uses the same source as his ecclesiastical counterparts to undermine them . Therefore, on some level, it does not entirely subvert the established status quo, but simply provides its own perspective to counter the patriarchal dogmatic point of view. Alisoun fuels his rhetoric with seemingly relevant aphorisms, proverbs, and biblical references to justify his life choices, and employs the same generally recognized authority to satisfy his cause through distorted interpretations. However, at times, Alisoun seems almost desperate in her attempts at self-justification, as when she uses astrological associations to Mars and Venus for the purpose. This could be taken as an unconscious conformity on her part, and as a result, it could further be said that although on the one hand she appears free from social limitations, Alisoun still seeks acceptance from the same society that despises women as she does. As a result she was not entirely free even though she tried to appear to be a free thinker. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay On the other hand, it could also be explained as a self-affirmation, a conscious attempt by a spirited woman to defend her beliefs, whether material hedonism or not, against the shackles of tradition and dogma, as she chooses to enter the male domain of preaching to defeat established opinion on their own turf, albeit on its own terms. Despite his revolutionary view of the Bible, he never undermines God's authority, rather his ire is directed toward the Church's common misinterpretation of His words. In this regard, a parallel could be drawn with Milton's sentiments expressed in Christian Doctrine, where he attributes sole authority to the Bible; explaining that individuals must work out their faith on their own through the study of the Scriptures without regard to other opinions. This could also be seen as Chaucer's commentary on the social circumstances of his time. Therefore, it could be argued that through Alisoun, Chaucer expressed a feminist character even before the movement was said to have come into being. Indeed, Alisoun addresses many important issues related to women's rights and marriage, even if her methods may not be entirely convincing. It must be understood that the Bible, like any other scriptural text, is quite ambivalent and therefore can often be interpreted on various levels. As mentioned above, Alisoun chooses a vein that suits its purpose even if it is not commonly accepted. What gives her arguments their strength is that she reinforces them in the form of pragmatic common sense and corroborates them with examples from the Bible, which to any layperson without a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures would seem completely convincing. Therefore, one can be sure that Alisoun was an intelligent, cultured and astute speaker. Also, the General Prologueconfirms that she had traveled extensively and, as Alisoun herself points out, she was a woman with adequate experience. The observation could also be credited that she is seen turning the discussion onto others, as seen in her relationship with her husbands, i.e. she forces her opponents to justify and explain even if she is the one who is wrong, which is clearly a sign of a skilled arguer. Furthermore, his arguments follow a certain logic, even if this is also invented according to his interest, for example regarding his interpretation of the Pauline doctrines. All in all, one could argue that there is an affability to his caricatured character despite his brashness. Furthermore, he accepts his own flaws even though he may try to defend or scorn them; as she notes, she may not be perfect, but is that a crime? He refuses to adhere to common beliefs and rituals prescribed by the Church, as he prefers to confess his misdeeds to close friends rather than to the priest as usual. Even during the period of Lent she is seen flirting with strangers and seeking new lovers in social congregations while her husband is away. It was in fact during this period that she declared her love to Janekin and promised to marry him once her fourth husband died. Later, although she showed her sorrow as a widow, she at the same time longed for Janekin. Therefore, once again, it is evident that at some level Alisoun as an individual was still repressed by social mores. However, she could not be blamed for this, since she was after all a woman who lived in the 14th century. Here, Chaucer may be reflecting on the uselessness of such rules and regulations, for though actions might be limited, but who can control thought? Alisoun's deepest and most logical response against anti-feminist doctrines such as those written by St. Jerome, remains: "Who hath peyntede the leoun, tell me, who?" This particular line, using Aesop's fable as a reference, captures the essence of his thesis, namely that since men are the dominant gender, it is obvious that texts written by them should glorify their stature while diminishing that of women. Accordingly, additional Marxist nuances may be applicable here. The heartening irony here would be that this is a male writer speaking through a female voice, and similarly, the destruction of Janekin's book could be taken as symbolic optimism coming from Chaucer. In this section, some excerpts relating to Alisoun's contempt for the Church's teachings will be discussed. Regarding the permitted number of marriages (Prologue 10-14) "That sith that Christ... for the nones" Most preachers of the time such as St. Jerome disapproved of new marriages and argued that arguments such as this were often used: throughout the Bible, Christ attends only one wedding, that of Cana, and therefore it is understood that people must marry only once. However, Alisoun does not mince words in expressing his opinion on the matter, because it is clear that this is a silly and baseless interpretation. Therefore, it is interesting to note that Alisoun was not all that different from the preachers of her time when it comes to partial exegesis. Likewise, Alisoun dismisses the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman with five husbands in her characteristically brash manner. He then proceeds to use literal interpretations of selected Bible verses to support his view regarding marriage and sex. It refers to the book of Genesis in which God is said to have commanded Adam and Eve to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth. However, in this regard, it might be interesting to note that nowhere in the text is it found..