Wife of Bath's Tale
Is the knight's reaction to the old woman an example of direct or indirect characterization? What does it reveal about his character?
Direct, Because he doesn't like her because of her appearance, even is she is a modest woman.
Ultimately, what is the moral of her story?
Don't judge people by their appearance just like the knight did to her wife.
What is the king's reaction to such an act?
He says that the knight must be executed for his act of crimes.
Who does the knight finally come across during his last day?
In the last day he comes across a old lady or a "Hag" who seems that she may have the answer.
What is ironic about the Wife of Bath's ending to this story? Is there any irony here?
It's like beauty and the beast, where The princess doesn't care about the prince's appearance. The irony is that i resembles to this movie.
What is the purpose of her story about Midas?
No women can keep a secret.
How does the old woman refute his claim that she is too old? What is a potential benefit of being old?
Older women are more kinder to their Husband rather than a young freely women.
Explain how the old woman refutes the knight's claim that she is not of "gentle birth."
Poverty has nothing to do and appearance is more than someone's interior.
What does the old woman ask of the knight in return for supplying him the answer he seeks?
She asks him to keep and promise her any grant that she wants
Ultimately, what two choices does the old woman give the knight?
She can be old but a faithful wife or a beautiful but not so faithful wife.
How does the old woman respond to the knight's claim that she is poor?
She gives the knight a speech about true origins of gentility, and the advantages of poverty and old age.
Chaucer has the Wife of Bath break off into a long digression at this point to depict how her mind works. Why do you think she temporarily loses track of her story at this point?
She is more into the story of what women want.
Is the old woman happy about his answer?
Somewhat, but she accepts of what her husband is doing for her.
What is the knight's response?
The Knight leaves it up to her to choose.
What horrible offense does the knight commit, and how is this ironic?
The Knight one day sees a beautiful women, Overcome by lust and his sense of his own power, he rapes her.
Now that his life has been spared, what does the old woman want from him?
The Old Hag wants marriage to the Knight
So, what is the answer to the "million-dollar" question?
The final answer by the knight is that women want more desire by their Husband
What is the knight's response to this request?
The knight disagrees and does not want to go with the marriage. But he is forced by the Queen as the old hag made a petition for marriage.
How does the queen handle the knight's punishment? What is the question for which he must find an answer?
The knight must complete a challenge where he must find what women most want in the world.
How much time will she grant him to find the answer to this question?
The queen gives the knight one year and one day to complete this challenge.
What is the queen's reaction? How does the king respond? Do you think this foreshadows anything?
The queen tells the king to give the knight one last chance, and with that she presents a challenge, If he can discover what women most want in the world, he will be spared, but if not he shall be executed.
The old woman sees how unhappy the knight is and asks him to reveal why. She will refute each of his complaints. What are his reasons that he's unhappy?
The real reason is because of the Hag's appearance. She is so ugly to him. Also because she is low-class.
What tortures the knight the most about the old woman?
What tortures him the most is that the Old hag is so ugly and he doesn't want to be with her for the rest of his life.
What happens to the "old" lady?
With a kiss to the forehead, she becomes a young and beautiful woman.
What criticism of women does she offer?
Women are Hypocritical and want to make their own decisions.
