Wife of Bath

So, what is the answer to the "million-dollar" question?

"'My liege lady, generally,' quoth he, Women desire the self-same sovereignty Over a husband as they do a lover, And to hold mastery, he not above her." The answer is a woman must not be overpowered by her lover and that they need to be treated equally as the guy.

What is ironic about the Wife of Bath's ending to this story? Is there any irony here?

"Christ wills we take from him our gentleness..." The old woman says that she is gentle but that comes from God and that every man that does not let his wife have power should die. But then for her it is if you do not succumb your wife you should die.

What criticism of women does she offer?

"For, be we ever so vicious within, We would be held as wise and free of sin." The criticism is of woman is they try to be innocent and free of any evil but they can do as they please. They want to do what they want but still be innocent and clean.

What horrible offense does the knight commit, and how is this ironic?

"Of which maid, no matter how she pled, By very force he stole her maidenhead" The Knight raped a maid and it is ironic because a knight is supposed to act with chivalry and respect everyone in the place, and by him not respecting the young woman he failed his duty.

What does the old woman ask of the knight in return for supplying him the answer he seeks?

"Plight me your troth, here by my hand,' quoth she, 'That the next thing I require of thee You shall do" She is asking the knight to do anything she wants him to do for the answer to the question that will save his life.

Now that his life has been spared, what does the old woman want from him?

"Quoth she, 'that you take me as your wife, For you know well that I have saved your life." The old woman wants him to be his husband.

What tortures the knight the most about the old woman?

"Such woe was on him - with a wife so foul." The old woman was old and she looked no good. She was not a good looking woman anymore that bothered him a lot.

What is the knight's response to this request?

"Take all my goods, and let my body go.' 'Nay, then,' quoth she, 'A curse upon us two!" The knight said she can have all his wealth everything but not him, to think of another request but him marrying her.

Who does the knight finally come across during his last day?

"Where he saw dancing on woodland floor Of ladies four and twenty...before he was fully there, Vanished was the dance; he knew not where. No creature saw he that showed sign of life, Save, sitting on the green, an old wife - A fouler one than her might none devise." On his last day he sees 24 woman dancing, the knight gets happy and goes to them to ask them what they think is what women desire the most but as this is happening the women disappear, they are gone and all that is left is an old lady that is ugly.

What is the purpose of her story about Midas?

"Yet out it must; we can no secret hide." Woman cannot keep a secret, because this woman had a husband with two ass's ears and she swore not to tell anyone but she could not hold it in and broke her promise. The person taking says we cannot hide a secret so its a woman saying women cannot keep secrets.

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?

"You are so ugly, and so old, and more" He wants a better looking woman someone who is higher class. She is old the knight is young he wants a younger girl she is not enough for him.

Is the knight's reaction to the old woman an example of direct or indirect characterization? What does it reveal about his character?

"You are so ugly, and so old, and more..." The knights reaction to the old woman is indirect because he talks about her appearance and her status in society. That is an indirect way to describe someone's characteristics. Like a direct description would be talking about her personality, how she acted and things like that not just appearance and status in society.

What is the knight's response?

"whatever pleases you suffices me." The Knight says this because he's been taught a moral. The lesson of what women want the most.

How much time will she grant him to find the answer to this question?

She grants him a year with 12 months and a day. "A twelve-month and a day, and everywhere Seek answer sufficient to this matter there."

How does the old woman respond to the knight's claim that she is poor?

She said God lived being poor, he was not rich at all but yet everyone follows him and that being poor isn't a disease that you can die from.

Ultimately, what two choices does the old woman give the knight?

She says he can either stay with her and well she be old and ugly but she will always be true to him and will treat him good, or he can leave and find a pretty girl who will not be as loyal and cheat on him.

Explain how the old woman refutes the knight's claim that she is not of "gentle birth."

She says that being of "gentle birth" is not something that comes from if you are rich or poor. It is a gift from God given to a person not from a social rank. "Christ wills we take from him our gentleness, Not from our ancestors, despite their riches. For though they leave us all their heritage, From which we claim noble parentage..."

How does the old woman refute his claim that she is too old? What is a potential benefit of being old?

She tells him that you are supposed to respect older people like her because it is the custom. The benefit of her being old is that she cheating is highly unlikely, so he can rest assured she will not cheat on him.

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's more interested in the things women want more than in the story.

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's more interested in the things women want than in the story. Perhaps she wants to create some suspense.

What is the queen's reaction? How does the king respond? Do you think this foreshadows anything?

The Queen wanted to save the knight, she "...and other ladies so Prayed the King for so long for his grace That he his life granted him in its place..." She wanted to have knight so she could decide his punishment and not the king. "The Queen thanked the King with all her might;" So the king granted her wish to decide what to do with the knight. This foreshadows how much the king pays attention to the queen because it is surprising to see how the king agrees with the queen and it is not something common that occurs but in this case it did.

Ultimately, what is the moral of her story?

The moral of the story is that woman want to have power in the relationship and have basically a say and not be put to the side and just there as an item but to have a say and be listened to and men should be aware of their women's needs.

What happens to the "old" lady?

The old lady transforms into a new body she is not young and very beautiful.

What is the king's reaction to such an act?

The people wanted justice for this crime and well they pleaded for justice to the king which later "this knight was condemned as dead Bu court of law and set to lose his head"

How does the queen handle the knight's punishment? What is the question for which he must find an answer?

The queen tells the knight he has to answer a question to be free and it must be a good answer and if he cannot he will be gone. "I grant you life though, if you can tell me What thing it is that women most desire...And if you cannot tell me now anon, Yet I will give you leave to be gone..." The question she wants him to answer is "what thing it is that women most desire"

Is the old woman happy about his answer? Explain.

Yes, she is happy because he finally understands what women want the most, it is something he was told but not he lived it and understands why, and how.