WIFE OF BATH TALE QUESTIONS

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

Even though she is not of nobility, what she does is what really represents who she is. She did save the knight's life. If she was a terrible person, she could decided not to help him but did. The old women said this in the lines, "although my ancestry is rough and rude, yet may God be on high, I hope, may he grant me the grace to live virtuously. Thus I am a noble, when I first begin to live in virtue and abandon sin."

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

She responds that if being rich means arrogance, she rather not be it. She comes from a family who are rich in character, not wanting too much and being happy with what they have. "She said this in the lines like, "Such arrogance is not worth a hen," and "..from which we claim noble parentage yet can they still bequeath us nothing." She tells him that even God chose to live in the life of poverty so there is nothing wrong with being of low status. She said this in the lines, "The God whom we believe and love, in wilful poverty chose to live his life," and "Honesty poverty is fine, that's certain."

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

The King and his court want him to be decapitated which is stated, "That this knight was condemned as dead by the court of law and set to lose his head,".

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

The Knight raped the maiden of the Queen which is said in the line, "by very force he stole her maidenhood," It's ironic because knights are supposed to be the best of the best, the most honorable but what he did was less than honorable.

What is the knight's response?

The Knight tells her that he trusts her judgement and she can choose whatever she see is best. This is in the line, "My lady and my love, and wife so dear, I place myself in your wise governance. Choose yourself which is the most pleasant, And brings most honor to me and you. I do not care which it is of the two, for as you like it, that suffices me."

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

The Queen gives him a question to answer. The question is what is the thing women desire which the Queen said in this line, "I grant you life though if you can tell me what thing is that women most desire."

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

The Queen gives the knight one year to find the answer to the question. This is said in the lines, "Yet I will give you leave to be gone, a twelve month and day,"

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

The Queen wants the knight to have another chance and the king obeys. This is said in these lines "But that the Queen and other ladies so prayed the king for so long for his grace that he his life granted him in its place," This foreshadows that he will find the answer to the question.

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

The answer is that woman want to be in charge of their lovers/husbands.The knight said this in the line, "women desire the self-same sovereignty over a husband as they do a lover and to hold mastery, he not above her."

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

What is ironic is that the old woman changed into someone beautiful yet she still was a good wife. She could stayed ugly but chose to fit what the knight wanted. Also, even though she said women want to be in charge of their lovers, she still spent all her life obeying him, "And she obeyed him in everything that pleased him and was to his liking." Also, readers could not expect her to change appearance.

What criticism of women does she offer?

"Women's discretion isn't worth a candle," which is saying women can't keep a secret.

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

An old woman that is said in the line, "No creature he saw that showed sign of life save, sitting on the grass, an old wife-"

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?

As said in the line, "you are so ugly, and so old and more you come of such a lowly kin," the knight is tortured by the fact that she is ugly and low class."

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?

It shows what she wants for herself personally and eventually she starts talking about some traits of a women like the ability to keep quiet.

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

People who are old can be and usually are more wise. They have lived world longer so they have experienced more. From their experiences, the younger generation can learn.

Ultimately, what is the moral of her story?

Beauty isn't everything can be the lesson. Many people look for people who are beautiful but don't realize that they can have terrible personalities. Not every pretty face is going to be beautiful inside. Only some people can be both pretty outside and out. The knight was quick to judge the woman because she was old and ugly. Despite her being all that, she was still kind and grateful for what she had. She even told the knight about choosing her, ugly but faithful or a beautiful but unfaithful one. Due to a seeing a beautiful maiden, the Knight raped her which lead him to life or death situation.

What tortures the knight the most about the old woman?

He hated that she was so ugly which is shown in the line ,"you are so ugly,".

What is the knight's response to this request?

He was horrified as shown in the line, "Take all my goods and let my body go and" " 'nay my damnation!'

Is the old woman happy about his answer? Explain.

I think old woman is happy because it goes with the answer that saved his life, he gave her the chance to choose without him putting any input or going against it. I t was whatever would make her happy.

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

The knight's reaction to the old woman is direct characterization. It reveals that he is a person who cares about outer appearance, instead of inner. Also, he is quick to judge and is very arrogant.

What happens to the "old" lady?

The old woman changes into a beautiful yet good woman. When this happened, it was in the lines, "And when the knight swiftly saw all this, that she was young and lovely too."

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

The old woman gave the knight the choices of either having a loyal but ugly wife or a beautiful and unfaithful one. This was stated in the lines, "To see me old and ugly til I die, and to be to you a true and humble wife who will never displease you all my life or else you may have me young and fair and take the risk that all those who repair to our house are there because of me, and to other places, it well may be."

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

The old women wanted the knight to pledge himself to her which is said in the line, "plight me your troth, here by my hand."

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

The old women wants to marry him. She tells him this in the lines, "that you take me as your wife,"

What is the purpose of her story about Midas?

The purpose is to show that no women can keep a secret since the women in the story tried to hold in a secret but couldn't so she went and whispered the secret into the water.