“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is centered around a fairy tale like plot that tells the story of a young, naive knight on his unknown quest to find the answer to the key to true love. Love can only be established when the couple sees one another as perfectly independent, but better together. Some couples claim that they love one another, but they lack respect for one another. The key to a mar-riage full of love is when each partner in the relationship shares everything and has an equal voice. The knight finds his quest for true love by first getting the quest from the queen, through the mutual respect of the king, trusting the old hag’s answer to his quest, despite multiple previ-ous failed answers, and eventually trusting the old hag’s decision
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The queen told him, “‘I will concede you this: you are to go / A twelve-month and a day to seek and learn / Sufficient answer, then you shall return’” (lines 44-46). When the year of travel near and far was almost complete, the knight had nearly given up all hope on his journey, because noone could give him one solid answer. Chaucer states, “But all the same he never touched a coast, / Country, or town in which there seemed to be / Any two people willing to agree” (lines 58-60). On the final day of his journey, the knight stumbled upon a group of beautiful dancers, only to have them vanish to reveal a poor, old hag. The hag asked him what he was searching for, to which he answered he needed to know what women desire most. The old hag said to him, “‘Your life is safe; I shall make good my claim’” (line 141). The hag prom-ised him that her answer was the true answer to what women wanted, and his life would be saved. When he goes to the jury consisting of women and the queen, he tells them the answer, and they cry in delight. For the first time, a woman’s true desire is seen for her human worth and not in a materialistic or superficial view. The author states, “In all the court not one that shook her head / Or contradicted what the knight had said; / Maid, wife, and widow cried, ‘He’s saved his life!’” (lines 169-171). This is the knight’s first hint that if he wants to …show more content…
The old hag formerly stated, “‘Give me your hand,’ she said, ‘and swear to do / Whatever I shall next require of you’” (lines 135-136). In despair, the knight could not refuse the offer. After a small private ceremony, the night fell and it was time for bed. The wife was so old and ugly that the knight could not rest, so he told her blatantly why he did not want to be with her- she was hideous. The hag told him, “‘To have me old and ugly till I die, / But still a loyal, true, and humble wife / That never will displease you all her life, / Or would you rather I were young and pretty / And take your chance what happens in a city / Where friends will visit you because of me’” (lines 300-305.) This offered a turning point in the knight’s heart. At this point he yields to his old wife’s wishes in failure, and tells her to do whatever she feels is right for them both. The knight says, “‘I leave the matter to your wise decision. / You make the choice yourself, for the provision’” (lines 311-312). When he makes this statement, the wife turns into a beautiful and loyal woman, because he gives the wife everything that she ever wanted: to be seen as an
The queen told him, “‘I will concede you this: you are to go / A twelve-month and a day to seek and learn / Sufficient answer, then you shall return’” (lines 44-46). When the year of travel near and far was almost complete, the knight had nearly given up all hope on his journey, because noone could give him one solid answer. Chaucer states, “But all the same he never touched a coast, / Country, or town in which there seemed to be / Any two people willing to agree” (lines 58-60). On the final day of his journey, the knight stumbled upon a group of beautiful dancers, only to have them vanish to reveal a poor, old hag. The hag asked him what he was searching for, to which he answered he needed to know what women desire most. The old hag said to him, “‘Your life is safe; I shall make good my claim’” (line 141). The hag prom-ised him that her answer was the true answer to what women wanted, and his life would be saved. When he goes to the jury consisting of women and the queen, he tells them the answer, and they cry in delight. For the first time, a woman’s true desire is seen for her human worth and not in a materialistic or superficial view. The author states, “In all the court not one that shook her head / Or contradicted what the knight had said; / Maid, wife, and widow cried, ‘He’s saved his life!’” (lines 169-171). This is the knight’s first hint that if he wants to …show more content…
The old hag formerly stated, “‘Give me your hand,’ she said, ‘and swear to do / Whatever I shall next require of you’” (lines 135-136). In despair, the knight could not refuse the offer. After a small private ceremony, the night fell and it was time for bed. The wife was so old and ugly that the knight could not rest, so he told her blatantly why he did not want to be with her- she was hideous. The hag told him, “‘To have me old and ugly till I die, / But still a loyal, true, and humble wife / That never will displease you all her life, / Or would you rather I were young and pretty / And take your chance what happens in a city / Where friends will visit you because of me’” (lines 300-305.) This offered a turning point in the knight’s heart. At this point he yields to his old wife’s wishes in failure, and tells her to do whatever she feels is right for them both. The knight says, “‘I leave the matter to your wise decision. / You make the choice yourself, for the provision’” (lines 311-312). When he makes this statement, the wife turns into a beautiful and loyal woman, because he gives the wife everything that she ever wanted: to be seen as an