Review Of "The Wife Of Bath Tales" By Geoffrey Chaucer

The Wife Of Bath Tales does indeed have a moral to its story and its moral teaches young girls how they should not to be treated and that they should be treated/showed equality and respect to the highest extent just like their male counterparts. It also teaches men and boys that they should show equality to women and treat them how they would like to be treated. The wife of bath slowly builds up its moral from the beginning to the end first starting off on how it wasnt safe for women to go up and down the district at first( stated it is now safe for women to go up and down in line twenty two), then by the end of the story show how if you treat your partner the way you would like to be treated will be very rewarding(in between lines 360 through 379 to 388 and 408).

Starting of the moral of the story we come across a lusty disgusting knight who sees and is near a beautiful young maiden and overtaken by his own lust and that he knows how much stronger he is than her, he proceeds to rape her and dishonor his knightly code. The royal court disliked this crime greatly and was disgusted the entire court agreed that the knight should be killed via decapitation. Arthur’s queen and other young women sided with the knight on his behalf and ask the king to give him another and give him the ability to so redeem his honor to save his life. Arthur grants this request to please the women. The queen gives the knight the challenge that within one year, he has to discover what women want in the world and tell his findings to the royal court within the one year he has. If he succeeds he will not be decapitated. If he fails and cannot find the answer to the queen’s question or if his answer is wrong, he will lose his head. The knight walks around the country, asking the question to every woman he comes across.

At first the night wasn't getting clear and precise answers, nearly every one of them was different in some sort of way. most claimed that women love money and honor, others jolliness and looks, some say sex and more say remarriage. then a lot others say that women most want to be free and do whatever they want to do in life without restrictions. the wife says that a lot of women want to be acknowledged as discrete and secretive. Fast forwarding to the middle of our moral the knight starts to go home and call it a day. As he rode near a forest, he saw a group of women and he decides to approach them to ask the same exact question again. But as he approaches the group disappears, and all that was left was a ugly old hag. The woman asks is she can help him so he can be on his way, and then the knight explains his predicament and promises to reward her if she can fully help him in the situation. The woman tells the knight that he must pledge himself to her in return for her help, and the knight happily accepts this deal. She then guarantees that his life will be saved with the answer she gives him. The knight and the old woman travel together to the court in front of a large crowd where his last chance begins to save his life. The knight tells the queen the answer the old woman have given him on what women most desire, and the answer is that woman want to be in charge of their husbands and lovers. The queen agrees that this is the correct answer, and she spares the knight’s life. The old lady comes forth and publicly asks the knight to take her hand in marriage. The knight cries out in horror and disgust. He begs her to take his possessions and other material items rather than his body and health. she refused though and in the end he is forced to consent to the marriage to honor his knightly code.

The two were married at a small secluded wedding and they sleep in bed together every night. Throughout the entire process, the knight is broken and shocked. While they are in bed the old fragile woman proccedes to ask the knight why he is upset at her and he basically says that he do not want an ugly elderly wife. She didn't take offense to the insults that was sent her way but she gives the knight a choice to either he can have her be ugly and loyal or he can have her young and fair but also be a woman of negotiable affection and unfaithful. The knight dwells in silence for a bit and Finally reply. He says that he would trust her opinion, and he asks her to choose whatever she thinks best for him and her. Because the knight’s answer gave the woman what she most desired in the first place, the authority to choose for herself and herself only, she becomes both beautiful and loyal to him.

The two have a long, happy marriage after so and the woman becomes completely obedient/ submissive to her husband. The Wife of Bath concludes with a plea (all this happened in a span of lines all the way from 345 to 408. )In conclusion the moral of this story specifically is treat somebody how you would like them to treat you in return, with no questions asked. And that you should also show respect to you significant other and to anyone that respects you.