The Wife is basically a guy’s nightmare of a

wife; she called all the shots and made a slave out of him

Not a typical widow of the time; she’s not repressed she’s free and has control of her husband

She’s been married 5 times and been on many pilgrimages so she’s “well-travelled”

Her tale has a strong moral, she’s sharing her wisdom and experience

The Wife’s Mini-The Wife’s Mini-ProloguePrologue

Her tale is told at a time when

chivalry was very important Talks about friars as “bad guys” they

were evil Time when King Arthur reigned The Knight rapes a woman and

should be sentenced to death Instead his mission is to find out the

answer to a riddle, “What is the thing that women desire most?”

He has one year to find the answer the Queen wants to hear

The Wife’s TaleThe Wife’s Tale

She talks about women being discreet, kind of

hypocritical because most women like to gossip.

Makes references to literature people would

know… Ovid, King Arthur, King Ovid, King Arthur, King MidasMidas

The Wife too is kind of an old hag, so her story is appropriate

Somehow the old woman in the story knows about the Knight’s sentence

Tale Tale Continued…Continued…

Finally, he gives in and marries her so that she will tell him what it is that women most desire…

“A woman wants the self-same sovereignty Over her husband as over her lover, And master him; he must not be above her.”

Tale Tale Continued…Continued…

They go to court, the Knight’s life is spared

and he marries the old woman. The Knight is miserable because he is

married to so foul and old a woman She finally explains to him that true virtue is

God-given, not only for those who are of the nobility; all people can become virtuous through noble deeds and actions.

Tale Tale Continued…Continued…

Chivalry was very, very important. Some men believed that they were virtuous and chivalrous because they were born into royalty or nobility.

She explains that virtue and chivalry have to be learned and earned.

Also, she explains that a person’s status in life does not determine how you behave.

A person can become noble even if they were born into poverty.

Tale Tale Continued…Continued…

Virtue is earned, not automatic A person can rise above their status through

good deeds A person who does not sin and lives a good

life can be happy, regardless of status There’s no shame in being poor if you’re

happy Have respect for your elders It’s better to want what you have and be

happy than to want what you don’t have and be miserable.

The Wife’s The Wife’s Wisdom…Wisdom…

1. He never has to worry about her cheating on him or being unfaithful

2. It’s better that she’s ugly, old and faithful rather than young, beautiful and a cuckold

3. Doesn’t have to worry about his friends hitting on her or trying to seduce her

The Knight is lucky The Knight is lucky because…because…

Once the Knight accepts the old woman

for who she is and realizes that he’s better off, he allows her to be in charge…

She turns into a young, beautiful and faithful woman who loves him.

He realizes his arrogance & appreciates his fate and he ends up with a young, beautiful and faithful wife.

Once he lets her Once he lets her “wear the pants”…“wear the pants”…