The Wife of Bath’s Tale

Medieval Marriage Many medieval marriages were arranged based on financial gains rather than love. Most women didn’t have a choice as to who they would marry and often met their husband for the first time on their wedding day. Divorces were very rare. Exceptions: If the woman couldn’t perform “wifely duties” Not of legal age (12 for girls 14 for boys)

Marriages Today People often get married for financial reasons instead of for “love”. Over half of marriages end in divorce Women didn’t have equal rights until recently (1868- Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton form the National Woman’s Suffrage Association) Some Marriages are still arranged

The Prologue The Wife of Bath uses her introduction and tale to support her points that: Women should be allowed to marry as many times as they wish, and; That once they are married everyone will be happier if the woman is in charge. Does she support or challenge medieval and modern stereotypes of women?

Use of Humor The Wife’s bawdy, jolly humor is designed to entertain and disarm her audience. By being funny, she can make her points without sounding preachy or overbearing. This humor is designed to entertain and disarm her audience.

Do Men Understand Women? Thinking Problems Memory Emotional Responses It all comes down to... What do women want? Chocolate? Love? Romance? Friendship? Understanding? “Fine” doesn’t mean that everything is “fine”.

But really... What DO women want? “Man may have discovered fire, but women discovered how to play with it.”- Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City

Wife of Bath’s Tale Reading Q’s 1.) According to the Wife of Bath, why can’t people see elves any more? 2.) What crime is the knight accused of? 3.) What is the initial punishment King Arthur orders for the knight? Who intervenes and requests a special trial? 4.) What must the knight do to save his life? How long does he have to fulfill this mission? How is this similar to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight? 5.) What problem does the Knight have as he is attempting to fulfill his mission? 6.) What strange sight does the knight see when he is riding through the forest on his return journey? 7.) What does the Old Hag say she wants in return for providing the answer to the knight’s riddle? 8.) What is Queen Guinevere and the court’s reaction to the knight’s answer? 9.) What does the Knight’s reaction to the old Hag reveal about his character? 10.) What two options does the Hag present to the knight? 11.) What is the knight’s response or choice for these two options?