2.   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- Prologue

3.   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 Tale

4.   She talks about women being discreet, kind of hypocritical because most women like to gossip. Ovid, King Arthur, King Midas  Makes references to literature people would know… Ovid, King Arthur, King Midas  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 Continued…

5.   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 Continued…

6.   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 Continued…

7.   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 Continued…

8.   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 Wisdom…

9.  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 because…

10.   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 “wear the pants”…

11. 