The Wife of Bath's Tale tells the story of a knight who is spared execution for raping a woman on the condition that he discovers what women truly want. In his search for the answer, he encounters an old woman who correctly tells him that women want sovereignty and equality in marriage. As payment, she claims the knight as her husband. The old woman then gives the knight a choice: she can remain old and faithful, or become young and beautiful but unfaithful. He allows her to decide, and she chooses to be young, beautiful, and faithful, so they live happily together.
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Wife of Bath
1. Wife of Baths Tale
Holy friars have changed the world and kicked out the elves and fairies of Arthurs
time
A knight found a woman walking alone and forced himself on her
Queen Guinevere took over his case instead of directly putting him to death
The Queen gave him a year to find out the answer to the Queens question What do
women want?
The knight searched around and asked many women and got many answers
He comes across an old woman who knows the answer- she says she will give him
the answer if he does what she says
He agrees and tells the queen that women want power and equality in a relationship
The knight saved his life with the answer and the old woman claims the knight as
her husband
The knight is very upset and the old woman says he is not a gentlemen and money is
not everything
The old woman tell him that shell set things right: he can choose her to be old and
ugly and faithful or young and beautiful and flirtatious
He lets her choose and she turns into a young, beautiful and faithful and they live
happily ever after
