How might a woman's power over a lover differ from her power over a husband? … Why does the knight think he should not marry the old woman?
He thinks it will be an unsuitable marriage
. What does “so foul misalliance” mean?
Why does the knight not want to marry the old woman?
According to “The Wife of Bath's Tale,” why does the knight agree to marry the old woman?
He believes she will turn into a young woman when he marries her
. He thinks the queen will not have him killed if he is married. She promises him that she knows the secret to what all women want.
Does the knight refuse to marry the old woman?
What does the knight offer the old woman to avoid having to marry her?
She offers the knight a choice
: either he can have her be ugly but loyal and good, or he can have her young and fair but also coquettish and unfaithful. The knight ponders in silence.
Does the knight marry the old woman?
She promises him that she knows the secret to what all women want. Near the end of the story, the knight correctly answers the queen's question. … The knight will not be able back out on his promise.
After the knight and the old woman are married
, the old woman gives him two choices.
How does the knight treat the old woman?
The knight treats the old woman
rudely when the woman helps to spare his life and he pledges himself to her, and does not want to
marry her. He then begrudgingly marries her, but is still upset and calls her ugly and lowborn later that night. … The old woman teaches that real poverty lies in covetousness.
What secret does Midas want his Wife to keep?
Yes, King Midas had
a secret pair of donkey ears
! According to the Wife of Bath, Midas's wife was the only person privy to his secret and had sworn herself to secrecy. Nevertheless, the more she tried to hide her husband's disfigurement, the more she itched to reveal it.
Why is Arthur's knight sentenced to death?
Overcome by lust and his sense of his own power, he rapes her. The court is scandalized by the crime and decrees that the knight should be
put to death by decapitation
. However, Arthur's queen and other ladies of the court intercede on his behalf and ask the king to give him one chance to save his own life.
Who replaces the 24 fairies?
On the way, he comes across a ring of 24 fairy ladies dancing. The fairies quickly disappear, only to be replaced by
an ugly old hag
.
Why does the Green Knight twice pretend to strike Gawain?
Why does the Green Knight twice pretend to strike Gawain?
These feigned blows reward Gawain's honorable behavior on his first two nights in the castle
. Gawain displays courage humility and loyalty to the king when he excepts the challenge he keeps his word we're going to the green chapel.
Why does the knight feel dishonored when the old woman wants to marry him?
Why does the knight feel dishonored when the old woman wants to marry him?
Because he thinks the old woman is too old and ugly.
What question does the Knight have to answer correctly to save his life?
His punishment for doing so is death; he is to have his head cut off. However, the King agrees to hand him over to the Queen. The Queen tells the Knight that he must come up with the answer to this question:
What do women most desire? If
he can come up with the correct answer, the Queen will spare his life.
What question does the Knight have to answer for the Queen?
The Queen's question was, “What is it that women most desire?” The knight diligently sought the answer from a wide variety of fair maidens. The answer, “
A wife most desires sovereignty over her husband
” was supplied by an ugly hag who demanded the knight marry her in exchange for the answer to the riddle.
How does the Knight treat his Wife why does he treat her like this?
How does the knight treat his new wife of the first night of their wedding? Why does he treat her that way?
The knight is awful to the old woman, sulking
and generally refusing to acknowledge that they are married. He does this because he is disgusted with her low social class and age that tarnish his reputation.
What did the knight Give the lady?
11. What did the lady give him in return? Ans. The knight says that the fairy lady found
him tasty roots, honey, and manna to eat
(“of relish sweet”).
What changes does the queen make in the knight's sentence?
Unlock
The king decrees that his punishment will be death for his crime, but the queen convinces her husband to change the punishment. Instead,
she wants the knight to find out what it is that women want
. She gives him a year and a day to go on a quest to determine what it is that women most desire.
How does the knight react to the old woman's request?
“You are so ugly, and so old, and more…” The knights reaction to the old woman is
indirect because he talks about her appearance and her status in society
. That is an indirect way to describe someone's characteristics. … Explain how the old woman refutes the knight's claim that she is not of “gentle birth.”
