Rivera 1

Steven Rivera Cortez

Ms.Figueroa

Senior English

December 14 2018

Wife’s Bath of Tale

Everyone has a different definition of honor. Some people place honor on a high pedestal

other, place in the trash. One person named Geoffrey Chaucer is someone with a high appraisal

for honor. Chaucer was a famous writer known as “the father of literature.” The writer is known

for writing for writing the middle class and writing in English. Wife’s bath of tale is told from a

woman on a pilgrimage. The woman is in competition with other in the pilgrimage, to tell the

best story for a prize. The woman’s story is of a knight who is sentenced to death for

disrespecting a woman. King Arthur is stopped by his wife and the knight is given a chance to

live. He may live if he answers the queen’s question. After searching for a year the man finds an

old hag that gives him the answer if he agrees to her first request. In the end the knight is freed

from death but forced to marry the old hag, after an in-depth talk about wives and honor and

being true to one’s own word, He agrees and is rewarded with a beautiful lady. Chaucer’s

definition of honor is to be right by your word and to treat everyone equally, and those who are

honorable are rewarded and those not should be put to death.

Chaucer shows how vital it is to be honorable to one’s life. In the story it is said that King

Arthur values honor, so he made it law that any dishonorable should be put to death. The woman

says “The law was that any knight so faithless to his word should straightway be put to death,”

(Chaucer 1). Honor plays a role in the men and women, living by honor is important enough to

be ingrained into the laws of the land. Chaucer believes that those who uphold their word and
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maintain their code of honor, should be rewarded. The old hag and the knight talk about the type

of women the man can marry and after careful thinking he agrees to her and says “I believe that

you are wise and good, and I take you for my true and faithful wife… The knight obeyed and

when he had drawn up the curtain and turned his eyes upon her in the full sunlight, behold, she

was young and fair and charming.” (Chaucer page 4). The knight honoring his word and finally

agreeing to the old hag’s request the woman rewarded and surprised him with a beautiful and

faithful wife. Chaucer’s definition of honor is one sided. Be honorable and get rewarded, be the

opposite and prepare to die.

Honor is being true to yourself and others and in doing so with be rewarded, if not then

only death will await you. Reading the tale tells of what women desire and how important it is to

up hold one honor. The wife of Bath’s has taught readers to always be honorable, especially to a

lady. But mainly that honor is a rewarding trait. Disrespect will lead to nothing but trouble and

that those who remain true to their words will make it worthwhile.
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Work Cited

Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Wife of Bath's Tale .