THE WIFE OF BATHB Y : S A M N E S S E R , M O L L I E S T E I N , E M I L Y K U R Z I N S K I , S T A C E Y

K R U S P E R , A N D N O E L L E B A R N H A R T

VIDEO

Music video

CHARACTERS

The Wife of Bath

The Knight

The Queen

Minister

King Arthur

PROLOGUE

The Wife of Bath is a sinful woman that takes enjoyment

in manipulating and controlling men with her sexual

power

She claims she’s a “professional” when it comes to

marriage and lovemaking, considering she’s had five

husbands

At the young age of 12 The Wife of Bath was wed for the

first time

WIFE OF BATH

She often played mind

games with her first

three good husbands;

such as claiming affairs

with other woman, and

teasing them with lust

for money

HUSBANDS OF THE WIFE

When discussing her husband she describes them

all out of order, going from one crazy story to a next

She beings with her two bad husband(s)• Fourth husband

• He had a mistress on the side• She always tried to make him jealous of her• He died on a pilgrimage, or maybe even murdered

HUSBANDS OF THE WIFE

Her fifth husband• She believed to be in love with him, but he

constantly beat her• This was the only man she married for love• She was still married to her fourth husband when

she had met her fifth• The only way shed marry the fifth is if she was

widowed, surprisingly her fourth husband was killed a little later

• Though he’s considered a bad husband, she’s in love with him because he loves her back

THE WIFE OF BATH

One day a lusty knight finds a sense of “power” within him, and

decides to prey on a woman and rape her. The court ceases his

crime and decides he should be put to death by decapitation. On

behalf of King Arthur’s queen and the ladies of the court, they beg

the court to give him one chance to save his life. The court grants

their request. The queen gives the knight of the challenge within a

year, of trying to find what women want most in the world and

report what he finds to keep his life. If his answer is wrong he will

loose his head.

THE WIFE OF BATH

The knight sets forth in sorrow. He roams throughout the country,

posing the question to every woman he meets. To the knight’s

dismay, nearly every one of them answers differently. Some claim

that women love money best, some honor, some jolliness, some

looks, some sex, some remarriage, some flattery, and some say that

women most want to be free to do as they wish. Finally, says the

Wife, some say that women most want to be considered discreet and

secretive, although she argues that such an answer is clearly

untrue, since no woman can keep a secret. As proof, she retells

Ovid’s story of Midas. Midas had two ass’s ears growing under his

hair, which he concealed from everybody except his wife, whom he

begged not to disclose his secret. She swore she would not, but the

secret burned so much inside her that she ran down to a marsh and

whispered her husband’s secret to the water.

THE WIFE OF BATH

On his way back he meets an old woman and ask her the same

question, and he guarantees a reward if she helps him. In return for

help, he must pledge himself to her, and his life will be saved. The

knight and the old woman travel together to the court, where, in

front of a large audience, the knight tells the queen the answer with

which the old woman supplied him: what women most desire is to

be in charge of their husbands and lovers. The women agree

resoundingly that this is the answer, and the queen spares the

knight’s life. The old hag comes forth and publicly asks the knight to

marry her. The knight cries out in horror. He begs her to take his

material possessions rather than his body, but she refuses to yield,

and in the end he is forced to consent. The two are married in a

small, private wedding and go to bed together the same night.

Throughout the entire ordeal, the knight remains miserable.

THE WIFE OF BATH

 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. Finally,

he replies that he would rather trust her judgment, and he asks

her to choose whatever she thinks best. Because the knight’s

answer gave the woman what she most desired, the authority to

choose for herself, she becomes both beautiful and good. The two

have a long, happy marriage, and the woman becomes completely

obedient to her husband.

Who is this?Well shes a

nympniac named Shelley!

le show

• Actress Chloe Sevigny in American Horror Story

• Labled as the slut in the insane asylum Briarwood

• Husband infidelity

• Slept in bed with 2 sailors, was caught and throw in in the asylum

• Believes woman should have a choice.• Dislikes the word “whore”

• Double standard

CONNECTION

Chloe is an example of a modern day woman

who wants the decision to choose what she

wants

This shows that even today, woman don’t

always have the right to choose because of the

mercy of men

SUMMARY

The Wife of Bath represents the struggle of woman

kind• Theses struggles include:

• Being over powered by men• Not having a choice in decisions • Being judged for going against the norm• Being an overall independent woman

QUESTION TIME!

1.What is the challenge the queen gives the

knight to keep his life?

2.What was the wife of bath's first response to

the knight's question?

3.What does the knight must do in return to the

old woman for the answer to his question?

QUESTIONS

1.What is the knight's answer that spares his life?

2.What does the knight have to do since the old

woman gave him the correct answer for the queen?

3.What choice does the woman give the knight? 

4.What was the knight's answer, which was what?

5.What does the knight get for his right answer?