What is the moral of “The Wife of Bath's Tale”?


A. Men should never let women gain the upper hand.


B. The best judges are women because they are compassionate.


C. It is best for husbands and wives when women rule the marriage.
my choice is c

http://www.sparknotes.com › … › The Canterbury Tales

C is probably the best choice. See the site above for "courtly love" in themes of the tale.

"The Wife of Bath's Tale" is a story within Geoffrey Chaucer's famous work, "The Canterbury Tales." It is a tale with multiple themes and morals, but the primary moral is often considered to be about the nature of power dynamics in marriage.

To understand the moral of this tale, it is necessary to read and analyze the story. The tale revolves around a knight who is granted the chance to save his life by answering the question, "What do women truly desire?" After much searching and contemplation, he comes across an old hag who offers him the answer in exchange for a favor. The hag seeks marriage to the knight, which he reluctantly agrees to.

At their wedding, the hag poses a moral dilemma to the knight, asking him to choose between having her be old and faithful or young and likely unfaithful. The knight, realizing that the hag granted him his life and the answer to the question, allows her to make the choice for herself. Surprisingly, she transforms into a young and faithful wife.

The moral of the tale is not so much that women should rule over men in marriage, as suggested by option C. Instead, it highlights the importance of mutual respect and compromise in a relationship. The hag's transformation into a young and faithful wife represents the rewards of treating one's partner with kindness and respecting their desires and autonomy.

In summary, the primary moral of "The Wife of Bath's Tale" can be interpreted as the significance of equal partnership, respect, and compromise in a marriage, rather than advocating for women to rule the marriage.