The Tale of the Wife of Bath begins by introducing a knight who commits a shameful sin when he decides to rape a woman. After the incident, a huge riot engulfs King Arthur and it is concluded that the knight's choices were unforgivable, however, a queen intervenes and convinces King Arthur to forgive his actions. The queen does not intend to free the knight so easily, instead giving him a year and a day to try to discover what women most desire in life. The knight then becomes discouraged but comes across an old woman who is willing to save his life by giving him the answer. She admits that women want to feel more powerful towards their husbands, as she tells him that she forces him to marry her even though he feels disgusted by the idea of ​​being her husband rather than love and affection. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Although most of the time female characters are seen as vulnerable and cynical human beings, the short story exposes the true capabilities of a woman. For example, the story focuses on a knight who makes poor choices and attempts to seek refuge. However, the knight cannot seek the answer assigned to him from a male perspective, so he must turn to a woman to save his life. The stereotypical man is expected to be physically stronger than women, but this specific tale emphasizes the idea that women are more dominant because they are wiser. The knight's situation shows that men are not dignified and can only save themselves by asking a woman for help. The knight realizes that women have the answers that men do not, even if he must beg for salvation there is no choice but to go to a woman. The queen purposely makes the knight feel like he is trapped, and that he has the choice of whether to feel vulnerable and live, or allow his hypocrisy to dictate his death. Furthermore, the old woman had to save his life in order for him to escape the reality of its consequences. The knight begs the old woman to have “mercy…before the court disposes and to do [him] well” (Chaucer 286). Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Initially, the knight is unfamiliar with the true meaning of nobility and the benefits of living in poverty. For this reason the old woman explains to him what it really takes to be considered a righteous individual despite his low social class. With this in mind, the old woman teaches the knight that being born rich does not mean nobility and that being disadvantaged is better because you will not need or want anything. Typically, a person is rich and will constantly want more and more, never being satisfied with what they have.