The Wife of Bath's tale is a satirical portrayal on the importance of women. Chaucer uses a young knight to embody the goals, ambitions, and desires. Similarly to most young men, especially those with power, he sought a young beautiful woman. However, because of his indiscretions the knight found himself on a quest to discover the true desire of a woman. Along this quest the knight spoke to many young women and none could agree on an answer, eventually he stumbles upon an old woman who would tell the knight the answer he sought, as long as he would marry her.
After much debate and deliberation the knight marries the old woman. The woman is important because she has a different perspective than most Medieval heroes. She even goes as far as to change the story of King Midas from Greek Mythology to paint women in a negative light.
Women in medieval times were valued for their beauty above all else. Chaucer sent a knight who raped a beautiful maid out on a quest to talk to other young women. Eventually the knight stumbled upon an old hag who helped him. In return, the old woman demanded for the knights hand in marriage. The knight begrudgingly kept his word and married the hag, but did not want to consulate the marriage. He believed that she was old and ugly and poor so could never truly please him. Once she explains herself he is willing to settle for her, and in return for his commitment she becomes "young and lovely, [and] rich in charms" (292). Once she was young and beautiful she could "give him pleasure" (292).
This is disgustingly sexist. It sets the stage for a woman only being able to satisfy a man if she meets his preference, in the case of this young knight it is possible since he seems to be a preferential rapist, but once he gave into her ugliness she rewarded him with beauty. Medieval women were formed to spend their time beautifying themselves, to please and to be loyal to their husbands. The wife of bath partially challenges this by demanding his respect and to dominate rather than be dominated. But ultimately she did succumb to the mans desires.
