Sir Gawain and the Green Knight along with The Wife of Bath’s Tale represent the acts of courtly love and chivalry through the actions of the female characters which can be compared throughout the text. In both stories the main male character fate is determined by the female characters which shows that both stories heavily rely on the power of the woman.
This is showed in The Wife of Bath’s Tale when the knight commits the crime of rape and is being trailed in front of King Arthur’s Court and the queen and her ladies are allowed to interfere and judge the knight. Allowing him to live on the condition that he comes back in one year with the answer to the question “what do all women want most in the world”? Thought the text we see that the …show more content…
Sir Gawain thinks it will be an easy contest and takes a swing. The head comes off, but the knight picks it up, reminds Gawain to meet him in a year so that the favor can be returned. The following winter, Gawain travels to the Green Chapel. Arriving early, he sees a castle and the host invites him to stay for Christmas. He is enticed by the wife of the chapel and while the husband is out gathering and hunting they are left in the house by their self. She test Gawain’s honor each day trying to seduce him but he never strays from his code. When Bertilak comes back from his hunting they both share what they have gathered however when the wife gave Gawain a magic belt to save his life he hides it from Bertilak in fear that it might get taken away from him. Ultimately, Gawain goes to meet the Green Knight who spares his life for his honorable behavior. Gawain then realizes that the Green Knight is really Bertialk and he is embarrassed for hiding the belt, but Bertilak forgives him because he passed the test of being an honorable man for not sleeping with his wife and spears his life.
In Conclusion, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Wife of Bath Tale gives absolute power to a female in each story as these females ultimately decide
This is showed in The Wife of Bath’s Tale when the knight commits the crime of rape and is being trailed in front of King Arthur’s Court and the queen and her ladies are allowed to interfere and judge the knight. Allowing him to live on the condition that he comes back in one year with the answer to the question “what do all women want most in the world”? Thought the text we see that the …show more content…
Sir Gawain thinks it will be an easy contest and takes a swing. The head comes off, but the knight picks it up, reminds Gawain to meet him in a year so that the favor can be returned. The following winter, Gawain travels to the Green Chapel. Arriving early, he sees a castle and the host invites him to stay for Christmas. He is enticed by the wife of the chapel and while the husband is out gathering and hunting they are left in the house by their self. She test Gawain’s honor each day trying to seduce him but he never strays from his code. When Bertilak comes back from his hunting they both share what they have gathered however when the wife gave Gawain a magic belt to save his life he hides it from Bertilak in fear that it might get taken away from him. Ultimately, Gawain goes to meet the Green Knight who spares his life for his honorable behavior. Gawain then realizes that the Green Knight is really Bertialk and he is embarrassed for hiding the belt, but Bertilak forgives him because he passed the test of being an honorable man for not sleeping with his wife and spears his life.
In Conclusion, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Wife of Bath Tale gives absolute power to a female in each story as these females ultimately decide