What does the loathly lady represent?

What does the loathly lady represent?

The motif is that of a woman who appears unattractive (ugly, loathly) but undergoes a transformation upon being approached by a man in spite of her unattractiveness, becoming extremely desirable. It is then revealed that her ugliness was the result of a curse which was broken by the hero’s action.

Who is the loathly lady in the Wife of Bath’s Tale?

We first meet the loathly lady (also know as the hag) when the knight comes across her in a field on his way back to King Arthur’s court. She’s ugly, and we’re told that “a fouler wight ther may no man devyse” (1005). She’s also old and lowborn, which the knight explicitly tells her on their wedding night.

What does the old woman symbolize in the Wife of Bath?

Her message is that, ugly or fair, women should be obeyed in all things by their husbands. The old hag might be intended to represent the Wife of Bath herself, at least as she would like others to see her.

What did the old woman say to the knight in The Wife of Bath’s Tale?

The ugly old woman suddenly appears. She says that she was the one who gave the knight the answer and that he must do whatever she asks in return. As for being ugly, the old woman tells the knight that it means that no other man will ever desire her and, as a result, she will never be unfaithful to him.

What does the old hag symbolize outside the story?

A hag, in many mythologies and folk tales, is a woman who can fluidly transition the boundary between youth and old age and often symbolizes the aging process for women.

What is the moral of the Wife of Bath’s Tale?

The morals in the Wife’s tale are usually said to be that (1) women desire dominance over men, or, to use the Old English word, women desire “sovereintee” over men and that (2) granting women dominance over men is in the best interest of men.Farv

Who are the main characters in The Wife of Bath’s Tale?

The main characters in “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” are the knight and the hag who saves him. The knight is a young warrior who rapes a young girl and is brought before Guinevere and a jury of women who are willing to give him a chance to avoid the executioner’s blade.

What does the old hag symbolize?

What two choices does the old woman give the knight What is his answer?

Ultimately, what two choices does the old woman give the knight? She says he can either stay with her and well she be old and ugly but she will always be true to him and will treat him good, or he can leave and find a pretty girl who will not be as loyal and cheat on him.

What information does the old woman give the knight regarding the answer to the question?

She then tells him the answer to the question; that women most desire to have control over the men in their lives. This turns out to be an acceptable answer, and the knight’s life is spared. As a price for her help, the old woman demands that the knight marry her; he was no choice but to accept.

How does the old woman respond to the knight’s claim that she is poor?

The old woman sees how unhappy the knight is and asks him to reveal why. She will refute each of his complaints. What are his reasons that he’s unhappy?

What are the symbols used by Chaucer in Canterbury Tales?

The Canterbury Tales | Symbols

  • Springtime and Flowers. The Prologue begins with an elaborate and famous description of springtime, symbolic of increased sexual desire, fertility, and spiritual rebirth.
  • Blood. Blood is a metaphor for family lineage and, therefore, class.
  • Clothing.

Where does the story of loathly lady come from?

The story begins during the rule of King Arthur over the Isle of Britain. It was a time when the people of the Isle of Britain were terrorized by friars who raped women. Instead of getting the women pregnant like the incubus did in the past, the Friars solely brought shame upon them without impregnating them.

What did the loathly lady say to Diarmuid?

The Loathly Lady noticed Diarmuid’s love spot and said that she had wandered the world alone for 7 years. Diarmuid reassured her and told her she could sleep all night and that he would protect her. Towards dawn, he became aware that she had become a beautiful young woman.

What does the wife of Bath’s tale say about love?

Love, according to Andreas, can overcome poverty, old age, and even ugliness: Andreas, De amore. It is almost as surprising to find this doctrine of love in The Wife of Bath’s Tale as it is to find her quoting Dante. Her tale considerably complicates the character that shines through in her lively prologue.

What are some quotes from the Canterbury Tales?

For if a priest be foul in whom we trust/ No wonder that a common man should rust. . . .” “Ful wys is he that kan himselve knowe.” “Youth may outrun the old, but not outwit.” Than all the mark of Adam may redress.” “Yet do not miss the moral, my good men.