e had, "three of them were good and two were bad." (92) The three that she had were called 'good' because they "were rich and old…"(93) Dame Alice had complete control over them. But for her fourth and fifth husband, there was another story. The fourth one cheated on her and the fifth one, Johnny, she loved most, "the one I took for love and not for wealth…"(339) And it is because she loved him so that she gave up everything to Johnny. "I handed him the money, lands, and all that ever had been given me before; this I repented later. . ."(401-403) From this it can be seen that Johnny had the upper hand. And of course, this is not what Dame Alice desire. However, in her tale, the old hag has the power in the relationship. She is given the choice of what to do and when to do it, "you make the choice yourself…"(322). Dame Alice had the option of choosing taken away from her when she gave everything to Johnny. The major similarity between Dame Alice and the old hag is the appearance. Both Dame Alice and the hag are not very attractive and both are old. Dame Alice is describes herself as "I was forty then, to tell the truth. But still, I always had a coltish tooth. Yes, I'm gap toothed; it suits me well…"(394-396). The old hag is described by the knight in the tale as "old, and so abnomably plain, so poor to start with, so low-bred to follow…"(236-237). The old hag is then described as being "old and fouler then a fen"(303). After Dame Alice's tale is told, it is simple to see that all she wants is what every woman wants in a relationship, "the self-same sovereignty over her husband as over her lover, and master him; he must not be above her."(175,tale) And it is because of this desire for power that Dame Alice has created the old hag, whom she identifies with. Dame Alice wishes that even if she is ugly, as the hag is, she can have the power that the old hag which was given to her by the knight. "My lady and my l...
