control by raping a woman, and he gets caught. Well since a woman who will not stand for such a thing tells this tale, he can not just be put to death. That would be too easy. So he is sent on a journey to find the answer to a question that all me would probably want an answer to, What do women want? I can just hear the knight snicker to himself and say Ha thats a good one. So he is off to find the answer, and surprise, surprise what does he get for an answer, riches, pleasure, and praise all very common male answers to the question, but this story is not being told by a male now is it. The knight says to the queen, As wel over hir housbond as hir love, / And for to been in maistrye him above. / This is youre moste desire, thogh ye me kille, / Dooth as yow list, I am here at youre wille(276.1045-1048).Women want to rule over their husbands as the Queen rules over her subjects. This is the one true desire of all women, weather they know it or not. Finally the old hag is there to save the day. I would have loved to see the faces of the other pilgrims when the Wife describes the hag since, according the information in the general prologue, her description seems to be a self-portrait of the Wife herself. Im sure they tried everything to hold back the laughter. So here we have a hag that has all the answers. The knight gets what he wants, and she gets to get married. You cant help but to wonder how the Wife got each of her husbands? She gains control when the knight tells her, I putte me in youre wise governaunce: / Cheseth yourself, which may be most plesaunce / And most honour to you an me also. / I do no fors the wheither of the two, / For, as yow liketh, it suffiseth me (280. 1237-1241).The knight gets a pretty and faithful wife, and we assume he will live a long life since she only wishes death on those who do not hand over control to there wives. Or will he? If the tale truly mirrors the Wifes own life the knight better watch his ba...
