A story’s theme is the message about life that the author wishes to convey to the reader. What do you think may be one of Chaucer’s themes in “The Wife of Bath’s Tale.” Explain why you think so.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2002

Answers

I think that the theme of the story is for the story to change all the time so that it makes the audience (of women) happy. If women are happy, then their husbands are usually happy. Whatever floats the women's boats is how the story should go.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

I think the moral of the story is to let women make all the descisions because we do know whats best!!

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

The message of this tale is that beauty is only skin deep and that a perfect face can hide many other character tratis that shows that he/she is a bad person.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

I believe that one of Chaucer's themes in this story is that you should let situations in life have a natural outcome, because most of the time, the natural outcome is the best.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

I think that one of the themes that the author is trying to convey is some of the most valuable qualities in a person are not always the most attractive. Some of the qualities that are most desired at first can be the least wanted in the end.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

I think that the main theme is to put others before yourself and to make educated decisions, instead of selfish ones.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

One of Chaucer's themes in this story may have been loyalty and trustworthy in others and their opinions. Even though many people dream about the perfect spouse, either husband or wife, most of the time those dreams never come true and we just have to live with what we have.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

Go feminists! Give women power and the ending is much happier.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

The theme to this story is actually quite simple. However, it can be interpreted in many different ways. The theme is that the most appealing choice is not always the best way to go. In the knight's case, he was clever enough to figure this out and gave a very smart answer to his wife, making her give him what he probably wanted deep, down inside his twisted soul. Just remember, whatever spins your wife's top will turn out good for you in the long run.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

The theme in this story must regard the relationship between males and females. Chaucer may have been trying to educate his readers and future readers to the importance of loyalty and devotion. By placing the Knight in the dilema, Chaucer made both the Knight, and the reader choose the best choice. The relationship between men and women whether husband/wife or friends should always be of trust, dedication, and love. This is what Chaucer was attempting to illustrate with the "Wife of Bath".

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

Chaucer's theme in "The Wife of Bath Tale" is that one should always think about another's feelings and ideas. Chaucer also addresses that one must understand his or her properties and behaviral responsibilities.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

Be Careful at what decisions you make - the knight was lucky about his careless decisions but the out comes could have been mcuh worse

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

The theme is about life itself. Life is about choices, and in order to live and succed one must be able to let someone else answer questions in life. Also in life, there is a time of renewal. It is clearly visible that the Knight changed his behavior from the beginning of the story. The author may be trying to relate to a similar experience that he had himself.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

It's hard to address a theme to this story except for the idea of the stereotypical man vs. stereotypical woman. Women look for the "perfect" man and that may be a man who has various qualities, or a man that just gets to them in some way. Men can be very oblivious to questions such as the one that the old lady asked the knight. But in this case, the knight answered in a truthful way, pleasing the old woman. It was what she was looking for. The theme is looking beyond an appearance and at an individual, not a stereotype.

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002