I had forgotten what happened in this story from the first time I read it two years ago. I was surprised he actually got the answer right, even though I could disagree with his answer for what women want most in the world. Today, a lot of women would say they want to be treated the same way that men are. I understand times were different back then and women wanted to be the ones in charge for once. I do like how the old lady gives him what he wants but also gives him an insult, that's the way I read it anyway. She knew he was superficial and why would she want to deal with a whiny husband who complained about how old and ugly she was.
The knight gave her the right to choose for herself to become old and good or young and unfaithful. She made the choice where he (and maybe she) would get the best of both worlds: being both young and good. By doing this, she showed him that good things can come from women making their own decisions. In my eyes it still seems like she changes her physical appearance to appease him, but hey she could just want her youth back as well. Despite his crime made in the beginning, I was pleasantly surprised that he handed over the power to the woman as he didn't with the woman who he raped.
I am also a big fan of how she took the knight's insults without letting it affect her. She truly had great wisdom that surpassed his and other women who would have reacted a lot differently. She made him promise to do as she said after she gave him the answer in the court. She made him stick to his word as he should have. Even after everything, she was able to remain in a happy marriage with a man who had done such a bad crime. She was able to teach him in a way that could open his eyes to seeing how women could decide things for themselves which is often times what women still try to do today.
Oddly Enough, the rape scene + happy ending combo didn't bother me. I think it's because the Knight claims he won't ever do it again (and obviously, as a fictional knight, he will keep his word) and the fact that in the end he does what no knight really has so far...let the woman make an important decision. That last part really warmed my heart after all the previous stories, and his repentance was enough I guess for me to forgive him of the act. I mean, it's not like the story said he'd done it before and we don't know all the details that lead up to that act. Not to mention, yes, women were lower on the hierarchy then.
ReplyDeleteI agree though, she's one heck of a woman. I'm glad the end of the story emphasized how giving in to a woman's needs and desires actually led to better happiness for the both of them.
Once again, I agree with the fact that there is no serious punishment. BUT, once again its a mans world. He is a man who hold some type of stature in this time period as a knight. So I personally am not surprised. I mean we see all the time in todays society men or honestly just people in general getting away with things like this. Its not surprising at all, especially since he does promise not to do it again and sometimes, people in power... well thats all it really takes. He has power as a knight and as a man during this time
ReplyDeleteI must be the only one who wasn't angry about the responses to the rape. Logically, I completely understand where you're coming from when you say chase him with pitchforks. I just have no feeling toward that part of the story at all. It's actually just more confusion when it comes to Arthur's role in his 'punishment'. I know that we sort of broke it down in class and it comes down to the whole women want control thing, but it makes Arthur seem like a doormat. I'm just not okay with the fact that HE doesn't do anything - manner of punishment aside - the damn king should have had a say and told Guinevere to stay out of it.
ReplyDeleteI also loved that she didn't let the verbal beat down get to her. She took it and then let him have it back ten-fold. To me, regardless of the story's answer to what women want the most, that is the moral. Don't let men walk all over you (or rape you, or verbally abuse you...you get it) just because you're a woman. Stand up for yourself and use logic to beat his ass.