Warm Up

2. Warm Up • In our society what does it mean for a woman to have power over a man?

3. Literary Element p133 • How is the old woman making fun of the knight? Why does she appear to be un-offended by his aversion to her age and appearance?

4. Literary Element p133 • How is the old woman making fun of the knight? Why does she appear to be un-offended by his aversion to her age and appearance? She making fun of the knights lack of chivalry, honor and gratitude. She is also amused rather than offended because she harbors a secret that the knight knows nothing about.

5. Reading Strategy p134 • Summarize and evaluate the old woman’s argument against the knights accusation that she is not a gentlewoman.

6. Reading Strategy p134 • Summarize and evaluate the old woman’s argument against the knights accusation that she is not a gentlewoman. The old woman corrects the knight’s false notion of gentility. She argues that gentility does not stem from one’s ancestors but from one’s own gentle and virtuous nature.

7. Big Idea p135 • How does the old woman use the power of faith to support her argument?

8. Big Idea p135 • How does the old woman use the power of faith to support her argument? She contends that gentility is a gift from God, not a privilege handed down by one’s ancestors.

9. Big Idea #2, p135 • How does the old woman’s first argument against the knight’s accusation of poverty illustrate her religious faith?

10. Big Idea #2, p135 • How does the old woman’s first argument against the knight’s accusation of poverty illustrate her religious faith? Since God himself, in the person of Jesus, chose to live in poverty, it cannot be a shameful conditions.

11. Reading Strategy p136 • The old woman has cited Dante, Valerius, Boethius, Seneca, and now Juvenal. How well do these citations support her argument?

12. Reading Strategy p136 • The old woman has cited Dante, Valerius, Boethius, Seneca, and now Juvenal. How well do these citations support her argument? It does not really help her argument. Strictly speaking, it is a logical fallacy. However, if the authorities cited are eminent experts, their words can help out the argument. GOOD ARGUMENTS USE: logic, reasons, evidence.

13. Reading Strategy #1 p137 • Summarize the six reasons the old woman uses to support her argument that poverty is beneficial.

14. Reading Strategy #1 p137 • Summarize the six reasons the old woman uses to support her argument that poverty is beneficial. • Poverty makes one fearless of thieves. • It is an incentive to work. • It teaches wisdom. • It teaches holiness. • It brings self-knowledge. • It enables one to identify one’s truest friend.

15. Reading Strategy #2, p137 • Summarize and evaluate the old woman’s argument that the knight should not scorn her for being old and ugly.

16. Reading Strategy #2, p137 • Summarize and evaluate the old woman’s argument that the knight should not scorn her for being old and ugly. The old woman argues that the husband of an old and ugly wife need never fear that his wife will be unfaithful. OR Deny the validity of the argument , since an old, ugly wife is repellent to her husband as well as to potential rivals.

17. Literary Element • Do you find any humor in the knight’s response to the choice offered him by the old woman? Explain

18. Literary Element • Do you find any humor in the knight’s response to the choice offered him by the old woman? Explain Forced between two undesirable alternatives and subdued by the old woman’s arguments, he sensibly surrenders his powers of choice to his wife. He gives her the thing that women desire most: mastery over their husbands/lovers.

19. Literary Element p138 • Do you find any humor in the Wife’s prayer? Explain…

20. Literary Element p138 • Do you find any humor in the Wife’s prayer? Explain… Her prayer can be seen as humorous because it is a parody of a conventional prayer in its worldly lust and pleas for revenge.