The Wife of Bath's Tale and Sir Gawain from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

When comparing the two knights, Sir Gawain and the knight from the Wife of Bath, Sir Gawain seems to have no faults. Gawain is depicted to be the most noble of knights. He is very honorable and respected by all. While on the other hand, the knight from the Wife of Bath has poor morals, judgment, and he lives for the moment. Even though having many differences I intend to prove that these two men have similarities as well. Immoral traits that both knights exemplify are temptation, fear, and cowardice. Even the best of men including Sir Gawain, are innately selfish and subject to thoughts reprehensible to the chivalrous role.

When examining Sir Gawain’s and the knight from the Wife of Bath differences, Sir Gawain seems to be the nobler of the two. For example, in the poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” Gawain is portrayed by the poet to be honorable, brave, reliable, but yet humble. He proves this to be true in the very beginning of the poem by taking King Arthur’s place in the challenge. He realizes that King Arthur’s life is much more significant than his own. He degrades himself by saying that he is worth the least of any of the knights, but in all actually he is above them. “I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest, / and the loss of my life would be least of any”. By accepting this challenge Gawain represents the most noble of all of King Arthur’s knights, even though he is humble about it. The poet is leading the reader to believe that Sir Gawain is almost perfect. He follows all the chivalrous codes and is an impeccable knight.

On the other hand though, the knight from the Wife of Bath really carries none of these chivalrous traits. For example, in the beginning of The Wife of Bath’s Tale, the knight rapes a young maiden. By doing this his actions show that he lives off his impulses. The knight is not thinking of the consequences in the long run. This also shows how low his morals are, opposite of Sir Gawain’s morals. The knight isn’t very smart because he does not even think that the course of his actions could end up getting him killed. He also shows the reader his lack of intelligence when he immediately agrees to the old crone’s wishes. The knight agrees to marry her as soon as she tells him she knows the answer. Again he doesn’t even think of the consequences, which are losing your pride and integrity. Someone whom thought more deeply would have found out all about the old crone’s wish before making such an agreement.

Sir Gawain and the knight from the Wife of Bath seem as if they are two opposite men, though indeed they do have complementary actions. For example, they both let temptation get the best of them. Sir Gawain’s host, the lady, tempts him in many aspects. She makes advances toward him on many accounts. This creates fear and doubt within Gawain. In the same respect, the knight from the Wife