There was a writer named Geoffrey Chaucer, he is considered the father of English Literature. Chaucer's most famous work is The Canterbury Tales, a fictional collection of stories told by pilgrims traveling to the Shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. One of the most interesting stories is “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”, which contains many of the elements normally associated with fairy tales.
One characteristic of most fairy tales is that they happen long ago. They use "Once upon a time..." or even "Many years ago..." it's just a common thing that is used. The Wife of Bath's Tale begins "Long, long ago in good King Arthur's day..."(Chaucer, l. 58) With this the Wife illustrates this common fairy tale element in her story. When using this element you are making the story a fairy tale.…show more content… The Wife of Bath mentions King Arthur and Queen Guinevere in her tale, "When good King Arthur ruled in ancient days(A king that every Briton loves to praise)..."(Chaucer, ll. 31-32) and "But that the queen, and other ladies too, implored the king to exercise his grace..."(Chaucer, ll. 70-71) Most fairy tales have this element.
Fairy tales also may have magic in them along with elves, witches or fairies. In the Wife of Bath’s Tale, she states "The Elf-Queen and her courtiers joined and broke their elfin dance on many a green mead..."(Chaucer, ll. 34-35) This is another element sometimes used in fairy tales.
There are usually problems that need to be solved in fairy tales. In the Wife of Bath Tale, the Knight has to find out what women desire most and tell the queen and other ladies in order for him to keep his life. "Yet you shall live if you can answer me: What is the thing that women most desire? Beware the axe and say as I require." (Chaucer, ll. 80-82) If there is no Problem to solve there is really no point in the story. Also another element in fairy