SOVEREIGNTY

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"What women desire most high and low is sovereignty. Some men say that women desire most to be fair, or to be wed, or to remain fresh and young, or to have flattery from men. But there is one thing that is every woman's fantasy: we desire of men above all things, to have sovereignty, for then all is ours." (Hearne, 3)

Sovereignty is when a woman gets what she wants from a man, when the man allows his woman to make all the decisions. Sir Gawain gives Dame Ragnell the sovereignty to make the decision of whether she is to stay foul by night or beautiful by day, or beautiful by night and foul by day. By giving Dame Rgnell the power to choose, Sir Gawain gives Dame Ragnell the greatest gift that saves her from her enchantment. The same result is encountered in "The Wife of Bath's Tale." The young knight gives the old hag sovereignty which results in their happiness in the end.