Character Analysis of the Wife of Bath

One of Geoffrey Chaucer’s most acclaimed works of literature is an assortment of stories called The Canterbury Tales. Through the eyes of the main character it chronicles the journey of various characters as they travel on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. As they make their way to the shrine of Thomas a Becket, they each tell a story in hopes of winning a free meal from The Host, who is the judge of all the stories. Of all miscellaneous characters, one of the most intricate and extensive stories comes from the character, The Wife of Bath. Initially, she is described in short as a well-dressed woman who knew much about love and life. “Of remedies of love she knew per chaunce,/ For she koude of that art the olde daunce” (Chaucer, GP, 475-476). Upon further examination of her prologue and tale, one comes to find that she may be one the most intriguing characters represented in the Canterbury Tales. Everything about the Wife of Bath is bold and pronounced, from what she wears to the words that fly from her mouth without any reconsideration of possible offense to risky actions. It is her personality, responses to authorities and worldly views that set her so far apart from every other character and pushes the boundaries of what is expected of women in medieval times. Taking into account the Wife of Bath’s audacious and oftentimes complex personality one can come to the conclusion that Chaucer chose her to portray her as a medieval version of a pro-feminist figure.
First and foremost, it is important to understand how the Wife of Bath beholds her worldly views. It can already be seen that she is quite an original woman for her time, able to uphold her own opinions in a world that would typically criticize her for voicing them. For example, she has strong beliefs on the idea of virginity, sex and marriage. Virginity, she says, is a ridiculous notion. If everyone were to remain chaste, the purpose of reproduction would be moot. There must be sex for there to be procreation.