The Wife of Bath is a strong character who stands out from many traditional notions. As an independently traveling woman with not only her own means but also her own opinions, the Wife of Bath represents a creature that many assume was rather rare in the 14th and 15th centuries. With her unusual social views and long and questionable marital history, the Wife of Bath unapologetically opposes centuries of entrenched ideologies and certain fellow pilgrims. Throughout The Canterbury Tales, the reader discovers new aspects of the Wife of Bath, and while she is certainly not a villain, Chaucer certainly does not make her a very sympathetic character. During the time of The Canterbury Tales, women were experiencing a time of considerable change. position in society. Many women owned property, public office, and businesses. They also controlled land and held public office in many cases (The White Oak Society). The Wife of Bath is a product of this era of increased women's rights, or in modern terms it could be called feminism. The Wife of Bath herself, however, would not be considered a feminist. Feminism, by definition, seeks “the rights of women equal to those of men” (“feminism”). For the Wife of Bath, this is far too superficial a goal. She does not seek to be equal with the opposite sex. The Wife of Bath wants to control and subjugate men, both in her words and in her actions. She even displays her superior position in three of her marriages compared to more women. A wise woman will continually strive to be loved, when she is not, you see. given all their lands, why should I then be careful what I should please, unless it was... middle of paper ...... regarding marriage and the roles of wives and husbands, it's unbelievable that he was trying to make the character of the Wife of Bath a warning against women who might want too much control over their lives or the idea of ​​feminism as a whole. Instead, Chaucer simply created a dynamic, controversial, and unique character to both foil the other characters' points of view and keep his stories bold and interesting.ReferencesChaucer. “The Knight’s Tale.” The Cantebury Tales. Librarian. Internet. February 11, 2014. < http://www.librarius.com/canttran/wftltrfs.htm> “feminism”. Dictionary.com full version. Random House, Inc. February 13, 2014. “Women in the Fifteenth Century.” The White Oak Society. Np, and Web. February 15. 2014. .