Wife of Bath
Canterbury storyteller, married
The Wife of Bath is a character in Geoffrey Chaucer's *Canterbury Tales*, a medieval collection of stories told by pilgrims traveling to Canterbury.
She is memorable for her frank discussion of marriage, sexuality, and female authority, having outlived five husbands.
The term has come to represent a bold, experienced woman who speaks openly about matters others might consider improper.
She delivered her opinions with all the confidence of the Wife of Bath.
- Canterbury TalesMedieval English story collection
- patriarchyMale-dominated social order
- matrimonyLegal union of spouses
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
- feminismAdvocacy for sex equality
Chaucer · agency · Alison · marriage bed · dowry · misogyny · old hag · satire · autonomy · Middle English · gender dynamics · Franklin · empowerment · fidelity · storytelling tradition · Reeve · Miller · sovereignty