Beginning of Essay
In the varied group of pilgrims assembled by Chaucer, the Wife of Bath most simply represents a woman of the time. Unlike the Prioress and her nun companion, who are the only other women on the pilgrimage and who represent other things, her sole purpose is to jus ....

Middle of Essay
.... five former husbands when they were alive. She flirts and is familiar with men but she nowhere does she actually advocate sex outside marriage. Her prologue starts by boasting of her experience of men, "Experience, though noon auctoritee Were in this world, is right ynogh for me, To speke of wo that is in mariage." (Chaucer, ll. 1). Chaucer begins his description of the wife by telling us she is somewhat deaf. By being deaf she can not hear what other say about her. He says this deafness is a pity and this sympathy from Chaucer may be because if she could hear what others might say about her then she might change her ways. He goes on and tells t ....