The Wife of Bath is often considered an early feminist, but reading her prologue and story one can easily see that this is not true. In The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, the Wife of Bath believes that a woman should have authority and control over her husband. The Wife's ideas were undoubtedly rare for her time and she shocked her audiences with her radical views, but perhaps that was her intention. It should also be noted that the Wife of Bath did indeed possess weaknesses towards men despite her confident demeanor, and it is likely that her outspokenness was some sort of defense mechanism. Since feminism traditionally denotes a belief in equality between the sexes, it is easy to see that Woman does not support feminism but rather the manipulation of men for her own benefit. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The Wife of Bath's prologue and narrative both illustrate her belief that men should allow themselves "to be ruled by their wives" (176) and the Wife, or Lady Alice, emphasizes at repeatedly that she has no problem physically and psychologically abusing her husband. The woman's first three husbands were old, rich and simple. Her fourth husband was like his wife's male counterpart – promiscuous and stubborn as well – but he soon died. The woman was not perturbed by the death of her fourth husband and already had a fifth husband in mind. Her fifth husband was the cruelest and hardest to tame and, ironically, her favorite of all. Of course, she eventually managed to get away with all of them. Widowed five times, the wife openly admits that she “made [her husbands] work in such a way” (157) that they cried out in exhaustion and frustration. She also boasts of her skill at manipulating her former husbands, especially the older and wealthier ones. The wife lied to her husbands, making them believe that she had heard rumors about an unfaithful act they had committed, when in reality she was only trying to “prove them wrong” (157). After completely making him feel guilty, she could then sleep without fear of being questioned by her husband. It is likely that much of the wife's apparent impudence is simply an attempt to shock her audience. Before the Wife of Bath begins her story, the brother states that he hopes to "have joy and salvation" (168) from the story she will tell and, as if in protest, the wife begins by making fun of the brothers. Dame Alice sets the scene by describing a land that was once inhabited by fairies, but is now filled with brothers who “can only physically dishonor [a woman]” (170). When, in her prologue, the Wife claims that her fifth husband was much happier once she "had the upper hand" (168), the reader is left to wonder how much of her advice is exaggeration or lies. gives the impression of being a strong and often bold woman, but Chaucer does not portray her without weakness. In her prologue, the Wife recognizes with sadness that “age, alas, which poisons everything, [has] deprived her” (162) of her beauty and her youth. Of course, that doesn't stop her from marrying again and again – she even marries a twenty- to forty-year-old. Ultimately, the Wife of Bath attempts to mask her insecurity regarding her failing beauty, which has been her primary means of controlling men and thus gaining power in society that women do not normally enjoy. The story of the Wife of Bath illustrates her desire for youth. Also. The tale evokes a fairy tale, but does not follow, 28(2), 233-248.