Where would society be today without the Wife of Bath? This is an under-asked question, but one that has an underlying influence on the standards of women across the world. Lacking moral value, the Wife of Bath became the most acrimonious character Chaucer invented. While many other characters have also sparked controversy, there is no doubt that The Wife of Bath was written for a specific reason: to break the double standard between men and women. Geoffrey Chaucer broke the double standard in various ways. . First, the most obvious route: create a woman who defies all the rules. While he described his other characters through their actions, he approached describing Alison very differently. He chronicled her appearance, speaking of her boastful but rather obnoxious hats, "her stockings were of the loveliest scarlet red, and fastened with garters" (Chaucer 466), and "her face was bold, handsome, and red in hue » (Chaucer 469). But his actions were even bolder. Chaucer concocted a demanding woman who would not settle for less than what she had chosen. However, she was not...