Chaucer’s “Wife of Bath” is a boisterous, obnoxious, loud, and confident woman. Having been married five times and now with experience under her belt, she has developed a system of exploiting wealth from her husbands and then dropping them like flies. Although some might believe her well-rounded and having skills in marketing, these attributes hardly justify her notorious actions. Her snobbery, forward actions, and overbearing personality all contribute to the overall immorality that makes up her character. The elegant make of her garments has no connection to her inner traits.
It is my strong opinion that upon meeting this old hag, my interest in getting to know her further would not exist in the least. No matter how interesting some may find her; no matter how dirty her jokes or flamboyant her speech; no matter how thrilling her tale or enjoyable her rotten humor, nothing would induce me to heed her advice or cherish her wisdom. This being said, I thrust no judgment upon her head, only remorse for her actions and the knowledge that she has the choice to change.
Chaucer created this character clearly for the sole purpose of entertainment. He may have captured some truth in the nature of the human being, but her story shouts for exaggerated attention and therefore represents an inflated depiction of a gold-digger’s life.
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