In the Wife of Bath's Prologue, we learn that this self-proclaiming, imperfect wife, is a strong-willed woman who wishes to assert female domination over the man. It is first important to understand that the wife does not pretend to be perfect because, it indicates that she is not preaching her morals to us. Rather, she lets us relate to her as another human being with feelings and opinions. This line states, "I'm not envious, although maidenhood be preferred to bigamy. It pleases some to be pure body and soul; I won't make any boast about my own estate." She can appreciate being pure, but she does not feel bad about herself not being so. "As you well know, a lord doesn't have every vessel in his household made of gold." Further more she feels that there are many other qualities that can give a woman self worth. These lines also support the idea that the Wife does not proclaim to be right, but She enjoys sex, and is not ashamed of her past.
             This strong-willed woman will not be told how to think. She is an inspiration to all women as well. She says "I hate that man who tells me my vices, and so, God knows more of us than I." The wife knows her own mind and does not want to be controlled. The man she speaks of (her fourth husband) was cruel to her: While still being the faithful wife, she will not give up her own identity or "vices" to please him. To me this is truly admirable. This in a time of a male dominated civilization, is courageous and it seems that she should be classified as the first feminist of British literature. God and she knew that more than she disliked male domination, yet she is extraordinary in stating these opinions.
             I have already said that the Wife of Bath is a feminist, but at this point, I will have to say that she is a radical feminist. She is not interested in equality of the sexes; in fact, she wants to dominate the male. Of her marriages she says "I'll have a husband - I won't make it difficult - w...