Wife Of Bath Feminism, or a doctrine advocating social, politcal, and economic rights for women equal to those of men, plays a large role in "The Wife of Bath's Describing marriage as a misery, the Wife has been married five times. Only one of her husbands she married was because of true love.  The reason why she has gone through so many husbands is because her ideal husband is one who permits her to do whatever she wants.  Of course, in the 1990's and even back in the 1500's, that kind of spouse is hard to find. The Wife is a pragmatist, or one who is concerned with actual practice. She is