Introduction; What are the Canterbury Tales?; Chaucer's language; The Wife of Bath's contribution; Text and notes: The portrait of the Wife of Bath (from The General Prologue); The Wife of Bath's prologue; The Wife of Bath's tale; The tale told by the Wife of Bath; Chaucer's pilgrims; Pilgrims and pilgrimages; Geoffrey Chaucer; Marriage or virginity?; The status of women in the fourteenth century; The role of the Church; Themes in the Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale; Glossary of frequently used words