The Wife of Bath's Prologue is in the genre of what one might call the "apologia," an explanation (and defense) of one's occupation and life -- in her case, marriage (weaving being a minor part of her life, at least insofar as it is presented here). Like the Pardoner and the Canon's Yeoman (to whose prologues this should be compared), Alisoun explains the tricks of her trade and defends a life style that might be …showed first 75 words of 492 total…

…showed last 75 words of 492 total…The Riverside Chaucer) show some of the traditions on which Chaucer drew to create the Wife of Bath, but none of them account for the zest, merriment, and complexity of one of Chaucer's most fascinating characters. The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale have elicited much in the way of critical commentary. The recommended text, The Wyf of Bath, ed. Peter G. Biedler, provides a convenient introduction to several modern approaches to this fascinating character.