In telling about the knight's travels, the Wife of Bath explains some of the answers the knight hears along the way. One answer he hears is that women like to be thought "discreet / And secret ... / Never betraying things that we are told." The Wife of Bath goes on to say about that answer: "But that's not worth the handle of a rake; / Women conceal a thing? / For Heaven's sake!" What does the Wife of Bath's response reveal about her?

The Wife of Bath is a wise and bold woman. She can answer to a king and disagree with the statement someone told him. This statement can not be taken for granted. She reconsiders the describing of women as discreet and secret. She answers from her perspective and insight. Her answer classifies her as a woman who is wise, smart and resourceful. She describes women opposite from the pronounced. The Wife of Bath emphasizes the claim that women can not hide or conceal a thing. This explains her's opinion and belief about women. She does not defend them, she reveals the truth about them, and it shows that she is equal to both genders.