With the character

many scholars believe that Chaucer is indirectly criticizing the church

d. The Wife of Bath.

Explanation:

In Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, the various stories told by the pilgrims all have a reflection of some societal issues that were prevalent at that time. Moreover, the stories also act as a way for Chaucer to put his own personal beliefs and voice through the characters that he used in the storytellers.

The character of The Wife of Bath is believed to be the voice of Chaucer in criticizing the church. Most scholars believe this to be the medium through which the author Chaucer puts forward his voice, for the character tells a story that criticizes the popular Christian belief of the institution of marriage, (the holy matrimony) a women's virginity, etc among others. It is believed that through this character, Chaucer is mocking the church, for he presents this story in front of the other characters, including the churchmen present among the pilgrims.