The Manipulative and the Powerful

The Wife of Bath had a tale like no other. After being widowed five times I think it is completely valid for her to have a label of "the wife". She does call herself this on purpose, and it sticks, because it is what she knows and what she is known for. The wife has received money, lands, power, and a career from being widowed multiple times. Her character is one that is strong, in power, and manipulative for the purpose of furthering her own life. She has lied to her husbands and started rumors to others about them simply to be on top at all times.

Her character almost reminds me of a character in the book series Divergent, Tris. Tris is a very strong and independent character that lies to her boyfriend and about her boyfriend because she believes it will save him or keep him safe. Now that's all fine and dandy, but in reality lying no matter what is considered manipulation. This brings up the question whether or not there is a line or difference between lying because you're doing the right thing or lying because you have an end goal. Is lying at all okay, or is it all considered wrong and cunning? The Wife of Bath seems to cross the line, but there could possibly by a hundred other lines that she did not cross (even though she does hint at possibly having a part of one husbands death...)