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Franklin's tale reveiw
Date of Review: Jan 12, 2000
Summary of the Franklin?s Tale
The Franklin?s Tale is a simple, yet gets you thinking. It starts out with a man named Averangus and a woman named Dorigen. These two get married and live for a year or so being very pleased with how things were going. Not too soon after they get married, Arveragus leaves to go out into the world.
While Arveragus is away, Dorigen meets Aurelius at some sort of public gathering where he finally gets up the nerve to tell her of his long, deep, secret love for her. Dorigen has been complaining the entire story about these ugly, evil rocks on the shore by the castle where she stays. She says to him that he must remove these rocks for her, and after that she will love him, not Arveragus and be with Aurelius.
Faced with this task he feels burdened by its impossibleness and wonders how he will do it. He feels as if it cannot be done. He worries and worries over this and cannot remove the thought of it. The married couple, Averangus and Dorigen then live another 2 or so years very happy as before.
As all this is going on, Aurelius?s brother was a student in France. He had read a book that had magic in it. This magic could, in his theory, make those rocks disappear. He was very excited with this and immediately began searching for a person who knew this kind of magic. Aurelius went and had dinner with this magic knowing student. They had a good time and then after dinner discussed the fee of him removing the rocks for Aurelius. The price was determined to be 1000 pounds. They then go and the magician makes the rocks disappear.
Aurelius is so happy. He feels bad in some way that he has done this, and when he approaches Dorigen he states that even though she has promised and he has full-filled this promise, she is not committed to breaking up with her husband. She feels terrible, so shocked that he would actually accomplish this task which she thought was impossible. After a couple of days she told her husband about what had happened. He completely understood and was almost all for her leaving him. This was because he didn?t want her to break her promise that she had made to Aurelius. She comes to him and he is shocked that her husband had released her so easily, and astounded at the sacrifice she was going to make on count of her promise to him.
On this note, he sent her back to her husband, knowing that their love was so true. They were both willing to sacrifice so much just to not break a promise. This was so moving to him, he couldn?t really go through with him. Also, it said the magic might only last a couple of weeks. This may have been looming over Aurelius?s head throughout this time, for a couple of weeks have not been up yet.
Now, Aurelius is faced with paying the huge debt to the student. He figures out he will have to be a beggar and he is very upset that he must live the rest of his life like that. He is not willing to break his promise to pay back the debt. When he returns to the student to make a ?payment plan? he tells him of the story, and how he did this for love. The student was so moved by this that he releases him from his debt and all is well and good.
Dorigen and Averagus marry, swearing that neither will ever exert absolute power over the other. Aurelius, a young squire, in Averagus' absence, courts Dorigen, who rejects him by setting what she thinks is an impossible task: remove the threatening rocks from the coast, she promises, and I shall grant you my love. With the help of a learned clerk (to whom he promises an immense fee), Aurelius succeeds (though perhaps only by illusion) and he then demands her love. She tells Averagus, who orders her to keep the assignation with Aurelius. Aurelius, impressed with Averagus' action, in turn releases Dorigen from her promise. The learned clerk, impressed by Aurelius' action, forgives the squire his debt. The question remains: who was the "most free"?
The Franklin tells the story of Arveragus and Dorigen, a newlywed couple. Shortly after their marriage, Arveragus leaves for two years to stake his claim in the world.
While Arveragus is away, Dorigen meets Aurelius at a picnic, where he tells her of his secret love for her. Dorigen remarks (tongue-in-cheek) that she would love Aurelius if he could remove the rocks from the Brittany coast -- she worries about her husband's safety at sea. Faced with such an impossible task, Aurelius becomes sick with grief and takes to his bed.
Meanwhile, Arveragus return home to Dorigen and they live in bliss for two years, while Aurelius lies sick in bed. Aurelius' brother finds a student in France who has the power to make the rocks disappear, and Aurelius promises to pay the kid 1000 pounds for services rendered. The student makes the rocks disappear, and Dorigen becomes very sad because she must leave her husband.
When Dorigen presents herself to Aurelius, however, he sends her back to her husband, obviously impressed by the sacrifice she would have made. The student, upon learning of Aurelius' noble gesture, decides not to collect on the 1000 pound debt. Everybody is happy and noble.
