chellesmere2Geoffrey Chaucer

pilgrims1

 
The Franklin’s Tale from

The Canterbury Tales

 

 

Dorigen, a noble lady, marries the knight Averagus, both of them swearing

that neither will ever try to exert mastery over the other. While Arveragus is

away at war, Aurelius, a young squire, courts Dorigen, who rejects him by

setting what she thinks is an impossible task: remove the dangerous  rocks

from the coast, she says, and I shall grant you my love. With the help of a

 learned clerk (to whom he promises an immense fee), Aurelius succeeds

(perhaps by magic, or perhaps only by illusion) and  he then demands her love.

Distraught, she tells the returned Averagus, who orders her to keep the

assignation  with Aurelius. Aurelius, impressed with Averagus's action, in

 turn releases Dorigen from her promise.  The learned clerk, impressed by

Aurelius's action, forgives the squire his debt.

 

The tale ends with a demande: which was the "most free"?

 

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