The Franklin's Tale (Manicheva)

INTRODUCTION

The Franklin's Tale tells the story of a beloved wife, Dorigen who misses her husband Averagus while he is away in England. She is saddened by his absence and frequently looks out to the Brittany Coast and regards the jagged rocks which cover the bay, worrying over the safety of her husbands ship as it nears the shores. She attends a party where she is pursued by a charming, young and chivalrous squire named Aurelius who is in love with her and willing to do anything to make her his wife. Dorigen is devoted to her husband and uninterested, but Aurelius’s persistency drives her to assign him with an impossible task, the removal of all the rocks on the Brittany coast in return for which she would agree to marry him. Disheartened over the impossibility, Aurelius returns home where he is left in the care of his brother who recalls a student from his university days who had deciphered a book of magic. Together they pursuit the magician who would clear the bay. Upon completion of the deed, the squire visits Dorigen. All the while, Averagus had returned to find his wife distraught. She tells him of the deal she made and that she would rather kill herself than marry another but her husband insists that a promise must be kept. The squire is moved by Dorigen's faithfulness and Averagus’s nobility and releases Dorigen from her vow. The squires intention is to still pay the magician, however he learns of the squires selflessness and forgives Aurelius’ debt in its entirety.

I will be following the squire Aurelius as he journeys along his path of seduction, misery and ultimate success which allow him to be an honorary man dedicated to principle and righteousness. I will begin by mapping Brittany's coast where the squires journey began. It will be displayed using Le Forte La Latte, a castle which overlooks Brittany Coast and is the residency of Dorigen for the purpose of my story. The completion of the task to clear the rocks will be a test for Aurelius since to get the love of his life he has to fulfil her wish. The impossibility of naturally cleaning the rocks is the first issue within the text resolved only when using magic becomes a possibility. To find a magician who could practise magic, Aurelius’s brother proposes that they travel to Orleans, France. On their way to Orleans they come across a clerk who can help. He invites them over to his manor where the following two points of interest lie. The second point is the conjuring that the clerk summoned for Aurelius to witness illustrated using an illumination from Liver de la Chasse. This is significant because it shapes Aurelius’s perception of the possibilities that lie ahead. He could look back on this moment when releasing Dorigen from her vow knowing that he can pursue any path in life, even magic. The third mapping point will take place as Aurelius and the clerk move over to his office in order to discuss the conditional fee required to acquire his services. Despite the outrageous sum required to remove the rocks, Aurelius agrees without hesitation willing to do anything to make Dorigen his wife. The important conclusion to be drawn here is that money is an integral part of a persons life and witnessing Aurelius make a selfless gesture to disregard the hardship that will come with repaying the debt. The fourth point of interest will be located at the University of Orleans. Here the magician uses the Toledan Tables, a mystical astronomical guide which utilizes the power of constellations and earth to clear the Brittany Coast of the rocks. This is significant because for one, Dorigen never assumed this task could be completed and two, it posses the second issue in the text, breaking Dorigens marriage built on love. The fifth point of interest lies back in Brittany in Daoulas Abbey where I will be using an illumination of the squire, Aurelius. This is significant because Aurelius finds it within himself to do the right thing and not force Dorigen to marry him against her wishes. He also considers the knightly nobility expressed by Dorigen’s own husband who encourages her to fulfill a vow. This story teaches readers the power of personal growth that will be achieved through the overcoming hardships and a realization that no matter what, somethings are not meant to be and this is for the better. 

SPACE 

The narrator of the Franklin’s Tale, Geoffrey Chasseur, creates a setting based on the natural context of France and the Brittany Coast and strategically incorporates magic as the ultimate solution to impossible problems. He uses the rocks upon the shore as a motive for his story, arguing that it is over their existence that Dorigen must fret. He therefore uses a natural element with a distinct role for the main character Aurelius, as his challenge - or the antagonist within the text. In the urban setting, Chasseur underlines the importance of education with the incorporation of Aurelius’s brothers study at the University of Orleans. Had his brother not studied here, he never would have discovered the existence of magic and the impossible task would have never been made possible. Furthermore, the student that practised magic was there to study law, pointing out his inherently studious values. This is significant because in the Middle Ages the notion with those that practise sorcery, is usually a negative association such as for example witches or/and warlocks practising illegitimately in their dungeons. This however, provides a positive outlook suggesting that magic was practised by individuals who valued education and formal practises as well and could furthermore make a living off of their skills and even afford to forgive debts. In the social context, Chasseur allows for men and women to be of equal value. This is shown through the equality and faithfulness of Dorigen’s marriage to Averagus, to their trust for one another and also through a lack of attempt on Aurelius’s behalf to bribe or buy Dorigen. As a squire, Aurelius could arguably have enough money to attempt and persuade his beloved to choose him through offering her a large sum of capital but instead he is willing to give up his wealth and complete the challenge of clearing the coast. This also shows the value of women and how they cannot be early bought and how they are willing to stand for what they believe in as with Dorigen who is willing to kill herself rather than do something against her will. Simultaneously, Chasseur sets up the story to be centred around magic and the plausible solution that it offers. This plays directly at the visual component and the sensory of the story. The depiction of magic and the continuous reference to it throughout the story create the desire to see or know more about the magic within the context of the text. For example, why is it not forbidden? What is the main purpose of magic and who uses it? It furthermore, creates an alternate reality leaving the reader wondering why magicians spend time conjuring up scenes of castles, lions and water at feasts. Aurelius is too fascinated with magic which he first witnesses in the confines of the manor. The clerk conjures a scene within his house captivating Aurelius with an illusion of forests packed with deer, a wild hunt by hawks and hounds, jousting knights and ladies as well as Aurelius dancing. In conclusion, the the narrator creates a positive environment for everyone. Throughout the course of the poem, he does not discriminate, degrade or devalue any one gender, political identity, job or living condition. He underlines, that everyone has a chance to live their life the way they want to. However, he remarks that certain value such as nobility, righteousness, selflessness and hard effort are important and will be rewarded in due term. 

DIGITAL MAP

The map that I choose was a map of France in 1382-1453, around the time of the Franklins Tale. My digital map illustrates a potential route that Aurelius could have legitimately taken had he been a voyager that could illustrate a realistic route with real destinations that could be viewed in the modern day. These destinations include the Brittany Coast, with Le Forte La Latte overlooking the jacked rocks along the coastal line. This forte was erected about a century before the composition of the Franklins tale and could have well been the home of Dorigen and Avergus who resided on the Brittany Coast as told in the tale. The particular view from the castle that I choose interprets the misery felt by Dorigen as she would have looked out her tower, or as she strolled along the coast seeing nothing but open waters and the dangers of the rocks. The manor of the young clerk is a potential destination where the squire could have taken refuge. It is a manor that stand presently for sale in Haute-Vienne, France and was built in the 13th century. It is along the route to New Orleans, France where the resolution is established. The University of Orleans that I used as a point of interest had burned down in a later century and is no longer standing today, however it would have been available at the time of Aurelius’s journey. The last point on my map is where Aurelius is do most credit for his noble decision and I decided to choose a destination that was extrinsically beautiful, captivating and relevant today. Inspired by Romanesque architecture it is decorated with ample arches, elegant gardens and decorative fountains, the ideal location for a conclusion. Upon completing the Franklins Tale, I learned that the concept of equality in marriage, freedom of choice for women and men respecting their decisions was relevant even in the fourteenth century. This gender equality is therefore not a modern concept unlike the common misconception. It also stuck out to me how Dorigen’s almost jokingly request turned out to greatly benefit her in the end, at this came at no cost to her. This clearing, if legitimate, would also have saved countless of ships and the lives of people on board since they would no longer be crushed against the rocks. 

In regards to digital mapping I learned how to navigate an entirely new platform. I enjoyed the ability to choose a base layer and be able to plot different variants or points of intersections. This required the creation of “items” and the completion of their metadata, a task I never knew existed. I enjoyed the ability to change the plotting points thickness and particularly liked playing around with the colour changing options as well as their opacity. In relation to our discussion on medieval maps, I got a sense of the complexity that is involved in regards to the creation of a map. Prior to this experience I never filly appreciated the difficulty medieval cartographers underwent in order to plot not just five, but hundreds if not thousands of points of interests to create a final product. They were also able to do so without satellite imaging or any form of aerial assistance that is available to us today.