The Franklin ~ Kaden Eddings

## ​The Franklin

The Franklin was a free man and lived for a life of leisure. Franklin actually translates to "free man," Chaucer’s Franklin, specifically, was a connoisseur of food and wine; in the home always having the table prepared for food to be served [1]. In this time, it was the beginning of a new class called the middle class. The Franklin, neither, was of nobility, but also wasn't living as a serf, serving a person of nobility. [2]

## Description

   His beard was is as white as the daisy. He lived a pleasing life, which was now the custom he'd gotten used to, after serving as a sheriff and tax collector. He held opinion, so plain and of pure delight. It was of true happiness, perfection and righteousness. He was a householder, and that a great one he was; they even called him Saint Julian back in his country. His house never ran short of various foods, pies, fish and other meats, and these in large supplies. At county sessions he stood as a lord, and he often acted as a knight of shire. He held a dagger and a purse of pure silk, white as morning milk, which hung at his belt. [3]He was a very generous man and gave a lot of his time and foods to those in need.

## Status

The Franklin was of a new, blossuming, status called the middle class. At this time, being a Franklin put you in your own social class. After having several jobs in the past he had aquired enough money to just live off of. He wasn't of nobility of any sort, but he also was around to serve somebody. He took his wealth and used it to buy land and property. He lived his life in a comfortable manner and didn't have anybody to tell him what to do. [2]

## Story

There once was a knight named Arveragus, who wanted to find a wife. After some time, he found a woman named Dorigen, and married her. They both agreed to treat one another as equals in their home. They both gave the other equal say in all of the decisions around the house and exercised being respectful and showing forbearance towards one another, but in public they decided that Arveragus should make all of the decisions so they appeared socially acceptable.

After being married for some time, Arveragus had to go off for a couple years and serve. Over those two years, his lady wept for her desire to see her husband again. Dorigen sat on the beach regularly watching and waiting for her love to return. Dorigen also sat in fear that Arveragus wasn’t going to make it back because of the treacherously, rocky seas, that have taken many lives in the past.

One day Dorigen was out with some of her friends watching a dance. At this dance there was a long time admirer of hers, Aurelius. Aurelius approached her to proclaim his love and Dorigen jokingly told him that she would join him if he could remove the rocks from the sea so that Arveragus could return safely. Aurelius became lost in himself looking for a way to make his dreams come true. Aurelius then decided to confront a student wizard and told him that if he removed the rocks from the sea he would pay the wizard dearly.

The wizard did this and then Aurelius showed Dorigen this. She was full of shock, and by this time, Arveragus had come back. Dorigen goes to Arveragus, telling him of her predicament. Dorigen pondered suicide but Arveragus decided to give her up and told her to join Aurelius. Once Aurelius realized that he was taking Dorigen from a man of great nobility and high stature, he couldn’t make himself take her, so he sent her back to Arveragus. Aurelius sat in grief because he didn’t end up with Dorigen and now he owed a great debt to the wizard that helped him. Aurelius went to the wizard with as much of the payment as he could, but was still short. Once the young wizard learned of the exoneration of the lady, he ceased the need for debt to be repaid. [4]

## Imagery/Symbolism

"The Franklin's Tale" (Middle English: The Frankeleyns Tale) is one of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. It focuses on issues of providence, truth, generosity and gentillesse in human relationships.

For imagery, the emotional pains felt by Aurelius and Dorigen were related to physical sickness and pain, that couldn't relieved without them mending of their broken hearts.

## Sources

1. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/canterbury/characters.html

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin\_(class)

3. http://www.librarius.com/canttran/gptrfs.htm

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Franklin%27s\_Tale