Gentillesse In The Franklin's Tale

Gentillesse, the the capacity for a being to act compassionately and graciously, was seen as a characteristic of the noble class (Brown 175). In fact, gentillesse was a concept based on both “wealth and social distinction” as well as “character and behavior,” and these two parts were thought to be almost impossible to separate (Carruthers 286). Being an aristocrat was, therefore, a necessary condition for gentillesse; those at the cusp of nobility were not thought to have this characteristic as they were not at the top of the social hierarchy. Yet, the Franklin, a member of the landowning class but not a noble, explores the presumed relationship between the attribute and the high-class. In the “Franklin’s Tale,” the Franklin constructs parallel

To conclude his tale, the Franklin aks, “My lords... tell me true,/Which seemed the finest gentleman to you?/Ere we ride onwards tell me, anyone!” (Chaucer 433). He begins by questioning the “lords”about who seems to be “the finest gentleman,” but opens the inquiry to everyone in his audience. Not only is he demonstrating his belief that all the people in the audience are capable of answering his inquiry, but also is valuing the input of all the pilgrims, who come from different social classes. Both his belief in the pilgrim’s faculty and the worth of the answers begins a discussion of the relationship between a social hierarchy and the ability of a person. Furthermore, the word “gentleman” establishes the topical focus for his story, gentility. The Franklin, hoping to change the pilgrims’ views on gentility, asks them to reevaluate their beliefs. This rhetorical question functions as a call to the audience to focus on the main topic,

Aurelius, a squire, has been in love with Dorigen for years, so when they finally meet he hopes to sway her away from Arveragus. Eventually Dorigen makes him a promise: “In danger, when, I say, you clear the coast/So clean there’s not a single stone to boast,/I’ll love you more than any man on earth.” (Chaucer 416). While the context may make it seem like a joke, Aurelius, blinded by his love, does not believe it to be so. Therefore, as he tries to “clear the coast” of rocks, the promise becomes more binding. Aurelius, with the help of a magician, eventually succeeds at removing the rocks off the coast. By fulfilling his end of the promise, Dorigen does not know what to do, and that is when she begins her lament, where she only sees death and dishonor as the two options. When Aurelius sees her pain, he “felt a great surge of pity that arose/At sight of Dorigen in all her woes” (Chaucer 430). Dorigen was not happy about the situation she was in, and Aurelius could not stand the sight. When he sees the knight, supposedly, acting with gentillesse, he is filled with shame: “And as for Averagus the noble knight/That bade her keep her word of honour white,/So loth was he that she should break her truth/And such a rush of pity filled the youth..” (Chaucer 430). He thought the knight put morals above