Review Essay #3 (Edited)
Bowman, Mary R. “Half as she were mad: Dorigen in the male world of the
Franklin’s Tale.” The Chaucer Review 27.3 (1993): 239-251).
Mary Bowman’s examination of “The Franklin’s Tale” in The Chaucer Review discusses how the narrator reduces Dorigen’s role to being an object of exchange among men in their pursuit of honor and ‘gentillesse.’ I found her arguments for this interpretation of Dorigen compelling, but there were some points that weakened the essay. Bowman argues that Dorigen, at the end of “The Franklin’s Tale,” ceases to be a person, but a commodity according to the men of the tale. The giving of Dorigen’s favors represents a transaction between her husband Averagus and potential lover Aurelius, with each demonstrating their ‘gentillesse’ by giving her to the other. The commodifying of Dorigen continues with the parallel display of gentillesse, the forgiving of Aurelius’s debt to the clerk (Bowman 242). The men use Dorigen’s person as money, only useful for satisfying a debt of honor. Bowman ties this treatment of Dorigen in with the
Franklin’s purpose for the tale, which is to stimulate discussion on the ‘gentillesse’ of the male characters (Bowman 241). Bowman’s argument then moves to respond to critical discussions regarding Dorigen’s honor in the text. There is a school of thought that when Averagus insists Dorigen uphold her promise, he applies his code of honor to her, allowing Dorigen to be treated as equal to men (Bowman 244). Bowman responds to that by saying it is unwise to assume the same moral codes for both genders (Bowman 244). She refers to the research of psychologist Carol Gilligan, who states: Men are more likely to follow the ‘ethic of justice,’ which emphasizes abstract rules that can be applied to all situations … women more often exhibit the ‘ethic of care,’ which… privileges the preservation of relationships (Bowman 244).Bowman suggests that gendered moral codes are in “The Franklin’s Tale.” She points out that the masculine code, privileging devotion to an ideal at personal cost, is evident in the behaviors of Averagus and Aurelius. Averagus gives Dorigen to Aurelius to prove his honor, while Aurelius gives her back to prove he is just as honorable as the higher ranked Averagus (Bowman 245). Dorigen, instead, ties her honor into maintaining her relationship as a good wife to Averagus; she goes to Aurelius when Averagus declares his honor requires her to go (Bowman 246-47). Dorigen’s honor is part of her relationship, and not an abstract ideal. In examining Dorigen’s views about morality, Bowman goes to Dorigen’s long lament about exemplary women. Dorigen’s understanding of her dilemma reflects her own moral code, for “to have share of her body is to be false to Averagus and to lose the one name that she values, the name of ‘trewe wyf’” (Bowman 246). It is better to commit suicide than be unfaithful; there is no reference to the ideals of Averagus (Bowman 247). The examples she considers show how Dorigen understands the world (Bowman 248). Her moral basis is different from the men, but they force her to conform to their own ideals, as Dorigen exists in a male dominated society. After reading Bowman’s essay on Dorigen, I felt that the strongest point was how Averagus and Aurelius ignore Dorigen’s opinions in favor of their own needs. Bowman’s connection of Dorigen and the money exchanged between Aurelius and the clerk reveals the degree to which the male characters ignore Dorigen’s value as a person. There was also a clear argument for why the men behaved in this manner, for they were working in accordance to the abstract ideal of ‘gentillesse.’ However, Bowman’s attempts to illuminate Dorigen’s morals in opposition were unclear. Dorigen’s lament shows that maintaining her chastity is important, but Bowman’s analysis did not explain why Dorigen was at risk. In Bowman’s interpretation, Dorigen goes to Aurelius at Averagus’s insistence, but her lament occurs before Averagus orders her to go. Dorigen’s promise to Aurelius was not serious, and without the pressure from Averagus, Aurelius could not enforce it, so the extremes she contemplates do not fit. Bowman declares the lament key in understanding Dorigen’s moral code. I agree that the lament shows Dorigen’s beliefs about extramarital sex, but Bowman’s analysis does not adequately explain the pressure Dorigen is under. Central to Bowman’s essay is the trouble Dorigen experiences in a male dominated world. Taking the idea of woman in man’s world, Bowman refers to the character Britomart from The Faerie Queene (Bowman 239). The essay actually begins with a brief discussion of Britomart’s problems in a man’s world. The subject then shifts to the examination of Dorigen, though Bowman continues to reference Britomart. “Half as she were mad” is intended for literary scholars, so certain assumptions of knowledge on the reader’s part are acceptable. I will not complain of my personal unfamiliarity with the subject. What I will say, however, is the addition of Britomart is jarring. The opening of the essay suggests the subject is the similarities between Dorigen and Britomart, when in fact the subject is just Dorigen. The inclusion of Britomart and The Faerie Queene builds false expectations and draws attention from Bowman’s rule focus in the essay. This is easily the weakest point of the essay. “Half as she were mad: Dorigen in the Male World of The Franklin’s Tale” offers some insights as to the beliefs of the male dominated world Dorigen exists in, but fails to give a clear understanding of Dorigen’s own opinions. The essay suffers from extraneous references that draw the reader’s attention away from the subject, but Bowman does contribute meaningfully to the literary discussion regarding “The Franklin’s Tale.”
