Q: Choose two passages that reflect contrasting aspects of the Franklin’s ability to tell

a good tale.
♦ Look closely at effect of language and imagery
♦ Comment on ways in which the passages relates to Franklin’s narrative
technique and concerns

The passage on lines 30 to 65 is a good example of how the Franklin uses rhetoric
devises to display his talent on the art of speech. Rhetoric was a skill linked to good
breeding and education in good manners and conversational arts, which distinguished
a ‘gentil’ man from a common person. With deliberately emphasised courtesy, the
Franklin starts his tale .He uses emphasised courtesy from the very start of his speech,
which is another rhetorical technique. He calls the host, ‘sire’ and says ‘I prey’ and
we can see that his politeness is intentionally exaggerated. He introduces himself as a
‘burel man’ by using the rhetoric devise of diminutio. He calls himself a ‘burel man’
yet he contradicts himself by using the ‘colours of rhetoric’, despite claiming he
doesn’t know them at all. It is ironic how someone with formal learning such as the
Squire, gave a rather monotonous speech compared to the Franklin who is of lower
status yet is able to fluently engage his audience. He belittles himself perhaps due to
modesty, or maybe to use it as an excuse if he were to make a mistake. Another
reason is to make his audience feel remarkably impressed seeing as the Franklin is
projecting the impression that he is a natural in the art of speech.
This passage is strongly narrative and relates to the oral tradition where the genre
is very important within the tale for example: heroic, courtly, fables, romance, and
religion. The Franklin is very good with elaborate speech, and he knows how to
phrase or charm his words that will allow him to engage with his audience, ‘Gladly,
sire Hoost’. We know now that he is an expert in the use of rhetoric when we read,
‘Marcus Tullius Scitheo’ and ‘Mount of Pernaso’. Since he is a wealthy landowner,
we can understand that he must have hosted a few large parties or gatherings,
therefore it is one reason why he is confident in public speaking.
Throughout his speech, the Franklin has opted for a very rich manner of speaking.
His flamboyant method of speech could be a conscious effect to elevate himself to a
higher social standing within the group. The Franklin does however, have a tendency
to portray himself as something he is not. Is the Franklin really a ‘burel man’ or
perhaps of higher status equivalency? The fact that he is confused between wealth and
nobility may make him a simple man, on the other hand, his wealth and social
manners including the use of engaging and charming language may make him appear
otherwise. There is a sense of allusion presented. Should we assume that the Franklin
has good background knowledge on being a skilled speaker, or is all a show?

The passage on page 21, from lines 90 to 118 is a digression, which derives from
the rhetorical method, diversio. The Franklin sets his tale aside for a moment so that
he can put forward his concerns and views on marriage, which would then eventually
link later on with his tale (the marriage between Arveragus and Dorigen). He exhibits
his learning on the subject, which is on of the natures of a digression. He provides
knowledge to his audience on how to have a long, happy successful marriage.
However, much of what he says tends to come into conflict with the traditional
aspects of marriage since not many people in Chaucer’s time would have
corresponded to the Franklin’s ideas, therefore the digression is very much a personal
opinion of the Franklin’s, it is his own individual approach. He observes that lovers
must give into one another if they wish to stay together for long. Love cannot be
forced by domination, for when it does – the God of love flies away, love is meant to
feel free, therefore woman and men by nature desire liberty and will not be
constrained as a slave. The Franklin believes that patience in love is a great virtue and
one should be forgiving and not take revenge on every wrong doing, for everyone
makes mistake and is not perfect, ‘a man may nat be wreken’. This statement
interestingly reflects and echoes at the end of the tale, for one of the characters,
(Arveragus) applies this and was later very successful whilst others (such as Aurelius)
suffered due to lack of it.
Many of the Franklin’s views would appear surprising to the other pilgrims as it
contradicts some of the traditional views set upon marriage in relation to the Church
and society’s culture during Chaucer’s time. The Merchant would most likely have
disagreed with the Franklin in concern to equality. This is because the Merchant’s tale
insists upon domination, where the female should be subservient to the male. The
Clerk or scholar told a story about the virtue of patience and therefore he would agree
with the Franklin on that aspect being a good part of marriage with the effect of the
Franklin complimenting him, ‘For it venquisseth, as this clerkes seyn’. Equality in
marriage between couples is perhaps something that not only the clerk but the other
pilgrims are ready for, though some of the attitudes the Franklin described such as
clemency and forbearance may be acknowledged.