Inspired by Grace, Marvi, Marielle and Justyna's presentation:
In "The Franklin's Tale", Aurelius, Dorigen, Averagus and the Magician (or the meth dealer depending on which "tale" you remember most) all sacrifice something of worth to do the "honorable" thing. Aurelius sacrifices his love for Dorigen, Dorigen is willing to sacrifice her life to save her honor, Averagus is willing to sacrifice his marriage to Dorigen, and the Magician is willing to sacrifice money he is owed. Who do you think had to make the most significant sacrifice in the story, or, as the Franklin asks the pilgrims at the end of his tale, who do you think is the most generous? And...what would you be willing to sacrifice for a loved one (and choose something more significant than an iPod or cupcake!)?
my maid of honor speech for my sisters wedding!
14 years ago
11 comments:
I believe that the question was meant to be rhetorical. The Franklin probably didn't expect to receive an answer from the pilgrims because the story was supposed to present equals in generosity.
That being said, I believe that Averagus had sacrificed the most, by letting his beloved wife go. He could have taken many different roads, punishing Aurelius, Dorigen, or the Magician. He could have done something less honorable, such as punishing himself. However, he was willing to let go of his wife and know that he might not get her back, even though he could have easily gone over and done something petty to Aurelius.
Each character had to sacrifice something, but it took a real man with honor and generosity, like Averagus, to give up his wife and not retaliate against any other the other characters, especially Dorigen.
In response to the second question, it’s hard to think of one thing that I would be able to give up for a loved one. I think the ultimate thing I could sacrifice would be my life, but I would also settle for giving up my time and money for someone as well.
first of all, I'm honored, miss winkler, that you enjoyed our presentation this much. I would give up any amount of money for my loved one (as long as it was really love, I mean, obviously if this was a Vegas wedding I wouldn't be so generous). I don't think the girl was most generous because she was the idiot who started all of this. She shouldn't have even joked around with him saying sure I'll marry you when pigs fly or you move huge rocks. Also, I don't think it was the magician because honestly, money has value, but love has more value. Also, he didn't have a huge moral or, like, love investment I guess you could say, in this whole ordeal. so, he's out a few grand, not a big deal. I think aurelius kind of HAD to give her up. it was noble but it kind of had to happen because of that whole "if she really loves you and you let her go she'll come back" concept. He knew she wouldn't be happy with him at that point, so if he really loved her as he said, he wouldn't make her suffer. He did give up his love, but he never really had her love to begin with. SO... i guess my winner is Arveragus. I LOVED the way he came back from a huge voyage to his mourning wife and put honor and her word before all, making her go to save her herself. He could have been all cocky, like, forget this fool, let's get on with the life I've waited sooooo long to come back to. It was really honorable to let her go and let his name be tarnished because of his (foolish) wife. Also, he had the whole "she'll come back if it's right" thing goin on and it actually worked for him so goooooo ARVERAGUS =)
I think that Averagus made the most significant sacrifice/ was the most generous in the story. He could have reacted in many different ways and he could have punished Aurelius, the Magician, and especially Dorigen. But he didn’t; he gave up his wife, knowing that he might not even get her back. He is a man of generosity and honor. I think that for some people, making difficult choices and significant sacrifices is quite usual. Some leave their homeland so that they can provide a better future for their family, some sacrifice their job to take care of a parent, some give up their dreams/career to care of their children, and some give their life for their country.
It’s hard to think of one thing to give up for a loved one but I would give up my time or money, and even my life if it came to that.
Although dumb and something that would never happen, in the context of this story Averagus is the most "generous" given that he is willing to give up his marriage - something that is not tangible. It would not be selfish if he were to not have "given her up" as that is realistic, and is is not fair to give up a true relationship. However, in this story of exaggerations, where everyone gave up something of value, and Averagus could have refused to "give up" his wife and assault Aurelius, he unrealistically (to make a point) sacrificed his wife.
I think that an ultimate sacrifice for a loved one would be acceptance of their true needs when it's completely difficult for you - willingly because you care completely about their happiness and you understand them.
I would have to agree with Erik and everyone else, Averagus was the one who sacrificed the most in this tale. I would say that Avergus was the one who sacrificed the most because to sacrifice a marriage is something very big and significant. Marriage is something that doesn't come around easy, or at least true love marriage. Like we all know to make up the decision to marry someone is very big so likewise the decision to give up a marriage is also very big.
For a loved one, I would be willing to leave them like Averagus. What I mean is like what we usually see in the movies, a loved one's life is being threatened and the only solution is for the other person to leave them, for whatever reason. I think that being able to just up and leave someone to help and save them is very significant, because your saying that you love them truely. Also by leaving them to save them you are hurting yourself because you'll never be able to see your loved one.
Thanks Miss Winkler for creating a blogpost only on “The Franklin’s Tale”. We didn’t have time to have a discussion on this question. Oh well, I hope people didn’t forget this tale, how it irritated them to solve the gigantic puzzle or figure out what they are willing to sacrifice.
I think the view on generosity is taken a little too much. The purpose of sacrifice in this tale was to maintain mutual love and forbearance. I believe each person had situated themselves at a challenging level where they are testing themselves whether they can resist their emotions and feelings from breaking through their moral standing. In this case, Dorigen is trying to resist temptation from breaking her promise to her husband that she will always remain loyal to him. She is willing to sacrifice her life to keep her word and to show that she equates her love to Arveragus’s love for her. Arveragus, on the other hand, is willing to resist breaking the gentilesse in their relationship and his gentility by allowing Dorigen to follow her heart (at least what he thinks). Aurelius is willing to resist breaking Dorigen’s heart. He wants her to be happy, and in order to show her that he truly cares for her, he has to let go of her. This is the same situation that Arveragus had to make. Ideal love for both of them does not come to physical terms but through spiritual terms. The magician is trying to maintain forbearance by sacrificing the money he owed. All the characters are forbearing and are charitable for their own reasons. Their reasons are equated to each other in the terms of love being defined as the controlling principle, perfect, gentle love, which brings forbearance with it. Neither characters, including the magician, want to claim sovereignty over a situation; they are all willing to give away the sovereignty to someone else. Therefore, each character had their own personal problems to take care of, either way everyone will eventually become burden in the end, even if that person didn’t sacrifice anything to prevent it, because the chain of sacrifices hurts and affects the next person situated with it as well.
If I were to sacrifice something for a loved one, it will go as deep as sacrificing my life for that person. At the same time, it will hurt others as well, so it is a selfish act to do. You are hurting yourself and your loved ones. So, the term “sacrifice” is a complicated idea to be situated with. You can’t tell if you are sacrificing for the right reasons or wrong reasons. That’s why I can’ really decide which character is most generous because either way some is going to get hurt in the end. Your sacrifice could turn out morally wrong if you don’t think it through in depth enough. You have to think of the consequences that will come after it. In my opinion, I believe each character was equally generous to maintain mutual forbearance. They were willing to put someone else before them.
I think that ARVERAGUS was the most "generous", although I don't see how giving up your wife is generous. It's more of a jerk move, kind of what Erik was saying. So he's the most generous because he gave up something he already had and loved. Dorigen was the idiot in the first place, like what grace said. The magician only gave up money, which isn't really as valuable as love, if you're in your right mind. And Aurelius just had to give up going after Dorigen. He never had her in the first place.
I don't think anyone answered the second part of the question. Maybe because it's too hard, now that we live in an world where technology and food are everything. I mean, look at me. I'm on vacation in another country and I can't keep of the computer and internet when it's available. And I've basically been pigging out since the day I got here. Okay....so if I had to give up one thing that's not an iPod or cupcake, I would give up..........the ability to see and taste. That's significant right? In a world made of food and electronics? I'd never use the Internet or taste good food. I could eat crap and not taste it. How bad would that be? I don't know under what circumstances I would give those up. I guess if I had to donate my eyes and tongue or something....
I would have to say that out of the three characters the most generous of them, or the one that sacrificed the most would be Averagus. Avergagus was generous enough to let his wife go free without screaming, yelling, or holding a grudge. He could have done awful things to anyone one in the tale including his wife and Aurelius, but instead he was bigger than all of them and just let her go without any harm. He was willing to let go of his wife even though he didn't know that she would go back to him. In his mind he was going to loose her forever and he sacrified that, which is pretty amazing.
If it came to the point that I would have to sacrifice something for the person I love I think it would be the judgement of others. I would try my very hardest to not hear or listen to what others have to say about the person I love but go with my gut. My belief is that I would ignore the opinions of others and follow my heart to whoever it leads me to. If I was to listen to others then that would mean that they are the ones controlling and living my life instead of me; I don't want that. What everone else thought about the person I loved wouldn't matter to me...all that would matter would be they they were able to so how much the loved me in front of others.
Although I do believe that the Franklin asked this question knowing that there would never be a true answer, I think that Averagus is the most generous. I think the greatsest thing you can sacrifice for the person you love is their love. The saying “If you love someone let them go” fits this situation perfectly. Anyone can give up money or an infatuation. But the biggest sacrifice for someone you love is letting them go so they will be happy. Averagus’s decision was the hardest, and the least selfish. If I loved someone as much as Averagus loved Dorigen, even though it would be hard for me, I would give them up for their own happiness.
I think that the most generous character in the Franklin’s Tale was Averagus. In the context of the era during which the tale took place, the concept of faithfulness in marriage was extremely important, not only to the husband and wife on a personal level but also so that they would be liked those that they knew. For Aurelius to willingly be a cuckold in order to maintain his wife’s honor and truthfulness to her word was quite significant. As much as in the Middle Ages as today, the opinions of society were very important to people; what others thought of him and his wife mattered a great deal. His friends and neighbors would think less of them if they knew that he had let his wife be dishonorable. Still, he told Dorigen that she must be true to her word, and despite the fact that he might have reacted much less passively, he acted in a very rational manner, especially considering that his wife had admitted to saying that she would be unfaithful to him.
I would certainly give up the home that I had lived in to move somewhere else in order to accomodate the needs of a loved one. Additonally, I could be able to give a lot of time in my life to spend with a loved one if they needed me. To do so would be more significant than giving them a materail possession of mine; something that cannot be replaced with monetary payment seems more important than an iPod or food.
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