The Canterbury Tales · Chapter
Pars Tertia explained
The marquis, driven by a needless desire to test his wife's patience, falsely claims that his nobles resent her low birth and demand the removal of their daughter.
What happens
The marquis, driven by a needless desire to test his wife's patience, falsely claims that his nobles resent her low birth and demand the removal of their daughter. Griselda meekly submits, allowing a sergeant to take the child away under the pretense of execution. She kisses and blesses the child before surrendering it, showing no outward grief. The marquis secretly sends the child to his sister in Bologna to be fostered, while Griselda remains steadfast and unchanged in her devotion.
Themes in this chapter
Marriage and Sovereignty
The marquis's arbitrary test of Griselda's obedience highlights the unequal power dynamics in marriage, where the wife's submission is demanded without question.
Fortune and Providence
Griselda's acceptance of her child's apparent fate reflects a stoic resignation to fortune, trusting in divine will despite personal anguish.
Characters to notice
- Griseldis
Griselda endures the marquis's cruel test with unwavering patience, meekly surrendering her daughter and blessing the child without weeping or complaint.
- Walter
The marquis, driven by a marvellous desire to test his wife, feigns sternness and falsely claims noble pressure to justify taking their daughter.
- Janicola
Janicola is mentioned as Griselda's father, referenced in the marquis's reminder of her lowly origins.
Key passages
“There fell, as falleth many timës mo’, When that his child had sucked but a throw, This marquis in his heartë longed so To tempt his wife, her sadness for to know, That he might not out of his heartë throw This marvellous desire his wife t’assay; Needless, God wot, he thought her to affray.”
It happened, as it often does, that soon after his child had nursed a little while, the marquis felt a strong urge to test his wife and see if she would show sadness. He could not rid himself of this strange desire to try her, though it was unnecessary and, God knows, only meant to frighten her.
The narrator criticizes the marquis's pointless cruelty in testing Griselda's patience.
“And as a lamb she sat there meek and still, And let this cruel sergeant do his will.”
She sat there meek and still like a lamb, allowing the cruel sergeant to carry out his orders.
Griselda's passive submission is compared to a sacrificial lamb, emphasizing her virtue and the injustice of the test.
“Farewell, my child, I shall thee never see; But since I have thee marked with the cross, Of that father y-blessed may’st thou be That for us died upon a cross of tree: Thy soul, my little child, I him betake, For this night shalt thou dien for my sake.”
Farewell, my child, I will never see you again. But since I have made the sign of the cross over you, may you be blessed by the Father who died on the wooden cross for us. I entrust your soul to Him, my little child, for tonight you will die because of me.
Griselda blesses her child and resigns herself to the apparent sacrifice, showing her deep faith and maternal sorrow.