canterbury tales. THE CLERK
..., and submissive. One day he came across a poor family, a father named, Janicula, and his beautiful daughter, Griselda. Time passed and he decided that he would marry Griselda as she seemed to meet all his requirements. Walter asked Janicula for permission to marry his daughter, and the wedding proceeded. Walter made Griselda promise that she would always obey his will, even if it caused her pain. Soon Griselda gave birth to a daughter, and while the baby was still young, the King decided to test his wife. He took the child away from Griselda to be brought up elsewhere, telling her that, although she was dear to him, to the rest of the nobility she was not. He told her they wished for her child to be taken away. As agreed, she complied with her husband’s wishes, and she never lost any love for her husband. Years passed, and Griselda gave birth to a son. When the boy was two years old, the King decided to test his wife’s patience and fidelity again. He told her that she would have to give up her son. She expressed her sadness of having suffering the pain of childbirth twice, yet never the joys of raising her children, although she complied without complaint. Years later the King forged a Papal Decree allowing Walter to marry another woman of higher birth. Griselda took the news with a heavy heart, but showing great humility, she said she would abide by her husband’s decision and return to her father’s house. Before she departed she was asked to prepare the new bride for marriage to Walter. While preparing the bride, she spoke to the king with no hatred in her voice, but sternly, she pleaded for him to treat his new queen better than he did her. Walter could not stand his cruelty any longer, and he confessed to Griselda that the beautiful young girl was her daughter, and he introduced their son to her as well. Walter stopped testing his wife and they lived the rest of their days in complete happiness. After Walter died, his son succeeded to the throne. The Interpretation The tale signifies the different views of how a woman should act and be treated. The clerk concludes his tale saying that all women should follow Griselda’s example, but not necessarily with the extreme form, addressing his comments directly at the Wife of Bath. The Merchant voices his envy for the King, because his experience of wives was much different, and in two short months of wedlock he has experienced hell. In complete contrast to both of these tales, the clerk s...