The Franklin’s Tale is also related to The Knight’s Tale and The Miller’s Tale in that all involve a three-way love affair. It is connected with The Squire’s Tale in the way the Franklin insists upon complimenting the Squire, and it is related to The Clerk’s Tale in emphasizing the need of patience in marriage.
The chief virtue of The Franklin’s Tale is the noble spirit that pervades it and the idea that love, patience, and forbearance are the essence of love and marriage. Here we have the beautiful Dorigen who refuses to be unfaithful while her husband is away. Then we have Averagus’ idea of “trouthe” (truth) and “troth” (promise and fidelity). The duty of keeping a promise even though it may be spoken in jest causes Averagus to send Dorigen to her sorrowful assignation because he is caught up in the letter of the law. Were he more informed, he would know that the rocks have not been moved at all — they only seem to have been moved — and thus the bargain has no reality or validity.
