Dorigen

Dorigen is a character from Geoffrey Chaucer's *The Canterbury Tales*, appearing as the wife of the knight Arveragus in the "Franklin's Tale." She is presented as a devoted and virtuous wife, deeply in love with her husband.

The narrative of the "Franklin's Tale" revolves around a vow Dorigen makes to Aurelius, a squire who is in love with her. While Arveragus is away at sea, Aurelius professes his love for Dorigen. She, in turn, tells him that she cannot reciprocate his feelings unless he can miraculously remove all the "grisly rokkes" (frightening rocks) that lie along the coast of Brittany, where Arveragus's ship must sail. Aurelius, desperate, seeks the help of a magician.

The magician succeeds in creating the illusion that the rocks have disappeared. Faced with Aurelius's claim that the condition has been met, Dorigen is thrown into despair, believing she must either break her marriage vow to Arveragus or be false to her word. Arveragus, upon learning of the situation, bravely insists that she keep her promise to Aurelius, demonstrating his own noble character and trust in his wife.

Ultimately, the tale concludes with a complex resolution where Aurelius, moved by the nobility of both Dorigen and Arveragus, releases Dorigen from her vow, forgiving the debt. Dorigen is thus portrayed as a woman of integrity and loyalty, caught in a difficult moral dilemma. Her character explores themes of love, loyalty, chastity, and the nature of promises.