de Navarre

Marguerite de Navarre was a privileged woman, who grew up in a royal family and became queen. Yet, she treated her subjects fairly and safeguarded artists against persecution: “Throughout her life she was a protector of writers and thinkers accused or suspected of Protestant leanings” (Puchner 1638). As a writer, she also wrote the Heptameron, a series of short stories, which used the frame narrative. The prologue begins with a group of stranded upper-class men and women trying to stay entertained. The idea is presented that each afternoon for ten days, the group will find a shady spot and exchange stories: “There we can sit and rest, and each of us will tell a story which he has either witnessed himself, or which he has heard from somebody worthy of belief” (de Navarre 1642). The group agrees to this plan and is reminded by the leader of the group that the stories told must be true.

In de Navarre’s “Story 8,” the narrator tells the story of a man of Bornet, who has become bored with his wife and has taken interest in the chambermaid. He continually tries to make advances, but the maid refuses. The maid reports the pestering to the wife: “She told her that she could not stand being badgered by him any longer, and asked permission to go home to her parents” (de Navarre 1643). After hearing of the situation, the wife surprisingly believes the maid. It would seem most women of this time would take their husband’s side of the story, since they are taught to honor and revere their husbands. The wife, however, disregards this idea and instead, devises a plan to trick her husband and protect her maid.

After the plan fails miserably for the husband, the group (of storytellers) debates the story. Parlamente, a noble woman, who represents Marguerite de Navarre, responds, “Watch your step, Dagoucin. I’ve seen plenty of men who’ve died rather than speak what’s in their minds” (1647). Clearly, de Navarre encourages those to speak their minds. Thus, French philosopher Pierre Bayle is correct; de Navarre was a woman who stood up for others, treated her subjects with respect, and inspired people to communicate their opinions.

Works Cited

de Navarre, Marguerite. The Heptameron. Trans. P.A. Chilton. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Ed. Martin Puchner et al. Shorter 3rd ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton, 2013. 1640-1647. Print.

Puchner, Martin, Gen ed. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Shorter Third ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton, 2013. Print.