Humanity is an important quality held by very few people. Having this quality
shows your natural human nature and caring for other people rather then
yourself. In “The Franklin’s Tale” by Chaucer the actions of the
characters in the tale prove the validity of the statement that “The
Franklin’s Tale” shows humanity at its best. In “The Franklin’s Tale”
it is obvious that humanity is shown at it’s best because of the characters
attitudes to each other throughout the entire novel. “So I have often heard;
all may be well, but you must keep your word”(447). Arveragus tells his wife
Dorigen that she must keep her word to Aurelius and go and be his lover because
he had done as she told him to do. This shows a great deal of humanity on the
part of Arveragus because after being away for two years he is willing to let
his wife go away and live with another man just for the fact that she promised
him that she would. “I’d rather suffer too than seek to come between his
love and you”(448). The response given by Aurelius was this. He told Dorigen
to go home because he didn’t want to hold her with him under her will. He
would rather suffer himself then to see the one he loved suffer. This shows
humanity on the part of Aurelius because even though he is in love with this
women he still does not want to be with her if she is not happy. “Sir, I
release you of your thousand pound no less than if you’d crept out of the
ground just now, and never had had to do with me” (450). The magician feels
bad for poor Aurelius and waves the fee of the task he performed from him. This
is the last show of humanity because this man did not find enjoyment from a task
he performed for him, the magician told Aurelius he does not owe him anything.