“The Return of Martin Guerre” by Natalie Zemon Davis provides the read with an interesting case of a present, Arnaud du Tihl, stealing Martin Guerre identity and almost getting away with it. The story create two campus of thought on Bertrande’s motive. One side being defended by Davis, and arguing she masterminded the whole plan. While Robert Finlay arguing she was innocent. Davis argument is the most believable with too many questions and too many assumption, and to neatly package together that points to Bertrande being guilty of helping Amaund du Tihl stealing Guerre identity.
The story of Martin Guerre is not the first case of stolen identity, but it is one of few times that the real person was punish for it being stolen. The story takes places in 16th century France. The Guerre family arranging the marriage between Martin and Bertande. Martin would father one son before he disappeared. Martin Guerre will left his family because he feared being arrested for stealing grain from his father. He leaves goes south to Spain and does return for ten years. During his adventures he fights in Spanish and French war and loses his leg.
This is where Arnaud du Tihl comes into the story with a motive from parts unknown. He could’ve met Guerre in prison and gets him talking or heard about him during his own travels. Regardless, he assumes the identity of Guerre and fits into his life seamlessly. He is describe as a drunkard, thief, and womanize. Also Arnaud was smart man with the ability to act or talk his way out of anything. At first the reader can assume he was into for Guerre inheritances. Arnaud most have enjoy the life Guerre had, because he did not take the money and ran with it, but instead he started a life with his wife, Bertradne.
Bertrande, her sisters, and even some of village folks accepts the shorter and fatter Guerre as her husband, and would even have children together. Pierre Guerre did not accept this Guerre as his cousin and started to question who this person was and gain support of the Catholics of village. Was not until around 1558 the New Guerre took a risk by taking Pierre Guerre to Civil Court. New Guerre suspected Pierre was withholding inheritances and wanted the profits he made. The trial took places at Rieux and Pierre Guerre bought up the charge of imposture and the court declared the New Guerre guilty of this and sentacnes to be behead.
Would have one more trial at Toulouse in front of Jean de Coras. With the New Guerre real identity known and both sides of argument making good points and right before they made their final decision the real Martin Guerre shows up. Bertrande ran up to Martin and embrace him and ask forgiveness. Arnaud de Tilh is sentances to give a public apology then hanging. Bertrande did not escape untouched. She would be sent to nunnery for even her family though she had done something wrong. Davis argues that Bertrande wanted Arnaud de Tilh to be the real Martin Guerre.
Davis points to four pieces of evidences; how Arnaud greeted everyone by their name? different body types, Bertrande’s behavior, and character of Bertrande’s testimony during the trial. These points show Bertrande’s help Arnand du Tilh to take his identity. Arnaud ability to act is on full display when on trial. He was able to cite many things that real Martin Guerre did in his childhood all the way up to his departure. The word he deliver his testimony seem rehearse and planned. When Arnaud appear for the first time around Guerre hometown he was able to bring up things that happen ten to fifteen years earlier, and being able to talk about business with Pierre Guerre.
Davis points to Le Sueur’s account of the trial to how Arnaud was able to learn about Martin life before he left. “Bertrande and Arnaud did not go directly to Artigat…by stayed at the inn for some days when she tended him for an illness. ” Bertrande told Arnaud everything on the life of Guerre and all of his trappings. Davis backing to this is that Arnaud never meet Guerre and that is what Finlay points to they could have met in prison or maybe Arnaud heard of Guerre in his travels.
Guerre trying to escape the law/his life more than likely would not tell a soul where he is from, like alone what Bob the farmer did to him when he was ten years old. Now here is where Bertrande shows her true colors. Although Martin and Arnaud had similar face structures and select few more similar. Arnaud and Martin did not look alike at all. The neck was embarrassedly different. Martin was taller and thinner then Arnaud. Martin skin was darker and Davis points out more than likely had different accent, like an New England accent compared to Alabama one.
The best evidence is the differences in shoe sizes between them. Martin shoes were larger then Arnaud according to the Shoemaker. Other brought up the pointed out that real Martin could fence and do acrobatics and a soldier from Picardy wars told the court that Martin lost his leg at the battle of Saint Quentin. Now the court tried to accord for the New Guerre being fatter, because of age. Let’s assume that fact, it still does not explain why he was shorter for Martin had no medical history of scoliosis. This points more to the fact that Bertrande knew is was not the real flesh and bones.
Davis points to their marriage on how Bertrande should know what he looks like naked and many other varies thing married couples do. The third point is Bertrande behavior/behavior change. Bertrande being very nasty towards people who accused that Arnaud was not Martin and claiming she will kill anyone who thinks the latter. Even when all of evidences that was pointing to Arnaud being a real she still stuck by him, until the real Martin Guerre shows up to the trial. She ran up to him embraces him, ask forgiveness, and etcetera. Bertrande at the sight of seeing the real Martin realized she needs to recant and act the fool.
Bertrande started the “woe, is me” train by telling Martin his sisters and uncle believed it was him. She went as far to say “I wanted to have my husband back so much that I believed him, especially when he knew such private things about me. ” Martin showing no emotion from what his wife told him reply that she should have knew and you can only blame yourself. The last piece of Bertrande guilt is what she said during her testimony. She was talking out of both sides of her mouth. On one hand telling Pierre that she was duped for the last three years but never out right saying he is not my husband.
She would also confirm what Arnaud said about their private time together. To the point that Arnaud was telling the story the same way every time never adding something new or even leaving something out. This is very obvious example of the two of them rehearsing what to say when question on their private time together. Thus Robert Burns say it best on Bertrande plan, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. ” Also it seem Finlay had a bone to pick with Davis. Now Finlay argument is not wrong, for he brings up good points and they are supported with evidence. A strike against him is he does look at all of the sources.
He does not even look at Le Sueur’s account of the trial. He assumes that Bertrande is simple woman longing for her husband return. Finlay also points to why Bertrande accepted Arnaud being the real Martin, because everyone else around her thought him was him. Finlay does have a good point in his argument about the Protestants and pointing to the fact that Davis using a document from the mid-17th century. In the end, Finlay does not make good points and seem to disagree just to disagree. Halfhearted effort not looking in the Le Sueur’s account of the trial and his jab at the movie.
It seems Finlay was jealous of Davis recognition of book and working on a movie. Davis goes a fantastic job of defending her theory on Bertrand true motives. Even if Bertrande was that smart and plan it all from the beginning she still had some guilt in allowing this to escalate to sure a grand stage. Without Bertrande playing some part in the events that lead to trial the whole story had too many questions, too many assumptions, and it all was just neatly package together. Without this theory the story is not that interesting and missing a reason to continue to read.
