The Return of Martin Guerre

Their skepticism proves to be accurate when finally the real Martin Guerre returns. The fake Martin, known as “Pansette” is then executed for his crime. This film illustrates the concerns and lives of the people in 16th century France, through the interplay of social, religious and political institutions. In the film, we see marriage being treated as a social matter, rather than a religious matter. During the 16th century, marriage began to be treated as secular, instead of a sacrament. Because of this parents’ control over whom their children married began to increase (Western Civilizations, 357).

At a young age, Martin’s family married him off to Bertrande de Rols. Bertrande belonged to a well-off peasant family. Bertrande was chosen by Martin’s family based on what her family could offer to Martin. Her dowry included a bed, linen sheets, wool and a vineyard, among other items of value. Because marriage involved the inheritance of property, most believed it was too important of a matter to be left in the hands of the children (357). Once Martin’s father passed, Martin would inherit his family’s land.

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During the 16th century was the father’s role to instruct and discipline his household, while the woman was to tend to and show obedience to her husband, and also to bear children (Western Civilizations, 357). After the marriage, Bertrande moved in with Martin and his family. Martin worked underneath his father and learned from him. However soon into the marriage, it was discovered that Martin could not consummate his marriage and therefore the family did not have children. In the film, we see how infertility was dealt with socially and religiously during this time.

The village poked fun at Martin’s infertility during a festival. During the 16th century, festivals served a social function. Usually they were used for celebration and demonstration of solidarity. However, like in this case, festivals were used as competition between classes and were incredibly violent (Wahl, “Festivals” notes). During a Candlemas festival, a “symbolic castration” took place. Martin was dressed up as a bear. The villagers pretended to hunt him and cut off what symbolized his genitals. Bertrande claimed that he had been put under a spell and a Catholic exorcism is performed.

Both Martin and Bertrande are tied to a post naked, while the Priest performs rituals. After this, Bertrande becomes pregnant with their son, Sanxi. Though his infertility was reversed and his son was born, Martin was unhappy with his life. He did not like farming and kept to himself. After an argument with his father over stolen grain, Martin leaves during the night and does not return for several years. During this time, Martin’s father passes. In the 16th century, when a father dies the estate is given to the eldest son. In this case, it was Martin.

However, because Martin is not around, Martin’s uncle takes control of the Guerre’s estate. In order to keep the estate within both families, Bertrande’s mother marries Martin’s uncle. Throughout Martin’s absence, Bertrande remains married to him. Because there was no proof that Martin was dead, Bertrande was not considered a widow and therefore could not remarry. It was also not common for the Catholic Church to annul a marriage, unless it could be proven that either party had not freely consented to the marriage (Western Civilizations, 357).

During the 16th century, a person’s identity was based on his or her actions rather than appearance. For this reason, the fake Martin Guerre, Pansette, was able to convince the village that he was the real Martin. No formal records or pictures were kept of people at this time. The people of the village relied on the memory of Martin. With Pansette’s slight resemblance to Martin and his vast knowledge of Martin’s life, he was able to fool everyone. Pansette tells stories of the places he visited. Specifically he spoke of the men he saw from Brazil.

He describes the men as naked and in chains with feathers on their heads. Pansette tells them that they eat their prisoners’ hearts, and share their land and women. He also told them that women make the decisions and go to war for the men. Bertrande seems shocked by this and asks if they are human or if they have souls. This is significant because it demonstrates the power of men at this time. In the 16th century, men made the decisions, while woman were expected to obey their husbands. Therefore it was strange for them to hear of woman having power over the men.

After a dispute over the land between the fake Martin and his uncle, his uncle begins to question whether he is the real Martin. Rumors go around about this and the village is split on this issue. With this issue, we see how it is dealt with through religion and politics. The Toulouse Parliament of France is put in charge of this matter and questions Bertrande. She stands by Pansette, claiming he is the true Martin Guerre, although she knows that he is not. From a religious point of view, by doing this she is living in mortal sin and damning her soul and politically, she can be hanged for this crime.

This case is brought before a court. Those who testified claimed that Pansette was not an imposter, until a man walks in claiming to be the real Martin Guerre. Martin’s family, including Bertrande, admits that this man is, in fact, the real Martin. Pansette finally confesses that he is not Martin and learned everything he knew about him through Martin himself. Although Pansette is found guilty, the court frees Bertrande from prosecution as a collaborator. This is because the court holds the real Martin Guerre to be partially responsible for not acting as a true husband.

This issue is considered so serious because it is an issue of property. By pretending to be another man, Pansette is taking another man’s wife and stealing his wealth. During the 16th century, crimes against property, such as theft and arson, were punishable by execution (Wahl, “Counter Reformation” Lecture). The story of Martin Guerre and his return demonstrate the concerns and lives of people in 16th century France, through social, religious and political institutions. Socially, we see the act of marriage as a secular matter, ather than a religious one, where wht dowry a woman can offer determines if she is fit to be a wife. Also, we see the issue of identity and individuality based upon knowledge and actions, rather than appearance. It can be argued that during this time people know each other better than today. To decide if Pansette was the real Martin, they based their decision around how he acted and what he remembered about life before he left (although Martin’s family was fooled by the fake Martin), while today identity is based a lot more on just appearance.

We see how religion plays a role in their actions. They believed to fix Martin’s problem of infertility, they must perform an exorcism to get the demon out of him. Also, we see how by believing the fake Martin, Bertrande is living in sin under God. Finally, politically we see just how serious Pansette’s crime was. By interfering with the real Martin’s property (his family and land), he is committing the ultimate crime and is executed for this.