Bertrande de Rols Analysis

Naivety as well as the longing to fit into society with a loving man and stable, well-to-do peasant family deceived an honorable woman. Bertrande de Rols’ young marriage had difficulties from the start. With the guidance from family, the Catholic Church and Basque customs, Bertrande attempted to follow the sixteenth-century expectations for women, but was misled by her own fear, loneliness and catastrophic past.

Bertrande de Rols was married young to Martin Guerre, an adolescent, active boy who hated his planned future in a town called Artigat. Their arranged marriage was short-lived with complications from Martin being impotent and pressures from the villagers. Shortly after the birth of their first son, Sanxi, Martin left his family and future behind.

The “beautiful young woman” began to show her stubborn ways early. According to the reading, Bertrande was concerned more about putting aside her wifely duties than to ruin her reputation and independence (27-28). When Martin abandoned Bertrande, she was left without a defined position in the village social structure. Being the honest women that Coras said she was, Bertrande would not separate from Martin, and under Catholic law she could not remarry unless there was strong proof of death. The values that Bertrande grew up with showed that she never saw herself leaving village customs (32). Though the devastating experience of Martin leaving left her weak and yearning for a husband, she lived “virtuously and honorably” through her “stiff-necked sense of herself and her reputation” (34).

After years of abandonment, an absent man presumed to be Martin Guerre appeared in front of a woman who longed for a strong love and different husband. An “obstinate and honorable” woman could no...

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... Martin’s identity was questioned.

Bertrande did not intend to stray from the truths and beliefs she was raised with. After dealing with devastating events and conforming to society’s approach of being a widower and single mother the vulnerability of being alone broke her. Whether it was Bertrande’s selfishness or naivety to be accepted by the community, her good name and reputation was soiled. She refused to accept the guidance from the church and her family. Instead she tried to create her dream life with a man she knew was impersonating her husband. Her fear of being caught in the middle of society with no defined purpose steered her down a path of lies. Though marriage was at the heart of this story, The Return of Martin Guerre is about a woman who was so pressured by the acceptance of society that she took advantage of a once valid marriage for personal gain.