"The Return of Martin Guerre"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses identity theft in 16th century provincial France through an analysis of the historical evidence presented in the book, "The Return of Martin Guerre," written by Natalie Zemon Davis. In addition, the paper reviews the style and presentation of the author's work and describes the content of the book and the ways in which Davis attempted to make the facts more engaging.

From the Paper:

"But Davis uses far more documentary evidence than a director ever could to bring the past to life. She also is able to show that Bertrande's motivations were not just romantic or sexual, but were also rooted in her desire to survive. Davis can also add a great deal of back history, so the reader understand that Bertrande was a woman of her time, as well as an extraordinarily strong and resourceful woman, and that there were many intelligent and capable women living in the Middle Ages. Davis also brings to life with clarity and comprehension the system of justice at the time, which was far more draconian than our own (identity theft was a capital crime) but also far more reasonable than media stereotypes of Medieval justice might suggest."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Davis, Natalie Zemon. The Return of Martin Guerre. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1984.

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