The Return Of Martin Guerre Essay

Faith: The Middle Ground of the Middle Ages
The Medieval times were frequently called the “Dark” ages as these troubled several hundred years were ruled by the black death and little to no artistic achievements were made, in fact “no scientific accomplishments had been made, no great art produced, no great leaders born.”(History.com Staff) Despite this lack of accomplishment the people of the Middle Ages did have one great driving force: their faith. These were a time in which people often turned to God and religion to repent, question and hope. Through evidence in the novel Year of Wonders, the film the Return of Martin Guerre and the class resources, a compelling argument can be made that the middle ages were overrun by faith and clergy were at the forefront of political matters and were used to resolve issues or explain the unexplainable. The bubonic plague killed off a third of the population of Europe, and in large cities and small …show more content…
As was the custom, the priests and clergy were the high figures of authority and called upon for all matters, whether it be illness, spells, crimes, etc. In the movie The Return of Martin Guerre, it was the priest who cast the spell out of Martin when he could not consummate his marriage. The priest then called upon God to purge Martin and Bertrande of their suffering, praying “Blessed God, shed thy grace on Martin whose flesh is suffering”. In the film one furthermore sees the importance and authority of clergy in day to day life. The priest in this film encompassed all of the significant roles; when Pansette was found out by Guerre’s uncle, the priest stepped in to mediate. When Bertrande was being questioned by the men of Parliament, John de Coras convinced Bertrande “you must tell me everything, even if the priest said not to”, proving the rank of the clergy in their