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The Return of Martin Guerre Essay Example

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The Return of Martin Guerre Essay Example
The Return of Martin Guerre Assignment 2a

In the novel The Return of Martin Guerre Natalie Zemon Davis used some sources in her novel to describe the court case of Martin Guerre. In the last three chapters she used Jean de Coras' Arrest Memorable to describe Coras' point of view about the case of Martin Guerre. Davis quotes sayings from Coras' book to show his thoughts about Martin Guerre and Arnaud de Tilh. She also writes about Coras' background and his life after the trial of Martin Guerre in the chapter: The Storyteller.

In the novel, after Davis had finished telling the story of the case of Marting Guerre and the execution of Arnaud de Tilh, Davis concentrates on the life of Jean de Coras. Jean de Coras was very affected by this case of Martin Guerre, that he decided to write a book about it after the trail was over. Coras was always intrested in law and he also teached in a university. One of hs students, Usilis has said that "no one could remember any professor drawing such crowds". Coras had many experience with law too, one of them was when his mother Jeanne de Termes died and his family were fighting over who should get her goods and property. Coras' was a good lawer and he knew well about the law, but when it was the trial of Martin Guerre he failed to be a good lawer, since he was convinced by Arnaud de Tilh that he was actually Marting Guerre. Coras would say how suprised he was when the real Martin Guerre, entered the court right when they decided Arnaud de Tilh as innocent. Coras thoguht that the moment when Martin Guerre with the wooden leg enetered the court was a miracle.

Jean de Coras was not the only man who wrote about the case of Marting Guerre. Another young man named Cuillaume Le Sueur also wrote about this case. But Davis in her novel would talk more about Coras and his experience and thoughts about the case then Le Sueur's. Davis spent many pages describing about Coras' life. She wrote about his childhood and about his two

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