SOURCE: “World of Many Loves: The Discussions,” in World of Many Loves: The Heptameron of Marguerite de Navarre, University of North Carolina Press, 1966, pp. 126-64.

In the following essay, Gelernt describes the characters, issues and tone of the discussions following the stories of the Heptameron, and argues that Marguerite's conclusion considers wedlock “the best chance man has for happiness in this world.”

At the root of Marguerite's investigation of love lies the assumption that love is in essence good and that it is the vagaries of human nature which can twist it to evil ends: in Saffredent's words, “tout ainsy que amour faict faire aux meschans des meschancetez, en ung cueur honneste faict faire choses dignes de louanges; car, amour, de soy, est bon, mais la malice du subgect luy faict souvent prendre ung nouveau surnom de fol, legier, cruel, ou villain.”¹ So much is tacitly agreed upon...