A Woman's Virture

I came across this quote today from our Companion to Chaucer (333) "...all wives should be honoured but especially those who are distinguished by virtue."  (and boy do I want to add a comma after 'honoured'!) This is from the Morale Scolarium by John of Garland, which Chaucer would have been familiar with. I think this quote sheds light on the tales that feature Griselde, Constuance, and Dorigen. Chaucer's audience probably appreciated these women in a way that we, perhaps, don't. Context is king.

Attractive Virtue?

Is Custaunce someone who encompasses the seven virtues, thus she is seen as desirable because she is the embodiment of the most positive attributes of Christianity?

The seven virtues are generally thought to be Prudence, Constancy, Justice, Temperance, Faith, Hope and Love.  The first four were considered the natural virtues, and were lauded from much earlier by Greek Philosophers as things which makes a person great. Being even tempered and balanced, being consistent in your dealings with the world, making smart decisions, and acting in a fair and just manner were explained as the best way to live a moral life.  The final three, as seen in 1 Corinthians 13, are the three cardinal virtues—Faith, Hope and Love/Charity, each offering different ways to interact and integrate faith into anyone’s life.  As James Kennan wrote in his article “Proposing Cardinal Virtues,” that “Philosophers and theologians have recognized that being virtuous is more than having a particular habit of acting, e.g. generosity. Rather, it means having a fundamental set of related virtues that enable a person to live and act morally well.”

This makes me think that perhaps Custance is someone who shows different examples of these traits, and thus is attractive to others, because she does what St. Francis of Assisi encouraged by preaching the gospel to all nations, and if necessary, use words.  While we don’t see active interaction by Custance in most of the Man of Law’s tale, are these seven traits the things which make her so desirable to others and make her the best woman in the story?

Do you see these trait in her?  Do they make her attractive or desirable? What do you think?

Keenan, James F. "Proposing Cardinal Virtues." Theological Studies 56.4 (1995): 709-729. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Apr. 2013.