Martin Guerre

In the middle of the novel, the mystery of the true identity of the Martin Guerre who returned is further enriched by the distinct conversations that take place between Bertrande and Martin, and her inner monologue that illuminates the reader to her thoughts on whether he is an imposter or not. These key moments seem intermixed with the unfolding of their everyday life, and seem to keep the reader on edge. Once you get used to the everyday life and happenings that Martin and Bertrande deal with, Janet Lewis continually inserts Bertrande’s thoughts on whether Martin is an imposter or not. An example of Bertrande’s uncertainty, and how this builds mystery for the reader, comes in the pages 62-64, when Bertrande admits to her Marting that she is suspicious, and further examines his actions after the conversation.

Martin asks Bertrande what is the matter just by looking at her eyes. “Why do you look at me strangely with your lovely two colored eyes...” (62) This sentence perfectly exemplifies how the author builds mystery through simple conversation. As a reader, you are following Bertrande’s investigation of Martin, but since this investigation spans such a long time, and containes no real objective evidence,  the reader simultaneously tries to decipher if Bertrande’s suspicions are correct, or if she herself has gone insane. The aforementioned sentence seems to feed evidence to both sides. First, it seems that the ability to recognize emotions by simply viewing a persons’ eyes, comes only with time and familiarity. Since he is able to read her emotions with such ease, the reader is compelled to believe that he truly is her husband. On the contrary, Martin’s description of Bertrande’s eyes after viewing them signifies unfamiliarity and if it doesn’t add evidence to him being an imposter, it certainly radiates an uneasy feeling upon closer review.

Another part of this conversation that adds evidence to both sides of the mystery comes from Bertrande’s references to Martin. While they are discussing Bertrande’s suspicions Bertrande refers to Martin as her husband. “Which made her husband lean forward and look long and searchingly into her face.” (62) This appears odd or out of place because in the same instance Bertrande is detailing her distrust of Martin, and even likens his subtlety to the Devil himself. On one hand she calls him her husband, and then states he is devilishly intricate. Which one is it? Where does thethe evidence point? It seems that the author intended for those answers to be ambiguous in these instances to further add to the mystery.  After this accusation, it is said that Martin’s demeanor changes and Bertrande states “Ah [...] that was the true manner of Martin Guerre, he has profited well from my complaints, the imposter.” (63) This also seems like ambiguous evidence. How can one prove that someone is an imposter by declaring that the act of acting like the supposed person is ample evidence? It seems to me that one cannot prove this, and provides no answers to the question of Martin’s identity. It simply adds to the mystery.