Griselda (folklore)
European folklore figure famed for patience and obedience.
Griselda—also known in English as Grizzel, Grissel, or Grissela—appears in European folklore as a symbol of patience and obedience. The best-known version of her story comes from Giovanni Boccaccio, writing around 1350. In it, Griselda marries Gualtieri, the Marquis of Saluzzo. He tests her loyalty by claiming their two children, a son and a daughter, must be killed. Griselda hands them over without complaint, though Gualtieri secretly sends them to Bologna to be raised. Later, he publicly divorces her, saying the pope granted permission for him to take a better wife; Griselda returns to her father’s home. Years after, Gualtieri announces a new marriage and calls Griselda back to serve as a servant for the wedding. He presents a twelve-year-old girl as his intended bride—actually their daughter—and Griselda wishes them well. Only then does he reveal the grown children, restoring her as wife and mother.
The tale was retold by Petrarch (his version, *Historia Griseldis*, was written around 1373, before his death in 1374) and by Chaucer in *The Clerk’s Tale* (late 1300s). Christine de Pizan included Griselda in *The Book of the City of Ladies*. Charles Perrault's verse tale *La Patience de Grisélidis* was published in 1691. John Phillip’s play *The Commodye of Pacient and Meeke Grissill* (also *The Plaie of Grissill*) dates to 1565. Henry Chettle, Thomas Dekker, and William Haughton collaborated on *Patient Grissel*, first performed in 1599. Operas titled *Griselda* were composed by Antonio Maria Bononcini (1718), Alessandro Scarlatti (1721), Giovanni Bononcini (1722), and Antonio Vivaldi (1735). Jules Massenet’s *Grisélidis* (1901) also drew on the tale. Shakespeare’s *The Winter’s Tale* (1623) borrows several elements from the Griselda story. Anthony Trollope’s *Miss Mackenzie* (1865) is built around the same theme. Maria Edgeworth’s *The Modern Griselda* appeared in 1804. In Caryl Churchill’s 1982 play *Top Girls*, Patient Griselda is one of the historical or legendary dinner guests. Steven Anthony George’s 2015 short story “Patient Griselda,” in the anthology *Twice Upon A Time*, reimagines the tale as a late-twentieth-century horror story. Margaret Atwood’s “Impatient Griselda” was published in *The New York Times Magazine* on July 12, 2020.
- Field
- Folklore
- Known for
- Patience and obedience in the face of extreme trials
- Nationality
- European (Italian origin in Boccaccio's version)
Lore & Background
In the most famous version of the Griselda tale, written by Giovanni Boccaccio c. 1350, Griselda marries Gualtieri, the Marquis of Saluzzo, who tests her by declaring that their two children—a son and a daughter—must both be put to death. Griselda gives both of them up without protest, but Gualtieri does not actually kill the children, instead sending them away to Bologna to be raised. In a final test, Gualtieri publicly renounces Griselda, claiming he had been granted papal dispensation to divorce her and marry a better woman; Griselda goes to live with her father. Some years later, Gualtieri announces he is to remarry and recalls Griselda as a servant to prepare the wedding celebrations. He introduces her to a twelve-year-old girl he claims is to be his bride but who is really their daughter; Griselda wishes them well. At this, Gualtieri reveals their grown children to her and Griselda is restored to her place as wife and mother.
Reader's Guide
Griselda appears in tales by Petrarch (died 1374, Historia Griseldis published 100 years later) and by Chaucer (The Clerk's Tale in The Canterbury Tales, late 1300s). She is also cited in Christine de Pizan's The Book of the City of Ladies. Patient Griselda is a tale by Charles Perrault (1691). John Phillip's play The Commodye of Pacient and Meeke Grissill (also known as The Plaie of Grissill) dates from 1565. Henry Chettle, Thomas Dekker and William Haughton collaborated on another dramatic version, Patient Grissel, first performed in 1599. There are operas named Griselda by Antonio Maria Bononcini (Griselda, 1718), Alessandro Scarlatti (La Griselda, 1721), Giovanni Bononcini (Griselda, 1722), and Antonio Vivaldi (Griselda, 1735). Also Jules Massenet's Grisélidis (1901) was inspired by the tale of Griselda. William Shakespeare's play The Winter's Tale (1623) features many elements of the Griselda story. Anthony Trollope's high Victorian novel Miss Mackenzie (1865) is based on the Griselda theme. The Modern Griselda is a novel by Maria Edgeworth from 1804. Patient Griselda is one of a group of historical or legendary dinner-party guests in Caryl Churchill's 1982 play Top Girls. 'Patient Griselda' is a 2015 short story by Steven Anthony George in the anthology Twice Upon A Time: Fairytale, Folklore, & Myth. Reimagined & Remastered, where the tale is retold as a late twentieth century horror story. The tale of Griselda was re-imagined by Margaret Atwood in her short story 'Impatient Griselda,' which was published in The New York Times Magazine on July 12, 2020.
Did You Know?
- Boccaccio's story of Griselda is depicted in a set of three Sienese panel paintings dating from around 1490 which hang in the National Gallery in London, by an unnamed artist known as the Master of the Story of Griselda.
- Griselda appears in tales by Petrarch, Chaucer, Christine de Pizan, and Charles Perrault.
- There are operas named Griselda by Antonio Maria Bononcini, Alessandro Scarlatti, Giovanni Bononcini, and Antonio Vivaldi.
- Margaret Atwood re-imagined the tale in her short story 'Impatient Griselda,' published in The New York Times Magazine on July 12, 2020.
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