Lanval Theme

Lastly, this theme continues in “Lanval”. This lai discusses Lanval meeting a fairy whom he falls in love with. The fairy offers Lanval gifts and everything he has ever dreamed of and in return she tells him, “I admonish you now, I command and beg you, do not let any man know about this… you would lose me for good if this love were known; you would never see me again or possess my body” (Hanning and Ferrante 143-5, 147-150). Consequently, Lanval is unable to share his stories about his lover to the common people. When Lanval returns to his home, Guinevere tries to seduce him, however, Lanval denies her because he has a love for someone else. Guinevere, who is upset that Lanval will not be with her, goes to inform her husband the King, how

The idea of this love story seems to be unrealistic because of the fairy aspect, as well as the idea of Lanval not being able to explain himself in court. Even though the fairy warns him not to tell anyone about their love, I find it difficult to believe that she could do anything damaging to him. Another concept of note is that this love story seems to be a magical idea within the actual real world. In this story, Marie portrays the real life of law and the judicial system by explaining the trial Lanval endures because of the lie Guinevere told the King. The idea that this love story makes sense in the real world is fallacious. This story has no depth to it, and essentially the fairy is playing a game on Lanval just to get him to do what she wants. The fairy has a unique role from the other maidens and “… plays both parts of lovely lady and heroic knight, her lover…” (Burns 47). This is unique to the rest of Marie de France’s lais because the hero is customarily the male character. While this relationship is unique and endures complications, it is not a realistic perception of what love should

There does not appear to be the real life idea that love is tremendously demanding and that you may have to endure multiple hardships that you may or may not overcome. For a majority of Marie’s lais, the characters seem oblivious to the problems that surround them. In addition, with magic being prevalent, the story loses the factual connection the reader may have with real life. While the magic makes the story interesting, it is hard for a reader to be connected to the stories because they are not relatable in love or ordinary life. Marie is truly a romantic and misses the knowledge that real and true relationships take work. Since magic is not present to assist when difficulties emerge, I believe that in Marie’s lais, she creates more of a fairytale, or a picturesque love. I reason that by highlighting the ideas of love the plots in The Lais of Marie de France, I have shown that while Marie’s lais endure complications in love and overcomes them to live a happily ever after, the whole idea of Marie’s love plots seem unlikely and not relatable to the real life impression of