Lanval's The Lais Of Marie De France

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The Lais of Marie de France introduce us to the deepest desire of love. Lanval’s story line, interprets the magical and courageous love between a knight and a majestic damsel. The romance story provides an unusual approach on the character's roles. Marie de France explores how the theme of great love that cannot exist in conjunction with the real world. Marie made an outstanding effort to be distinguish from other romance writers. In doing so, she pays particular attention to the desires of her characters; for instance, in Lanval, she casts the character of the unknown woman as the heroine as she saves Lanval at the end of the poem, in which on Marie medieval time was very uncommon. The written work of poetry Marie portraits is mainly on the …show more content…

First of all, it is worthwhile to consider how isolated Lanval is from his society at the very beginning. Although he as knight expresses loyalty to his king, valor, and generosity, he is not accepted:
“That was Lanval; Arthur forgot him, / and none of his men favored him either. / For his valor, for his generosity, / his beauty and his bravery, / most men envied him:” (19-23).
As man from Arthur court, Lanval lives a miserable life. Secondly, Lanval travels to the woods in search for alone time with himself, eventually crosses path with two beautiful damsels which lead him to their lady and leaves his horse behind:
“The Knight went with them; / giving no thought to his horse / who was feeding before him on the meadow” ( 77-79).
A horse is always associated with a knight, this implies that he is willing to abandon the world that makes him an outcast. Lanval is introduced to a more beautiful damsel, who rewards him with her love, along with the exception that he keep their loved in secret. The young knight takes her desire to heart, and only intensifies his devotion to solitary with …show more content…

Queen Guinevere sees Lanval in his solitary space and approaches him to confess her desire for him. Lanval rejects her proposal and defends himself as loving a woman, whose beauty and goodness are greater than hers.
“‘Lady,’ he said ‘of that activity / I know nothing, / but I love and I am loved / by one who should have the prize / over all the women I know.’” (290-295)
Marie show us again that Lanval stays for what he believes and loves. Guinevere then uses her power to manipulate and lie to the king who send Lanval to trail. It is not a surprise the damsel ask Lanval to keep their love in secret, a beautiful love like this has no place in this world. Lanval is taking to trial and defense himself from the queen’s accusations, by admitting the truth of his words about his lady. Arthur and his camelot agree for Lanval to prove his word is if his beloved is to step forward and make herself present at the trial.

Lastly, at the end of the verdict, Lanval does not recognize the maids who came to court and hopes not to see her lady. At last a single lady appears more beautiful than the others and Lanvel recognizes her as his lady. Marie characterized Lanval love to be so profound for the mystery damsel that he rather no longer care about his life now that he has see her in this

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