Quotes About Enide's Loyalty

Enide must prove her loyalty to Erec through her actions and reactions, with every decision she makes she proves her loyalty to Erec more. When the odds were stacked against Erec, she spoke to warn him of the three approaching knights that surely would have killed him if it were not for her. When Erec slept, she kept watch and guarded over him. Plenty of times Enide went out of her way to warn Erec and care for his well-being. Every time Erec needed her, she was there. Enide proves her loyalty to Erec in the most selfless way possible; she always put his best interest before her own. “‘Hold back until morning, when my lord will wish to rise; then you will be better able to harm him without incurring blame or reproach.’ But the thoughts of her heart are not the words on her lips.” In this instant, she took control of the situation and tricked the count into believing her but he did not count on her vast love for Erec. She selflessly chose to stay loyal to Erec; she had nothing to gain and all to lose. If the count had realized her treachery, he would have killed her for sure but even though she had nothing but trouble to gain from saving Erec’s life, she did it anyways. The loyalty Enide shows is tied to her love for Erec, which can only be seen as truly selfless.

The tale of “Erec and Enide” shows that Enide is more than what she appears to be.

She stays loyal to Erec when most would not, she defied her lord to save his life when most would not, and Enide is brave, caring, loving and loyal. She is everything a knight like Erec needs. With all these qualities, she is able to prove herself worthy of a knight like Erec. Chretien takes all these qualities and demonstrates how a relationship in chivalric romances should be. He did not just use the same damsel in distress scenario as other writers. Chretien turned Enide into something revolutionary, a strong woman in medieval

Europe.