The place of love is argued by numerous literary work throughput centuries. The search for the true definition of the idea of love challenges individuals. Love has multiple meanings for people. Love can have a positive or negative connotation for an individual. The idea of love is a complicated and insightful topic, because of its limitless perspectives. The place of love is a central issue, a broad topic in which one can derive from their own experiences and connotations and draw on new perspectives. Readers have the ability to combine literary works about love and form their own interpretations. The Lais of Marie de France, presents the place of love as a complex enigma. Marie de France annotates her place of love as a concept of “courtly …show more content…
love.” The love in her work is a reminder of an independent force personified in medieval times. Marie de France not only presents the common story of love as a fatal passion between lovers, rather she creates a new scenario in much suffering, selfishness, and other components contribute to love. Not only does Marie de France, expands on the nature of love itself, as a natural force. A natural force the powerfully alludes man to react in a way that causes suffering and grief. The illustration challenges the one argument of love as a delicate innocent concept that creates no other challenge other than pure joy. Instead, Marie de France considers love as a readjustment of such judgments. She writes for readers to judge love without the reality of love, but to create a new scenario in which love itself has meaning for the individual. The individual should create their own interpretations, not feel obligated to perceive the place of love set by cultures, and be aware of the inevitable possibility of suffering. On the other hand, Gregory of Tours uses the history of the different Frankish kings to create a meaning of the place of love. The relations the kings had with their wives formed their idea of love. The place of love is not one created by two young people whom catch each other’s eyes and fall for each other. Rather, love during this time period is of tradition.
The king had the option to marry whom he wishes, royalty or not, and the wife was at his disposal. The woman did have the option to object to the king’s unfaithful or unruly behavior, yet would most likely the result would not fall in her favor. Gregory of Tours writes of the descendants of Clovis and the marriages of the kings. A common occurrences between the results of the marriages are common among the historical accounts. There is suffering and sadness at the sake of the woman. Gregory of Tours does not paint the place of love as a soft picture, rather one filled with anguish and sadness. Due to the fact that most of the females in the History of the Franks, experience such neglect, the find solemn in jealousy. Their only possibility to feel like they obtain control or power in their relationships is by constantly feeling threatened by another woman. Marie de France’s concept of love in Lais complements the portrayal of love in Gregory Tours’ History of the Franks. Gregory of Tours and Marie de France provide perspectives of the portrayal of the place of love as as an evitable force that binds two individuals together, yet at the cost of suffering and selfishness of …show more content…
love. In Marie de France’s Guigemar and Gregory of Tours’ account of Queen Theudechild both illustrate the fatal faults of suffering for love. The central of figure of the lai is Guigemar, a character who lacks interest in love. On a hunt he is injured by a arrow which he shot at an animal. As the animal breathes its last breath, it spurs out a curse on Guigemar, “May you never find a cure, nor any herb, root, doctor or potion ever heal the wound you have in your thigh until you are cured by a woman who will suffer for your love more pain and anguish […] you will suffer likewise for her, so much so that all those who are in love, who have known love or yet to experience it will marvel at it” (Guigemar 44). The irony of the curse us seen in the fact that Guigemar can only be cured be love, a notion which he originally lacks interest in. The cure also, will not not completely relive hi of his suffering, only change its nature. Love will cure his physical wound, however once he discovers it and its vanquishes he will suffer from the lack of it. The description of love as suffering pertains to the fact that Guigemar must search for a true love that will accept him and comply to suffering for their love. Marie de France continues to condemn love not as a story of a princess finding her prince charming, rather one of a nobler quality which emphasizes service. The lai shift to the suffering of the woman, who spends her time in prison. Her years bound by the walls, force her to experience physical and mental aguish. The imprisoned lady finally is united with Guigemar and they fall in love. However, their time together comes at an end as they realize they can not stay together in secret for much longer. Marie de France writes that true love is intertwined with suffering. It is not a pursuit of just the woman. Their joy together occurs as they are together in a remote enclosure away from society. Guigemar realizes that, “suffering was inevitable, for there was no alternative,” (Guigemar 48) he is in love with her. He is cured by loving the woman, yet suffers at the wonderment of whether the love can be returned. As the story progresses, the two are separated. There it is evident that the their love flourishes at the fact that there were removed from each other. As depart the creation of the knot ensures that their love can not be fulfilled by another person, for Guigemar states that he will, “love the woman who can undo the knot and untie it” (Guigemar 50). The quality of the knot ensures a reflection of the vow of the two as the lovers are willingly accept suffering at separation. Though later she is in the hands of Meriadu, a king, he combats the king and his kingdom in order to be reunited with her. The lover pledge ab unending faith to each other. Their love permits them no other possible solution, only that they must suffer before they can become one. Their happy ending derives from that idea that the extraordinary love and loyalty to one another exhibits their true fate to be together. Marie de France writes that love must endure suffering. Gregory of Tours’ account of Queen Theudechild also illustrates the suffering one endures for love. Theudechild became a widow after the death of King Charibert. She offered her hand in marriage to King Guntram. He replied that, “She may come to me and bring her treasure with her. I will receive her and I will give her an honorable place among my people. She will hold a higher position at my side than she ever did with my brother…” (Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks IV.26). King Guntram promises Theudechild comfort and tranquility. He offers her a spot in his kingdom, security in which she longs for. She trusts in his word and acts immediately to his response. Unfortunately, King Guntram takes all of her possessions, because, “It is better that this treasure should fall into my hands than that it should remain in the control of this woman who was unworthy of my brother’s bed” (History of the Franks IV.26). He deceives Theudechild. She trusted King Guntram a second chance of love, rather he takes her possessions and sends her to a nunnery to die. She was left to rot in the nunnery and even became ill. Then, she attempts once more at love and writes to a Goth, promising that if they marry together in Spain she will bestow him what little she has to her name. He agrees. However, the nunnery’s “vigilant abbess […] caught her red-handed, had her beaten mercilessly and locked her up in her cell” (History of the Franks IV.26). Theudechild had no hope. Every chance she believes she has at love, it is destroyed. She suffered at the hands of the king and the abbess, whom sought not in their favor to allow her happiness. Her continuous suffering did not alleviate, instead it continued as she is forced to live the rest of her life in anguish. In Marie de France’s Le Fresne and Gregory of Tours’ account of Queen Ingoberg both illustrate the fatal results selfishness for love. The mother’s unkind accusations concerning the women, who gave birth two twin boys, who is described as “deceitful and arrogant, prone to slander and envy” (Le Fresne 61). From the spiteful words, she caused an innocent women’s reputation to deteriorate amongst the people. By being ignorant herself, and believing that it is impossible to give multiple births, she caused future condemnation upon herself. The lies that spread like fire soon returned to affect her and her children. Then she became self condemned when she herself has twins. The malicious comments cause Fresne to lose her heritage and almost ruin her life. Upon realization of her action she states that she, “spoke ill of all women” (Le Fresne 62). The lack of sympathy for another female, cause her to be spiteful. Rather, than congratulate the new mother of bringing two newborns to the world, she slanders the mother’s name and children. In return she then faces the same situation, and contemplates the possibility that in order, “To ward off shame, I shall have to murder one of the children: I would rather make amends with God than shame and dishonor myself” (Le Fresne 62). The woman acts upon her instinct to be arrogant that she is selfish. Even, as she gives birth two her two daughters, she believes the death of one of them can settle her “shame.” Though she loves her girls, she still contemplates the idea of murdering on of them for her own sake and honor. Marie de France begins Le Fresne, of two women, one deceitful and the other loving, in order to establish the two paths selfishness can lead. Though the first woman is falsely accused of adultery she did not love her sons any less at the expense of her own name. On the other hand, the deceitful woman thought of herself first. The women establish the fact that selfishness can bind one of love and conceal the true beauty of setting aside oneself for another. Gregory of Tours’ account of Queen Ingoberg also illustrates the fatal results selfishness for love. King Charibert fell in love with the two female servants of his queen, Ingoberg. Ingoberg became, “jealous because of the love which the King bore them” (History of the Franks IV.26). She grew hatred for the two girls who did not act upon the King’s desires. It was the King whom was acting dishonestly in their relationship, therefore Ingoberg should taken her disregard to her husband’s actions. She devises a plan to attempt to make the King despise the girls by forcing their, “father to work, in hope that when Charibert saw this he would despise the two girls” (History of the Franks IV.26). Rather, it backfired and the King became angry at the queen and dismissed her from the court. The rash decision of the queen causes her demise. She acts upon her selfish gains to get rid of the girls through trickery, instead is removed from her title. Gregory of Tours writes of the story of Ingoberg to set an example of the unintended demise of selfish behavior. Love does not coincide with selfishness, rather selfishness pushes love farther away. The more one acts upon their own selfish desire, the closer than become one with jealously. The person like Ingoberg falls in the trap of their own selfishness. Opponents assert that Marie de France’s Lais and Gregory of Tours’ History of the Franks offer different perspective on the place of love. In Marie de France’s twelve lais she romanticizes the fictional love story of the characters. The characters whom experience obstacles in the beginning of the journey and transcend from their suffering to a happy ending. As in the lais of Guigemar and Le Fresne, the protagonists end up happily married or together with their true love. Though at the start of their lives, there is a bleak hope of happiness, they find their love and surpass suffering. The History of the Franks, perceives love a difficult and heartbreaking entity of life. There is no true happy ending for the women, rather despair and anguish. For these reasons. Opponents claim the lack of similarity of the two literary works. Nevertheless, the authors write of a common correlation of love. One must fight for love, despite the hardship. Though they might die trying, the attempt for love once more is something all desire. The writings of Marie de France and Gregory of Franks derive a similar perception of the place of love.
Marie de France writes of love as a force that one must suffer in order to obtain. She also writes of selfishness as a barrier for love. In her lais, Guigemar, he experiences suffering of being absent of love. In Le Fresne, the mother looses sight of the birth of her children, in order to save herself from false ridicule, she creates herself. Additionally, Gregory of Tours’ History of the Franks, also contributes the the interpretations of Marie de France. The stories of the queens, Theudechild and Ingoberg, both correlate to the place of love. Theudechild endure suffering at the expense of finding love once more. Ingoberg acts upon her selfishness and causes her own demise. The two authors usage of the accounts of the individuals contribute their case of the place of love. The place of love is an inevitable force that touches everyone in their lives for the good or
bad.
As is custom with Marie De France, her lai “Lanval” presents the idea of a romance in which the power of fairies and/or magic is present and works to aid or hurt the romance in question. In the case of “Lanval” magic and fairies come to the aid of our protagonist Lanval, and ultimately lead to the formation of a romantic relationship in his life. However, Lanval faces a dilemma as he talks of his love to the fairy woman while rejecting the Queen’s love, and thus realizes he will never be able to see his beloved again, as she had told him never to speak of their romance or he would lose her. Luck turns in his favor though, as even after having spoken of their love, his beloved returns and they leave together. Many may speculate as to why Marie
When we think about the force that holds the world together and what makes humans different from animals, one answer comes to our minds - that humans can love. Love is a state of mind that cannot be defined easily but can be experienced by everyone. Love is very complicated. In fact it is so complicated that a person in love may be misunderstood to be acting in an extremely foolish manner by other people. The complexity of love is displayed in Rostand’s masterpiece drama Cyrano de Bergerac. This is accomplished by two characters that love the same woman and in the course neither one achieves love in utter perfection.
Throughout the Lais of Marie de France there are several themes presented as central to the various stories. Some of these themes are present in all of the lais. One such example is that of courtly love and it’s implications. Courtly love being one of the more prominent themes in all of medieval literature, it is fittingly manifested in all of the lais as well. Another theme present in two of the lais is isolation. The theme of isolation plays a large role in the stories of Guigemar and Lanval. In each of these lais we see isolation as a factor in determining the fates of the central figures. Within each lai isolation is represented on several different occasions, each time having a direct impact on the outcome. These instances of isolation may be seen at times to be similar in nature and consequence, and different at other times. By sifting through both works these instances may be extrapolated and analyzed.
From the beginning of fiction, authors have constantly exploited the one topic that is sure to secure an audience: love. From the tragic romance of Tristan and Isolde to the satirical misadventures in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, literature seems obsessed with deciphering the mysteries of affection. The concept most debated is the question of where the line falls between lust and love and what occurs when the two are combined, and few portray it more clearly than Edmund Rostand in his French drama Cyrano de Bergerac. The influence of fickle physical attraction and deep romantic love on each other are explored by the interactions of the four main characters: De Guiche, Christian, Roxane, and Cyrano.
In The Lais of Marie de France, the theme of love is conceivably of the utmost importance. Particularly in the story of Guigemar, the love between a knight and a queen brings them seemingly true happiness. The lovers commit to each other an endless devotion and timeless affection. They are tested by distance and are in turn utterly depressed set apart from their better halves. Prior to their coupling the knight established a belief to never have interest in romantic love while the queen was set in a marriage that left her trapped and unhappy. Guigemar is cursed to have a wound only cured by a woman’s love; he is then sent by an apparent fate to the queen of a city across the shores. The attraction between them sparks quickly and is purely based on desire, but desire within romantic love is the selfishness of it. True love rests on a foundation that is above mere desire for another person. In truth, the selfishness of desire is the
...tion of both methods can be used to show France’s idea of what love is. Patrick John Ireland argued that France’s idea of love “is a human force controlled by man with great difficulty; it is a spontaneous, natural, and all-consuming power, the experience of which leads to an almost blind passion at times” (133). To be in love, one must be entirely devoted and passionate to one another to the point of blind passion. This is so for Yonec (the Princess jumps out of the tower) and Lanval (Lanval’s complete rejection of the human world until he is brought into the world of his lover). Not only does France portray love as natural and all-consuming, but also shows the private and unearthly nature of love that cannot be contained to the realm of the human world. Rather, love transcends the boundaries of the human world and enters into a world where love reigns supreme.
Medieval and Renaissance literature develops the concepts of love and marriage and records the evolution of the relation between them. In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Christian love clashes with courtly love, as men and women grapple with such issues as which partner should rule in marriage, the proper, acceptable role of sex in marriage, and the importance of love as a basis for a successful marriage. Works by earlier writers portray the medieval literary notion of courtly love, the sexual attraction between a chivalric knight and his lady, often the knight's lord's wife. The woman, who generally held mastery in these relationships based on physical desire and consummation, dictated the terms of the knight's duties and obligations, much like a feudal lord over a vassal. This microcosm of romance between man and woman was anchored by the macrocosm of the bonds among men and their fealty to their lord. The dominance of women and fealty to the leader in courtly love contrasts with the dominance ...
The story begins with the Marquise de Merteuil corresponding with Vicomte de Valmont regarding a luscious new act of ‘revenge’, as she describes it, against the Comte de Gercourt. The young Cecile de Volanges has just come home from the convent and her marriage to Gercourt has been arranged. However, before he can wed the innocent child, Merteuil proposes Valmont ‘educate’ her, thus spoiling Gercourt’s fancy for untarnished convent girls. Valmont is uninterested in such an easy seduction and is far more aroused by the thought of lulling The Presidente’ de Tourvel, the very epitome of virtue, into submission. And so the tale unfolds.
The Symposium, The Aeneid, and Confessions help demonstrate how the nature of love can be found in several places, whether it is in the mind, the body or the soul. These texts also provide with eye-opening views of love as they adjust our understanding of what love really is. By giving us reformed spectrum of love, one is able to engage in introspective thinking and determine if the things we love are truly worthy of our sentiment.
During the Middle Ages, Courtly love was a code which prescribed the conduct between a lady and her lover (Britannica). The relationship of courtly love was very much like the feudal relationship between a knight and his liege. The lover serves his beloved, in the manner a servant would. He owes his devotion and allegiance to her, and she inspires him to perform noble acts of valor (Schwartz). Capellanus writes, in The Art of Courtly Love, “A true lover considers nothing good except what he thinks will please his beloved”. The stories of Marie de France and Chrétien de Troyes illustrate the conventions of courtly love.
“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is written in an entertaining and adventurous spirit, but serves a higher purpose by illustrating the century’s view of courtly love. Hundreds, if not thousands, of other pieces of literature written in the same century prevail to commemorate the coupling of breathtaking princesses with lionhearted knights after going through unimaginable adventures, but only a slight few examine the viability of such courtly love and the related dilemmas that always succeed. “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” shows that women desire most their husband’s love, Overall, “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” shows that the meaning of true love does not stay consistent, whether between singular or separate communities and remains timeless as the depictions of love from this 14th century tale still hold true today.
Despite the fact that this lady was supposedly untouchable due to her status as “taken” this man or rather knight made it his mission to win her over or it was his mission to please her. This Knight would go to great lengths sometimes setting into long journeys, battling other knights and going into chivalric adventures in what is known as the other world. This knight or the courtly lover is like a slave to this passionate, romantic love for example in the tale “Le Chevalier de la charrette”, a courtly romance whose hero obeys every imperious and unreasonable demand of the heroine. A slave willing to put his own life at risk in order to show his love and passion for this one woman. For example, In “Lancelot, the Knight of Cart” Lancelot first part is a physical quest though driven by love, the knight tries to rescue Guinevere. However, once he finds her, he does not stop, he continued to quest in order to deserve her love. Even after they consummate their relationship in the tower, he must continue to do her bidding, suggesting that the quest for love never ceases. We see this untouchable love through his love and adulterous feelings for the queen, Lady Guinevere, this lady made untouchable through her marriage to King
The Woman in Love, a section taken from Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex, describes her theories on men and women in love and the vast differences and purposes they think love is for. This book was published in 1949, and with this in mind we can understand the way she describes women as the weaker sex and how dependent women are on men. In the beginning of the text she states that “The word ‘love’ has not all the same meaning for both sexes, and this is a source of the grave misunderstandings that separate them...love is merely an occupation in the life of the man, while it is life itself for the woman(683).” This first quote from this chapter is important because it really outlines what she is about to get at throughout the entire...
The tale of Sleeping Beauty is influenced by oral folklore and various written versions. Today fairytales are told as a domain for the entertainment and teachings of children. In traditional storytelling, peasants transmitted folklore orally around campfires to audiences of mixed ages. However, during the 17th century, peasant tales, such as Sleeping Beauty, were altered by writers like Charles Perrault’s, to appeal to the courts of aristocracy. Thus the characters of Sleeping Beauty adorned a courtly air to appeal to the crown, such as Louis XIV of France. Throughout history, various cultural influences transformed the tale of Sleeping Beauty through the manipulation of various social forces to achieve better entertainment purposes and reflect Christian beliefs and customs. In addition, the moral of the tale conveys a message that women remain passive in hope to marry her true lov...
Love has been expressed since the beginning of time; since Adam and Eve. Each culture expresses its love in its own special way. Though out history, though, it’s aspect has always been the same. Love has been a major characteristic of literature also. One of the most famous works in literary history is, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. This story deals with the love of a man and a woman who’s families have been sworn enemies. There love surpassed the hatred in which the families endured for generations. In the end they both ended up killing their selves, for one could not live without the other. This story is a perfect example of true love.