The Lais Of Marie De France Theme

1204 Words3 Pages

In The Lais of Marie de France, the theme of love is perhaps the most prominent. Particularly in the story of Guigemar, the love between a knight and a queen brings them seemingly true happiness. The lovers give 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, …show more content…

The fear that resonates with jealousy is that which is similar to a child having their favorite toy taken away. The true attachment of romantic love should reach beyond lovers taking the place of a security blanket. In Guigemar, the queen is imprisoned by her very jealous husband who would in this way seem not to truly love her. Instead, his authority over her is grounded in his fear of being “cuckolded” (Marie de France 46), thus he is jealous solely due to the anxiety of his image being tarnished. In relation to the desire Guigemar and the queen have for each other there is a moment in which the fear that resonates with jealousy suggests their dance around true love. At last when the lovers are reunited not only does Guigemar not recognize her fully at first, but when he does he defends her like she is his favourite toy. Guigemar declares that he will be in the debt of Meriaduc; whom Guigemar can thank for bringing him his lover. In response Meriaduc says that his declaration is not necessary, but furthermore he expresses authority over the queen when he says “I found her and I shall keep her and defend her against you” (Marie de France 54). Guigemar’s response is by instinct to kill Meriaduc, and with joy Guigemar takes away his prize. The queen is secured to him by his fear of her being taken away and left to someone else’s enjoyment. Desire presented in this manner eludes to the …show more content…

Romantic love transcends desire for another person. Of course, Guigemar and the queen loved each other, but their love differs from being in love. In other words, the love they share is an illusion to being in love. In fact, the curse given to Guigemar doesn’t seem like much of a curse if from it he gains the love of his life. But when the hind sets the curse he says “May you never find a cure…until you are cured by a woman who will suffer for your love more pain and anguish than any other woman” (Marie de France 44). The queen will suffer from the anguish of being lead a stray from true love, but engrossed with a love that is convenient. The hind finishes the curse by saying to Guigemar “you will suffer likewise for her...all those who are in love…will marvel at it” (Marie de France 44). Guigemar will suffer for the queen as he suffers for her, and perhaps all they are to each other is something for those who are actually in love to merely marvel at. For they are blindly suffering for each other by what they are not for each

Show More
Related

  • Destructiveness of Jealousy Depicted in Lord of the Flies and Woman Warrior

    1342 Words  | 3 Pages

    Within playwright William Shakespeare’s fantastic work The Merchant of Venice, the character Iago cries out, “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green ey’d monster” (Enotes). Jealousy is justly called a beast, and it is a hideous creature that is illuminated in William Golding’s novel The Lord of the Flies, and by Woman Warrior, the memoir of Maxine Hong Kingston. Through the use of the literary elements of plots, characters, symbols, and additional plots, both pieces illustrate how, by torturing people and driving them to rash decisions, jealousy is the most destructive emotion.

    Read More

  • Lais Of Marie De France

    1934 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • I Saw Guinevere There as Well

    843 Words  | 2 Pages

    In one of her lays, "Lanval", Marie de France presents Guinevere approaching the main character,Lanval, one of Arthur's knights, with a proposition. She offers herself to Lanval to be his mistress, willing to satisfy his sexual joys:

    Read More

  • A Comparison Of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight And Lanval

    1192 Words  | 3 Pages

    Lanval, a handsome knight, falls desperately in love with a beautiful maiden, who grants the knight her love on the condition that he keep their bliss in full secrecy. Upon returning home, Lanval is confronted by Guinevere, who attempts to seduce him . After her initial advances are rejected, the Queen tries a new tactic, attacking Lanval 's masculinity: "I have been told often enough that you have no desire for women. Base coward, wicked recreant, my lord is extremely unfortunate to have suffered you near him. " By questioning Lanval 's worthiness to serve by Arthur, Guinevere is questioning Lanval 's very status as a knight, and once again we see a knightly protagonist put into a hopeless situation as many of his chivalric duties--- courteousness to the Queen, faithfulness to his King, honesty and loyalty to his lover, and defense of his own honor--- are forced into an unresolvable conflict. Lanval defends his honor and honors his King 's trust, but breaks his promise to his lover and grievously insults the Queen: "I love and am loved by a lady who should be prized above all others... you can be sure that one of her servants, even the very poorest girl, is worth more than you, my lady the Queen, in body, face and beauty, wisdom and goodness. " Lanval 's inability to simultaneously commit to all of his knightly responsibilities is comically underscored by his polite hesitation ("my lady the Queen") even

    Read More

  • Marie de France’s Lanval and Laustic

    974 Words  | 2 Pages

    Popular culture depicts Medieval chivalry as a glamorous and high time for women, with knights bending their knees in worship to them in Pre-Raphaelite paintings, and the fairness and virtue of women being celebrated in literature. Chivalry is often understood as the elevation of the lady fair, with men taking upon themselves the task of protecting and defending women. In fact, though, this was not an elevation of women but a limitation of their freedom and an undermining even of their intelligence and strength of will. Medieval chivalry, in essence, subordinated women to men while claiming to elevate women. In Lanval and Laustic, women are shown to have a subordinate status to men in three ways: being painted as temptresses, being subject to protection from men, and being subservient to orders from men.

    Read More

  • Animal Symbology in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the Lais

    789 Words  | 2 Pages

    Marie de France's use of animals in her lais is molded and adjusted to fit her needs. She creates metaphors relating to love and love relationships that were not mentioned in the Christian based Book of Beasts. However, the Gawain author appears to have kept true to the type of descriptions and natures of the animals in White's translation. Both authors were able to use animals to express specific features of human emotions and relationships, furthering our understanding of the nature of temptation, love and relationships in the medieval period.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Love In The Lais Of Marie De France

    1210 Words  | 3 Pages

    They are perhaps not truly in love, but after Guigemar notes the invisible wound of love he says “it has its source in nature” (Marie de France 49). By nature, humans have been known to be driven by a constant pursuit of what the desire, for by succeeding in this pursuit they are happy. Love brings happiness to Guigemar and the queen, but their happiness comes by a greater cause than true love. The lovers were convenient for their own pursuits. Guigemar served the queen as a commodity by giving her a value of freedom, and the queen gave Guigemar freedom from pain. In the end, Guigemar runs off with the queen after defending her from Meriaduc concluding the end of his troubles. Desire is thus a selfish inclination toward love, for its foundation is whatever suits a person’s liking. The queen and Guigemar are suited for each other, yet they are not suited to be in love with each

    Read More

  • Lanval and Yonec

    1685 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...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.

    Read More

  • Les Liaisons Dangereuses

    736 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Love Affairs in Le Morte d’Arthur and The Wife of Bath’s Tale

    1595 Words  | 4 Pages

    In a relationship, Love is a feeling that humans share with a special person. Some bonds could be mutual, while others are dissociated. During the Medieval period, love affairs were dominated by one gender, men, and the women had little or no control over decisions. Before a gentleman married a lady, the gentleman first boasted about her beauty, championed the cause of the lady, and did whatever the lady requested. The era was influenced by knights, and dictated by honor and chivalry that each knight had to display to their king and queen. As a gentleman, a knight had to be just at all times, especially toward ladies. At this time, there was a king named Arthur. King Arthur had a flourishing kingdom that abruptly ended. Later on, many authors recounted the story of the reign of King Arthur. Sir Thomas Malory published Le Morte d’Arthur, and Geoffrey Chaucer published The Wife of Bath’s Tale. Although both of these books recount the reign of King Arthur, the stories are very diverse and unique in their own way. Both stories demonstrate for a relationship to be successful, both partners must be submissive, must be brave, and must be willing to learn from mistakes.

    Read More

  • Bruno Bettelheim's Guigemar

    1118 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to Bruno Bettelheim, fairy tale ‘characters are typical rather than unique’. Often, the characters of the lais are drawn simply. In “Guigemar”, Guigemar is the stereotypical “knight”, described as “handsome”, “wise”, and “brave”, while the “damsel” is “noble, courtly, beautiful and wise” (43, 46). Their love is even justified by the first serving maiden’s statement, “You are handsome and she is beautiful,” grounding their characters in superficial descriptors (49). The damsel’s husband is even openly stereotyped when the narrator uses “all,” as in “for all old men are jealous and hate to be cuckolded,” (46). “Yonec” repeats this stereotype, while the knight is “handsome”, the damsel’s husband is again a “jealous”, “old” man (87).

    Read More

  • Love And Lust In 'Le Morte D. Arthur'

    1128 Words  | 3 Pages

    Love and Lust… one is favorable and one unwanted. Imagine both of these actions being positive in their own ways. Le Morte D Arthur by Sir Thomas Mallory is clearly one of those books packed with love and lust. When reading medieval literature, these topics will surely be major factors that that bring drama and character into the piece. Sir Thomas Mallory shows love and lust through three major character couples: Arthur and Guinevere, Lancelot and Guinevere, and Merlin and the Lady of the Lake.

    Read More

  • Courtly Love

    1036 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Wife of Bath: Illustrating Courtly Love

    960 Words  | 2 Pages

    “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.

    Read More

  • King Arthur's Literature: Courtly Love

    2098 Words  | 5 Pages

    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

    Read More

More about The Lais Of Marie De France Theme

Open Document