The Theme Of Love In The Lais Of Marie De France

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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 …show more content…

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

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