An Analysis Of Marie De France's 'Lanval'
Marie de France’s twelve lais are thought to have been written between 1155 and 1170 in England (Rikhardsdottir 26). The writer of the prologue to the set of lais introduces herself as Marie. Because she only offers her name and her wish for herself and her works to not be forgotten, not much is known about Marie de France (Kinoshita and McCracken 202), but her writings and the authors who mention her in their works help provide more information about Marie de France (Kinoshita and McCracken 207). Based on her name and style of writing, many believe Marie to have been a woman (Rikhardsdottir 32). William S. Woods believes she is a female writer because of the details she gives about items and people that are not necessary for the narrative
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“Lanval” is the only one of Marie de France’s Lais that presents a case where the woman seeks out the man and confesses her love without the man seeking her first (Root 17). This is different because even though Marie de France’s Lais appears to give women and equal standing with men, the women in her story still follow many social norms of the time period. One of these norms is that the men always approaches the women. When the fairy speaks with Lanval, she confesses to him first, but she still claims to have come from her homeland because of him, but when Guinevere approaches Lanval, she only speaks about herself and what she can do for him (Root 17). Because of this, the queen is later humiliated for expressing her desires so directly (Root 13).
Another characteristic is when Marie addresses the bond between lord and vassal in “Lanval.” This bond was made when a vassal swore his loyalty to a lord, but this bond is meant to involve loyalty from both sides, and in return for a vassal’s services, gifts were typically given to the vassal (Kinoshita and McCracken 54). The feudal system is unbalanced in Marie’s “Lanval” because King Arthur gives gifts to all of his knights excluding Lanval, and Lanval is troubled until he meets his fairy lover. This fairy is the one who gives him many gifts and takes care of him instead of his lord (Kinoshita and McCracken
“Lanval” is the only one of Marie de France’s Lais that presents a case where the woman seeks out the man and confesses her love without the man seeking her first (Root 17). This is different because even though Marie de France’s Lais appears to give women and equal standing with men, the women in her story still follow many social norms of the time period. One of these norms is that the men always approaches the women. When the fairy speaks with Lanval, she confesses to him first, but she still claims to have come from her homeland because of him, but when Guinevere approaches Lanval, she only speaks about herself and what she can do for him (Root 17). Because of this, the queen is later humiliated for expressing her desires so directly (Root 13).
Another characteristic is when Marie addresses the bond between lord and vassal in “Lanval.” This bond was made when a vassal swore his loyalty to a lord, but this bond is meant to involve loyalty from both sides, and in return for a vassal’s services, gifts were typically given to the vassal (Kinoshita and McCracken 54). The feudal system is unbalanced in Marie’s “Lanval” because King Arthur gives gifts to all of his knights excluding Lanval, and Lanval is troubled until he meets his fairy lover. This fairy is the one who gives him many gifts and takes care of him instead of his lord (Kinoshita and McCracken