Women In Beowulf And Marie De France's Lanval

The period of 500 AD to 1500 AD, known to us as the medieval period, saw the blossoming of a rather new art in the form of written and spoken epics. From long winded tales of heroic warriors to shorter romances and comedies, these stories are a fantastic tool in recreating medieval society and structure, as well as determining religious, political and personal ideas. Such things as women’s roles and importance seem rather like a modern movement, but in reality were very much active during these days, as seen in Beowulf and Marie de France’s Lanval. Although written almost two hundred years apart (with some major societal changes at that), both Beowulf and Lanval give the modern reader a great inside view of the roles, lifestyle, and importance
Since Lanval is estimated to have been written almost two hundred years after Beowulf, it is obvious that societal ideas have changed, along with the roles and expected behavior of ladies of state. Lanval opens with the introduction of Lanval, a foreign knight serving under King Arthur. Lanval is often overlooked by the King and his fellow knights in terms of finances and friendship, so he is rather put out by being in a strange country alone with little money and no estate to speak of. Enter the first major female character, and Lanval’s soon to be lover, the (largely assumed fairy) Queen. Although she remains nameless and rather sexualized throughout the story, the Queen welcomes Lanval to be her lover, and generally fills all of the roles a husband would at this time. She provides material things as well as money for Lanval, on the basis that he keep their relationship a secret. The Queen is described as other worldly and extremely beautiful, but also independent and in need of no man to provide for her. Throughout the story, the (fairy) Queen retains control of their relationship, going so far as to save Lanval from certain death at the hands of King Arthur’s court and whisk him away to lands unknown via