Marie De France’s Lanval Flashcards
In what century and in what language was “Lanval” written?
12th century, French
What is Breton Lay, and in what ways does the poem fit the definition?
Short romance involving love and the supernatural. Lanval finds love- his lover is a mystical being - fairy-
Where does this poem take place? *In what specific way is Lanval a kind of outsider to the community depicted in it?
It takes place in Arthur’s court. Lanval is a foreigner- a son of another King King Arthur often forgets to give Lanval his pay.
*Explain what happens when Lanval meets the unspeakably wealthy and beautiful lady. *What does she offer him and what must he do in return? How and why does he fail her?
Lanval meets the beautiful “fairy” and she offers him all the wealth he could ever want and her (sex) in return if he never speaks of her to anyone. If he does, she says
that he will never see her again. He betrays her when Guinevere is trying to seduce him and he proclaims that someone else has his love.
- In what specific ways is Guinevere’s role somewhat surprising in this poem?
- What does she do that contrasts your understanding of proper courtly conduct?
She tries to tempt and seduce Lanval which is not normally like her character. She is supposed to be courtly, therefore loyal, but she is not.
In what ways is Lanval a poem critical of the courtly world?
It exemplifies unfair treatment of some court members as well as disloyalty.
After pointing out the limitations and limits of the courtly world, does the ending offer any kind of “reintegration” of the (male) world of court? Another way to ask this is to examine whether the problem with the world of court have been fixed or resolved.
No- he is accepted by the court at the end but he leaves with his lover, making it so he is not present long enough to be reintegrated at all.
