Lais of Marie De France the Most

¶ … Lais of Marie de France

The most powerful and lasting contributions to the literature of a given era are invariably penned by bold thinkers struggling to comprehend the ever changing world in which they live. Written during the latter part of the 12th century, the lais of Marie de France were a series of Breton lais -- or short narrative poems of the French medieval style -- designed to celebrate the virtues of romantic life within the royal court. Using a distinctive octosyllabic style of verse, the poet Marie de France sought to imbue her work with a melodic tone which is suggestive of emotion and feeling, and the lais she crafted stand to this day as a testament to the moving power of romance and devotion. Crafted in the form of a narrative ballad, the lais of Marie de France were presented as a series of 12 distinctive works, each unique in its individual focus and yet all inextricably linked according to a united thematic scope. While each of the lais is arranged to use lyric poetry to express the ideal of courtly love -- a literary term used to describe the emphasis on chivalry, honor and nobility during the pursuit of romantic attraction -- it is informative to focus any examination of Marie de France's personal conception of courtly love through an explication of five specific lais: Prologue, Guigemar, Yonec, Laustic, Milun.

In her 56-line prologue, Marie de France explicitly outlines her privately held intentions for penning and publishing her lais, and the poet specifically mentions the influence that Greeks and Roman literature played during her own creative process. The author writes of her overwhelming desire to record the stories of heroism and commitment experienced during her time at court, whole also making mention of her wish to emulate the Greek and Roman manner of crafting stories which are at once entertaining and morally instructive. In the next lai, titled Guigemar, Marie de France presents the lurid tale of the titular vassal Guigemar, who embarks on an accidental journey abroad after encountering a magical deer during a hunting trip. Having been cursed with a wound that can only be healed by a woman who is prepared to suffer for her love of him, Guigemar makes his way to an unknown land, where he encounters a jealous king who has imprisoned his wife for fear of infidelity. The concept of courtly love provides the thematic foundation for this tale, as Guigemar and the queen become enraptured with one another, engaging in an affair for over a year before being discovered. Having been returned to his homeland, Guigemare remains steadfastly faithful to his lost love the queen, who uses knotted clothing to symbolize their unbreakable bond.