Introduction
Men and women are portrayed differently in the literary works of various authors. This representation often depends on the time during which the writers lived and their gender. Readers can see how women’s place in society changed over the years through the way they are depicted in literature. This essay will discuss and compare the way women are represented in Marie de France’s The Lais and Ovid’s Metamorphoses.
Similarities in the Representation of Women
Although the two authors in question embraced different literary traditions, there are similarities in their portrayal of women and their place in the male-centric society. Marie de France and Ovid show women as objects of male attention. In both works, women are often powerless and have little agency when it comes to marriage or the choice of a romantic partner. Ovid famously demonstrates the women’s helplessness against the male desires in the story of Daphne and Apollo (Ovid). Apollo, the god of music and poetry, falls in love with Daphne, who has dedicated herself to eternal virginity (Ovid). Even when Daphne is turned into a laurel tree, he does not respect her wishes, continuing to harass her even after her change – “with his right hand lingering on the trunk, he felt her bosom throbbing in the bark” (Ovid). She is powerless in this relationship and is an object to Apollo.
Similarly, Marie de France portrays women as having little choice in whom they marry and shows them as prisoners of their circumstances. For example, in Laustic, the woman in the poem is married to an overly controlling man, who even forbids her from leaving their house (Marie de France). The husband has the ultimate control over his wife’s life and demonstrates his indifference to her feelings by killing the nightingale bird “in a fit of temper” (Marie de France). Overall, both authors illustrate the lack of control women have over their life and body.
Differences in the Representation of Women
There are also many notable differences in the portrayal of women in The Lais and Metamorphoses. The most striking distinction can be seen in the way women’s sexuality and the need for meaningful relationships are depicted. In his work, Ovid portrays women as objects who are not permitted to show affection. If they fall in love with someone, that love is shown as something unacceptable and unnatural. It can be seen in Myrrha’s incestuous feelings for her father, Cinyras (Ovid). In a rare exception of a woman willingly choosing to be affectionate with a man in Metamorphoses, this choice cannot be defended by the readers. Myrrha knows that her actions are wrong and asks for punishment from the gods who turn her into a tree (Ovid). Thus, women’s sexuality and feelings in Metamorphoses are shown negatively, leaving them a passive role in relationships.
In Marie de France’s poems, women are more active and often seek romantic partners, even if they are married. In Laustic, the wife enters a platonic relationship with a knight who lives next door (Marie de France). Their relationship is never consummated and quickly comes to an end. Nevertheless, the woman in Laustic chooses to enter this relationship despite her marriage to a controlling man. Similarly, in Lanval, the knight is perused by two women at once, who are not ashamed of their feelings for him (Marie de France). They both show their affection for the knight and have some control over this relationship. Thus, although women in Marie de France’s works may not be able to choose whom to marry, they are not passive and actively seek meaningful relationships.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are both similarities and distinctions in women’s portrayal in Marie de France’s and Ovid’s works. Both in The Lais and Metamorphoses, women are shown as objects of male attention and do not have agency over their relationships. However, if Ovid shows women’s sexuality and active affection for someone in a negative light and rarely demonstrates their desire for companionship, Marie de France illustrates her heroines’ active search for meaningful relationships.
Works Cited
Marie de France. “The Lais of Marie de France.”University of Florida, 2020, Web.
Ovid. “Ovid, Metamorphoses.”Theoi Greek Mythology – Exploring Mythology in Classical Literature & Art, 2017, Web.