Introduction
The Lais of Marie de France are a classic piece of Anglo-Norman medieval literature. They were composed in the XII century by Marie de France – a woman likely born in France, and later moving to England, where she was part of Henry II’s court (Hertz 17). The poems are comprised of short poems of courtly love, with the intent of glorifying virtues associated with it. The subject of isolation is present, in one way or another, in many of these poems, but is highlighted in two of them, titled Guigemal and Lanval. In both of them, isolation, both mental and physical, plays a detrimental role, causing harm to both heroes, and having a direct impact on the final outcome of the story.
Isolation in Guigemar
The first example of isolation in Guigemar is presented at the very start of the poem. While hunting for deer, his companion hunters are sent away, leaving the young man alone. During his time in solitude, he crosses into the mysterious realm, where he encounters a doe with the antlers of a stag and a faun (Waters 55). His attempt to kill the creature backfires, and the injury he caused himself is cursed to be healed only by a woman showing him true love (Waters 55). The wound causes the separation between Guigemar and his companions, as he rides off, trying to find reprieve in someone who could possibly treat his wound. Despite longing for companionship, the man does not want to be hindered or detained by them. This psychological effect of isolation forces him to undergo the ordeal alone.
Physical isolation is present both for Guigemar and the woman who he would find to be the love of his life. For the man, it is depicted in the scene with the ebony ship, which is a ghost-ship of a kind, since there is no crew on board (Waters 56). The solitude in which Guigemar took his trip is symbolic to pilgrimage, and his suffering during the trip was meant to atone for his sins, reminiscent of Christian motifs. The nameless lady who would save the knight from his wound is also affected by isolation. Her jealous husband has locked her in a gilded cage – a beautiful tower that served both as her home and prison at the same time. From that perspective, it could be understood that isolation served the purpose of uniting two tortured hearts, with the purpose of finding love and companionship in one another.
In this poem, thus, the isolation is largely physical, since Guigemar has been forced away from others in his own plight, while the lady was put in captivity by her own husband. It also shows the perspective on gender roles prevalent in the 12th century. The knight’s isolation, though perpetrated by the wound, was largely his own choice. The lady’s condition, on the other hand, was imposed on her (Liendo 20). It is possible for the story and the themes in it to have been inspired by the obligations of knights towards their lieges to participate in wars, taking them far away from home, along with the practice of isolating young maidens in order to maintain their purity (Liendo 23). One of the inferred messages in Guigemar could be that peace and love in a home is better than war and separation that comes along with it.
Isolation in Lanval
In contrast to the isolation of Guigemar, Lanval’s loneliness is more psychological than physical. At the beginning of the poem, Arthur rewards his servants with wives and lands, but offers none to him, because he did not remember his friendship or service. Lanval himself is depicted as a noble soul who performed out of a sense of duty rather than with mercenary intent (Waters 163). These acts earned him little respect and no friendships. In this scene, isolation is portrayed in terms of irreverence and a lack of care on the part of Arthur and his peers for Lanval’s deeds or service. Their jealousy and malice force Lanval out of the city, as he has no one to turn to in his time of need (Waters 164). Thus, psychological isolation precludes physical self-imposed exile.
When Lanval meets and falls in love with a beautiful and exotic maiden, the isolation imposed on him takes a different form. The only condition she places upon the knight is that their love remains a secret to the world (Waters 165). In return, Lanval would not only be loved but also furnished with wealth and clothing, which he uses to get in good graces with his lord and the rest of the knights. However, this reward feels hollow and fake, as Lanval did not act much different than before, but only when having become rich did his peers notice his valor and honorability. The secret of his love bears heavily on him, but he remains stalwart even in the face of accusations leveraged against him by the Queen (Waters 168). When the mysterious woman rides through town to defend the knight from accusations, the two then depart to Avalon in solitude.
The poem demonstrates how isolation can hurt a person both physically and emotionally. Lanval becomes gloomy and detached, not finding validation in his peers and having to keep his love a secret rather than enjoying it in the open (Morgan 36). The isolation also results in vile rumors being spread about him by the Queen. At the same time, the fact that the two lovers go to Avalon alone demonstrates that the author views love as an inherently private affair, a secret to be kept away from the world and its impurities. It can be speculated that the message and the desire for Lanval’s love to keep their relationship a secret was just a desire for privacy as well as a test of character. In doing so, Marie de France goes against how medieval society perceived women – as prizes to be conquered and paraded before everyone. In that way, Lanval could be considered to have a proto-feminist narrative, further enhanced by the fact the knight is saved both times (financially and physically) by his generous lover, rather than the other way around.
Conclusions
The themes of isolation are present in both poems, and generally serve as a negative influence on heroes. It forces them to depart from their friends and peers, make rash decisions, and suffer alone. At the same time, there is a kind of nobility to loneliness, when it is associated with privacy or with penance for one’s misdeeds. Marie de France masterfully uses the theme to connect stories together and motivate characters, adding nuance and gravity to the feelings between the knights and their lovers. In many cases, isolation is used to convey messages uncharacteristic of the time period. It portrays the author as a free thinker in a society where women were allowed to be anything but.
Works Cited
Hertz, Wilhelm. Marie de France. BoD–Books on Demand, 2022.
Liendo, Elizabeth. “The Wound that Bleeds: Violence and Feminization in the Lais of Marie de France.” Neophilologus, vol. 4, no. 2, 2020, pp. 19-32.
Morgan, Amy Louise. “Marie de France, Lanval and Alienation at Court.” Le Cygne, vol. 6, 2019, pp. 35-48.
Waters, Claire M. The Lais of Marie de France: Text and Translation. Broadview Press, 2018.