Marie De Champagne and Her Influence on the Arts
by E.J. Lawrence
I love history. My favorite part is learning most historical events, especially ones which occurred out of pure selfishness, or happenstance, that afflicted people or places hundreds of years later. Henry Viii's desire to go divorced, which later caused intense strife between the Catholic and Protestant churches, for instance. Or Russia's Pauline Laws in 1797 that said merely male heirs could rule, and thus caused a young czarina to seek out the help of a devilish monk named Rasputin to save her just son. Her attempt to salvage the Romanov line, of course, ended tragically.
And then, when K.P. suggested our May theme exist near women in their "purple" (from the Empress Theodora quote), I interpreted this as a question about influence. Non just influencing a decision now and once more, but influencing a long-lasting decision–one that affects our globe even now.
I'thou certain I could wait to find women commanding armies (Boudica) or kingdoms (Empress Theodora), but that's not really where my expertise lies. My expertise lies in literature. Arthurian literature, specifically. At start glance, you might not think women had much influence over the King Arthur stories. Afterwards all, the approved works near King Arthur are all past men.
Mayhap. But they were enjoyed by men and women alike. And one of the most enduring facets of Arthurian fable would not fifty-fifty exist if it weren't for one very influential woman: Marie de Champagne, also known as Marie de French republic.
Marie de France was the daughter of some other highly influential adult female, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Yep, the same Eleanor who married Henry II (the one who killed Thomas a Beckett) and conspired with her son, Henry the Young, to overthrow his father. Too, this is the same Eleanor who gave nativity to Richard the Lionhearted (Marie de France'southward one-half-brother) and John (too Marie'southward half-blood brother, and the same man who signed the Magna Carta).
Let me re-cap that for you: If it weren't for Eleanor of Aquitaine and her crazy family, nosotros would likely have no Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, no T.S. Eliot'due south Murder in the Cathedral, no Robin Hood, no Magna Carta either!…the influence that this one family unit had on literature is immeasurable.
But nosotros're here to discuss Marie de France.
Yes. Without Marie de French republic, at that place might non be a Lancelot, and there certainly wouldn't exist a salacious dear triangle between him, Rex Arthur, and the beauteous Queen Guinevere.
Yous see, back in the 24-hour interval, authors used to accept patrons. The patron would allow the author (or painter, or musician, etc.) to piece of work on their fine art, as long as they could commission a piece from time to fourth dimension for themselves. Marie de France patronized the writings of one Chrétien de Troyes. We know almost zero about Chrétien, except that he was a writer, perchance from Troyes (in Champagne), he had an extensive teaching, and he was fascinated by the Male monarch Arthur tales. Anything beyond this is mostly speculation.
But we practice know Marie de France asked him to write "a romance." "Romance" for this time menstruation is a type of work that dealt with chivalry and noble quests, not necessarily a love story. However, in this case, information technology was a love story. Chrétien says that "The Countess presents [me] with the matter and the pregnant, and [I] undertake to shape the work, adding trivial to it except effort and careful attending."1 This means, of course, that the story was all her idea, and Chrétien claims he did not alter anything. Whether he says this every bit a dutiful artist to his patron, or to ensure anybody knows this story was not his idea, nosotros don't know. However, we are certain this story is hers.
The story is "The Knight of the Cart," and information technology introduces Lancelot as he goes to rescue Guinevere from Meleagant. It is in this tale, we run into Lancelot as beingness wholly in dear, devoted to his queen…but more than a "I really hope no impairment comes to my all-time friend'southward married woman" kind of way. Or even more than than a "She'southward the queen, it'southward my duty to assist her" kind of fashion. Rather, nosotros get scenes such every bit when Lancelot is forced to prevarication with a woman overnight (a common trope in Arthurian literature), he keeps his shirt on, and lays as far from her as humanly possible. The Lady recognizes that "The knight had only one heart, and it was no longer his; he had entrusted information technology to another[…]Dear, who governs all hearts, fabricated it stay in one place."2 It'southward at this moment the Lady excuses herself, telling Lancelot she knows her company isn't pleasing to him. Lancelot "gladly" lets her become. He is so committed to his love that he refuses the advances of another.
His passion is later compared to Pyramus when, as he fights Meleagant, Guinevere wills him to end, and Lancelot obeys, for "A lover is obedient; when he is completely in love, he performs his beloved's pleasure eagerly and promptly. Thus Lancelot, who loved more than than Pyramus–if dear more than whatsoever man could–was compelled to obey."three
But, of form, these vignettes could perchance be brushed aside as "Courtly Love"–a name often given to the "duties" a knight owes his "lady" in such romances. Despite the title of this post, I'm not here to debate Courtly Dear. Nonetheless, the story makes information technology perfectly clear this is more than Courtly Honey, for later, Lancelot breaks the bars off the queen'south prison and "had all he desired. The queen eagerly sought his visitor and his pleasure as he held her in his arms and she held him in hers. In the pleasure of loving, he tasted such rapturous happiness by kissing and caressing her that theirs was, without word of lie, a wondrous joy, whose equal has never yet been heard or known. Only on this matter I shall ever be silent. Every tale should pass over it in silence. The choicest and about pleasurable joys are those the tale keeps from us."4
Just on this matter I shall always be silent. Every tale should laissez passer over it in silence. The choicest and well-nigh pleasurable joys are those the tale keeps from us."4
Every bit he leaves her room the next morning, before he is discovered, he is described equally leaving like a suppliant before an altar.four I mean, that's a romance, correct? Kissing, holding, cutting scene, idol worship of the lover? Well, information technology's an Arthurian Romance, in any case.
Though Chrétien's tale ends well, without the downfall of the kingdom, we know the impact the story has on the fable moving frontward. The Lancelot/Guenevere affair sets off the chain reaction for the what will ultimately be the demise of Camelot. It's because of this affair that Lancelot is barred from the Grail quest. Without this element of the story, Malory, Tennyson, and T.H. White would probably never written their versions. They certainly wouldn't accept been able to write their versions with the same sense of gravitas. For the fall of Arthur's kingdom is a tragedy…but Malory'southward story doesn't end in that location. Rather, Malory'southward Le Morte D'Arthur really ends with Lancelot's death, as he'south spirited away by "more men than he had always seen angels."five In the end, Lancelot finds redemption for his expose. In Lancelot, there's a picture of Malory himself, a man with overwhelming potential who gave it all up for "beloved." Lancelot finds forgiveness in ways 1 can only imagine Malory hoped to. So many end the story with Camelot'southward destruction, simply the ending of Malory's tale is a beautiful representation of redemption. The "romances" often go lumped in with ideas about "Courtly Love" and damsels in distress, and while some of them are that simple, they expanded to be tales virtually then much more. Stories near dear and expose and loss and organized religion.
For all this (or a good bit of it, at least), we can give thanks Marie de France and her patronage of the arts. And then proceed sharing your stories! Who tin can say what resounding influence they might too take on futurity generations?
If you're interested in more virtually Lancelot and Grail lore, I also have a slice you tin can read hither:
Transposing the Planes: Supernatural vs. Natural Elements in Le Morte D'Arthur
1 Chrétien de Troyes. The Complete Romances of Chrétien de Troyes. David Staines, ed., Indiana UP, 1993, pp. 170
2 Chrétien de Troyes. The Consummate Romances of Chrétien de Troyes. David Staines, ed., Indiana UP, 1993, pp. 185
iii Chrétien de Troyes. The Complete Romances of Chrétien de Troyes. David Staines, ed., Indiana Upwards, 1993, pp. 216
4 Chrétien de Troyes. The Consummate Romances of Chrétien de Troyes. David Staines, ed., Indiana UP, 1993, pp. 227
5 Malory, Thomas. Le Morte D'Arthur. Modern Library, 1999.
Source: https://cannotbecontained.com/2017/05/08/marie-de-france-invents-courtly-love-or-why-we-have-chivalry-all-wrong/
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