The Lais Of Marie De France - 865 Words

The extent to which the Lais of Marie de France can be categorized as fairy tales is dependent on the definition of â€Å"fairy tale.† Using various scholars’ definitions of â€Å"fairy tale† and conceptions of the fairy tale genre, criteria for â€Å"fairy tales† arises. Then, close-readings of three lais, â€Å"Guigemar†, â€Å"Lanval† and â€Å"Yonec†, are used as a mechanism for meeting or failing the criteria. This methodology is then evaluated and problematized. The criterion for fairy tales includes origin, form, content, style, and meaning. Etymologically, the word ‘fairy tale’ has disputed origins. Supposedly, it comes from the French â€Å"contes des fees† or â€Å"tales about fairies†, popular in French courts and salons in the seventeenth century. However, Jack Zipes argues that â€Å"conte fà ©erique† actually translates to â€Å"fairy tales† and refers to narrative form, rather t han content. If defined from â€Å"conte fà ©erique†, a work is a fairy tale due to its narrative form. Narrative form is in turn defined in two ways, as the process of narration or as the narrative account itself, known as the story. Firstly, the fairy tale process of narration has a consensus definition, determined by its origin and function. Secondly, the narrative account of a fairy tale encompasses several sub-sections including setting, characters, and style. Fairy tales originate in the oral tradition of folk tales. Both Vladimir Propp and Karel ÄÅ'apek argue that key to this tradition is the repeated interaction between performer andShow MoreRelatedLais of Marie de France1940 Words   |  8 PagesThroughout the Lais of Marie de France there are several themes presented as central to the various stories. Some of these themes are present in all of the lais. One such example is that of courtly love and its implications. Courtly love being one of the more prominent themes in all of medieval literature, it is fittingly manifested in all of the lais as well. Another theme present in two of the lais is isolation. The theme of isolation plays a large role in the stories of Guigemar and LanvalRead MoreEssay on Lais of Marie de France1046 Words   |  5 PagesKnights of Old and Harry Potter October 7, 2012 Love and Marie de France According to American mythologist, Joseph Campbell, â€Å"The greatest love was during the Medieval Ages, when noble hearts produced a romantic love that transcended lust† (Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth with Bill Moyers [2001]). The Lais of Marie de France are primarily concerned with this idea of love--specifically, courtly love--between a man and a woman. Courtly love, a union modeled after the feudal relationshipRead More Lais Of Marie De France Essay examples1939 Words   |  8 Pages Throughout the Lais of Marie de France there are several themes presented as central to the various stories. Some of these themes are present in all of the lais. One such example is that of courtly love and it’s implications. Courtly love being one of the more prominent themes in all of medieval literature, it is fittingly manifested in all of the lais as well. Another theme present in two of the lais is isolation. The theme of isolation plays a large role in the stories of Guigemar and LanvalRead MoreThe Lais of Marie de France and Quickly-Budding Love Essay670 Words   |  3 Pagesexample of a wild love story portrays the love tales told in the book The Lais of Marie de France, where many lovers are quickly overtaken with the love and passion from a secret lover. The Lais of Marie de France is a book that inquires one to question the reasoning of exaggerated love stories from the middle ages with their immediate love situations, disastrous consequences, and happiness of lov e. In The Lais of Marie de France, the lovers are quickly stricken with a sense of love whether it is byRead MoreLovers From The Lais Of Marie De France As A Children s Book1533 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Chevrefoil† Adapted Imagine a story of lovers from The Lais of Marie de France as a children’s book. It would show the events true love can overcome, and inevitably end in a happy ending. The stories would have to be adapted in such a way to where all the details were appropriate for a child. It must be wrote to where the story would not be over their head, so they could fully understand the story. My adaption of â€Å"Chevrefoil† from The Lais of Marie de France into a children’s book would essentially fall intoRead MoreThe Lais Of Marie De France And The Wolf Hunt988 Words   |  4 Pagesbeliefs tend to lead to the inaccurate portrayal of the past. The two books, The Lais of Marie de France, by Marie de France and The Wolf Hunt by Gillian Bradshaw are prime examples of how our modern beliefs cause this distortion. The modern version of the novel, which is The Wolf Hunt, portrays the story differently than the Medieval novel, The Lais of Marie de France. The Wolf Hunt has modern themes in it, while the Lais has genuinely medieval themes. These stories are quite similar because they bothRead MoreEmpowering Women through Courtly Love Essay1153 Words   |  5 Pagesdeeds, and become obedient to her in hopes of winning her affection. In The Lais of Marie de France, specifically Chevrefoil and Yonec, the author does not follow all of the rules of courtly love, yet she does illustrate to the reader the relationship between the man and his woman. She describes the beauty, intelligence, and wisdom of her female characters, giving them power over the men who love them. While Marie de France often confines women to the oppressive realities of the Middle Ages, she allowsRead More We have Decided Essay2066 Words   |  9 Pagesmorally wrong. Marriage, on the other hand, has been thought of as a sacred institution shared by most of the people and religions of the world. In the â€Å"Lais† written by Marie de France, we are given insight into the inner workings of five adulterous affairs, six pre-marital sexual encounte rs, and one instance of impure thoughts. Although Marie de France does not seem to condone adultery, she writes in a manner that allows the reader to feel possible sympathy with it, depending upon the situation. InRead MoreAnimal Symbology in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the Lais785 Words   |  4 PagesIn Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the Lais of Marie de France, the authors use animals as metaphors for human actions, and as characters. By analyzing the use of these animals, we are able to explore the meaning the authors were trying to communicate through specific scenes. The Book of Beasts, a translation by T.H. White (1984 ed.), provides a medieval standpoint when analyzing the use of animals in the Lais and in Gawain. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, there is specific use of threeRead MoreEssay on Lanval and Yonec1687 Words   |  7 Pagesa certain motif of the story, or symbolize the author’s or society’s mindset. The representation of the body becomes significant for the story. In the representation of their body in the works of Marie de France’s lais â€Å"Lanval† and â€Å"Yonec,† the body is represented in opposing views. In â€Å"Lanval,† France clearly emphasizes the pure beauty of the body and the power the ideal beauty holds, which Lanval’s Fairy Queen portrays. In France’s â€Å"Yonec,† she diverts the reader’s attention from the image of the