Near the end of "Yvain," in Chretien de Troyes' Arthurian Romances, in the Town of Dire Adventure, as Yvain struggles to make honorable excuses and extricate himself from a marriage to the lord's daughter, I realized one thing that makes "Yvain" and "Erec" different from most other Arthurian and knightly romances I've read. Both Erec and Yvain get married early in their tales, and this overshadows the rest of their adventures. Erec drags his wife (the literal ball-and-chain) around with him, and Yvain grieves about the loss of his lady's love until they're finally reunited.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm used to the stereotypical bachelor knight who rides around performing amazing feats in honor of a particular lady (a la Don Quixote and his Dulcinea del Toboso, to name one caricature). If there's a wedding, it takes place at the end of the story, as part of a happily ever after conclusion.
It is interesting, then, that in Erec and Yvain, Troyes crafts such lengthy tales about married knights. In the introduction to the Penguin edition, editors William W. Kibler and Carleton W. Carroll suggest that "Erec" "posed a question familiar to courtly circles: how can a knight, once married, sustain the valour and glory that first won him a bride? That is, can a knight serve both his honour (armes) and his love (amors)?" (7). This question can be asked of both "Erec" and "Yvain," as the editors do in the following excerpts from the introduction:
"Erec, caught up in marital bliss, neglects the pursuit of his glory until reminded of his duties by Enide, who has overheard some knights gossiping maliciously. Accompanied by her, he sets out on a series of adventures in the course of which both he and his bride are tested" (7).
In "Yvain," Troyes "reconsiders the question of the conflict between love and valour posed in 'Erec,' but from the opposite point of view: Yvain neglects his bride (amors) in the pursuit of glory (armes). Unlike Erec, who sets off for adventure accompanied by his bride, Yvain sets out alone upon his series of marvellous adventures in order to expiate his fault and rediscover himself" (9).
I would pose the question of what Troyes might be suggesting about marriage and honor, except that both stories end happily ever after — Erec and Enide are crowned king and queen, and Yvain is reconciled with his wife — so there is no conclusive judgment about which approach to marriage is better. Furthermore, the editors in their introduction appear to dismiss any intention by Troyes to convey a message or maxim, contending that "one must resist the temptation to seek an allegorical or symbolic interpretation ... Contrary to pure allegory, his symbolic mode is discontinuous and polyvalent: it does not function in a single predictable manner in each instance, and one interpretation does not necessarily preclude another" (19).
However, through examination of the events in each story and Troyes' treatment of characters (and their treatment of each other), can any interpretations be extrapolated about the nature of marriage and how a married knight can or should juggle armes and amors? Are multiple interpretations plausible? Are wives really that much of a hindrance to a knight's ability to embark on quests and earn honor through arms (it would seem not)? How do we deal with this question of arms and amors with two tales that treat the issue so differently?
One final question that plagued me after finishing "Yvain": Why, despite his struggle to honorably extricate himself from the proposed marriage to the lord's daughter in the Town of Dire Adventures, does Yvain never mention the fact that he's already married???
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Tara, I agree with what your analysis. I found myself wondering why Ywain did not confess he already had a wife, especially when the lord did not know his name and so the rumnor would not have reached his estranged wife. In reading the two stories I felt the voice of the narrator (Chretien)intrude in the same degree as does Chaucer's (although I would argue that Chaucer is not such a chauvenist!). The narrative voice speaks dismissively of women. In Erec and Enide he says she should have thought before speaking and seems to blame her for the plight they find themselves in. In this tale, after the adventures, which seem to be a direct result of Enide's foolish pride in her knightly husband, the couple finds peace again. This is why I feel that the narrator is blaming women for the trials that men may face. In Ywain, he passes judgement on all women saying that they are far from constant and vacillate and cannot be expected to remain loyal (see how she forgets her slain husband) and are capricious and moody. However, as you pointed out, in both stories the wife (not just lady love) chains a man down and prevents him from glorious adventures.
ReplyDeleteAn intersting point is that some of the ladies in Ywain are as brave as the knights. An example is the younger sister as well as her friend who go to seek Ywain to champion the younger sister's cause. In the same story the lady's confidant is strong able. She is intelligent and except on the eve of her execution, is very much in control of herself and the situation. She saves Ywain and cares for him and does not weep or faint. In fact she rebukes her lady's behavior and says she should behave in a more courtly manner and not be seen acting like a peasant. Lunette also takes Ywain to safety after he is wounded by his lady's seneshal. Having said what I did about Chretien'sattitude towards woen,I admit I am surprised at Lunette's more "knightly" behavior. What was the narrator doing here?