Chretien’s description of the love between Alexander and Soredamors in Cliges implies a surprising level of equality between the couple. Lenny pointed out in his post how powerful Guinevere was in this romance compared to the other ones we’ve read, and I think that there is also far more importance given to the feelings, desires, and agency of Soredamors and Fenice than to the heroines of the other stories.
When Soredamors and Alexander first set eyes on each other and fall in love, Chretien writes that “Love gave them equal portions of what he owed them,” and the queen “saw the two of them frequently flush and grow pale, sigh and tremble” (129). Both their feelings and their reactions to them are described as the same, in contrast to the very different feelings of Yvain and Laudine, or the very different actions of Erec, who is free to act on his feelings and Enide, who is not. Unlike Yvain and Erec, Alexander does not dare ask the king for Soredamors hand, even though he is sure it will be granted to him, because he does not want to offend her or marry her against her wishes (149).
Later in the romance, once the story has moved onto Cliges and Fenice, Chretien explains to us why two hearts cannot live in the same body. He writes that the couple who love each other “each desire the same thing and…have this common desire” (157). Again, this is different than the couples in the two earlier romances, where we can clearly see that the lovers wanted different things: Yvain wanted Laudine, while she wanted to protect her stone and spring; Erec wanted to win the sparrow-hawk and marry Enide, and we don’t really know what she wanted (but it doesn’t seem to matter). Fenice, on the other hand, is very clear about what she wants: she loves Cliges and wants to be with him, and she refuses to sleep with her husband while she is in loves with another man. She tells he nurse Thessala, “I could never agree to lead the life Isolde led…my body will never be prostituted, nor will it ever be shared” (161).
I’m curious about why women are portrayed so differently in this romance than in the others we’ve read. Whatever the reason, though, I thought it made for great reading.
Usha, I agree with your post. However, I was really uneasy while reading the Cliges part of the romance. I found it ironic that Fenice could not bear to be another Isolde; however, I do not see her as not being adulterous. Yes, she saved herself from the emperor, thus not having two men at the same time. But she was still the emperor's wife when she finally met Cliges in the tower, or did her "death" free her?
ReplyDeleteI see the women in Chretien's stories as a bit deceitful, demanding, and yes, dominant as you pointed out. In this story, Fenice seems so manipulative and with what cold blood she plans her death and the deception of the emperor. Do you think Shakespeare had recourse to this story for Romeo and Juliette? Tombs, potions, forbidden love, 15-year-olds and nurses!
I am not sure how to read the character of Alis. Is he truly ignoble? It seems he is weak or childesh and plays into the hands of his henchmen. He is a good contrast to Arthur, dont you think? By the way, the queen is really a courtly lady here. I love the way she wants Alexander to marry Gawain's sister immediately so no sin is committed. She is really gracious throughout the story. Oh yes, another point, why did these foreign knights go and live in Britain until their father's finally died? We have seen that in more than one tale. They are knights or kings in Britain as in the case of Alexander until the old king dies and then they go home.
Nasreen, I'm sorry but 'courtly Guinevere'? I think that she is the one thing that messes up (for me) the Sordeamor/Alexander coupling. Aside from that, this relationship most adhered to the concept of courtly love: 8 pages of love pangs, visual communication, pale, sweaty, trembling, insomniacs, the exalted beauty of both, the shirt with hair-thread, dying together. It’s perfect except for the Queen’s interference. She is the only one aware of this infatuation and is a sort of Big Brother-watching, priestess. She gets them together. At crucial moment none of lovers have any bravery. And they vow to obey her??!! It's the same Knight in the Cart Guinevere, control-freak with a deep sadistic streak (she obviously doesn't show this in Cliges) disguised as benevolent. Why should they have an intermediary? Lovers need helpers but Guinevere crossed the line.
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