marie de france

12th C Anglo-Norman poet

Marie de France is associated with the realm of Henry II (1154-1189), so her work is at least two centuries before the Gawain-poet or Chaucer.

Pre-Middle English poet – native English speakers are speaking a hybrid of Old and Middle English (remember Layamon), and the ruling class is speaking a hybrid of French and English (Anglo-Norman French)

Earliest courtly love poetry in England – sometimes credited with invention of courtly love motif

Lai or lay = short narrative poem Breton = in a Celtic setting, usually

Brittany in France or Wales or Cornwall Always about the adventures of a knight Usually contains magical or otherworldly

elements For the characters in the lai, their love

for one another provides a haven of bliss in a cold, uncaring world

Lovers not married in keeping with courtly love tradition

In the native British rather than continental tradition (do not be confused by the “de France; Marie is British in her writing).

The Queen in Lanval is deeply evil − accusing Lanval first of sodomy with boys and then of attempted rape against herself.

Note the degree of chivalry required of knights towards the Queen − not even allowed to claim that another woman is as or more beautiful than she.