Download - Marie de France
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12th C Anglo-Norman poet
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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
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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
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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.