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Feminine Quests in Arthurian Legends

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Feminine Quests in Arthurian Legends Spangler, E., March 2015 www.sparksjournal.org/feminine-quests Feminine Quests in Arthurian Legends Emily Spangler, Department of English and Modern Languages, Shepherd University This paper examines the correlation between women, purpose, and power within the medieval Arthurian legends. Women had little to no power during the Middle Ages, and the patriarchal ideology that dominated the culture is reflected in literature. However, my essay shows that even though women play supporting roles in Arthurian legends, they often propel the plotline to heroism and adventure. Often nameless, they barely get credit for their characterization, but my analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a chivalric romance, and “Lanval,” one of Marie de France’s lais, illustrates how the tales’ women characters wield more power than one would expect. Lady Bertilak controls Gawain through tokens and guilt, while the fairy woman from “Lanval” becomes a heroine in her own right by “saving” Lanval from Arthur’s court. Through close textual analysis and extensive research from scholars who specialize in medieval literature, I show how powerful women can be found in Arthurian legends. Medieval literature tends to center words, what will the women gain if they around men, because men were the primary acquire these men as lovers? Three possible rulers, land owners, and knights. In most of reasons that resonate in both pieces, but in the tales that capture the stories of King different contexts, are love, reputation, and Arthur’s court, the women who influence the power. Courtly love is a significant and plotline remain nameless, thus perpetuating relevant occurrence in Arthurian legends, their limited role in a patriarchal society. The which makes it all the more fascinating that legends follow Arthur or his knights on neither Sir Gawain and the Green Knight or various quests for true love, glory, honor, “Lanval” incorporate traditional courtly love. revenge, etc., but few acknowledge the Both tales go against the typical Arthurian quests of the women who advance the story. legend in terms of love, but it is apparent that While “Lanval,” by Marie de France and Sir the fairy woman in “Lanval” has affection for Gawain and the Green Knight appear to be her story’s respective knight. “Lanval” Arthurian legends about heroes who are on reveals the possible motive for the fairy quests for honor and true love, the unnamed woman coming to title character’s rescue women in the tales greatly influence the plot when he is being questioned for defaming the and journey on quests of their own. By Queen. Even though Lanval reveals who she analyzing the power dynamics between the is, going against her request, she still rescues women and men and themes that emerge in him because arguably, she is enamored with the texts that lend themselves to him. This is evident in the poem because interpretation, I will argue that not only do when Lanval first meets her, she says to him, the women in the two Arthurian legends have “No emperor or count or king / will ever quests of their own, but that they are the have known such joy or good; / for I love powerhouses behind the works. you more than anything” (114-116). The Before the quests of the women can fairy woman is ambiguous and mysterious, be properly revealed and analyzed, it is but she is not shy about her feelings for necessary to examine what their motives are Lanval. She goes as far to say that dignitaries in relation to the men in their stories. In other will not be as happy as she and Lanval, © 2015 Sparks Journal - www.sparksjournal.org 1 Spangler, E., March 2015 www.sparksjournal.org/feminine-quests because their love is unmatched. This Gawain fights back partly out of loyalty contrasts with Sir Gawain sharply, because towards the master of the castle and partly Lady Bertilak’s romantic feelings for Gawain because is appalled and frustrated that she is are not nearly as reserved and what some making the sexual advances. Harvey De Roo would call honorable. Lady Bertilak wants to offers a similar explanation in his article, sleep with Gawain, while the fairy woman “What's in a Name? Power Dynamics in Sir declares her love for Lanval, which is Gawain and the Green Knight” where he considered a more romantic gesture. This is a states, “Gawain and the lady struggle for piece associated with Romance, therefore it power, in terms of expected and denied is possible to argue that affection is a factor behavior, itself based on conflicting within the fairy woman’s quest. definitions of the hero’s identity” (232). Another motive that could influence Gawain evidently expects a certain level of the women’s actions in the texts is behavior from Lady Bertilak, and she does reputation. In Sir Gawain, Lady Bertilak not meet his expectations. This in turn adamantly expresses to Gawain that she has creates a power struggle, because while heard about him in many lands and that he is Gawain would normally possess the power, one of Arthur’s greatest knights. She praises that normality wavers due to her dominance. him, saying, “Because I know your name – Similarly, the fairy woman holds power over the knight Sir Gawain, / famed through all Lanval by making him swear to not tell realms whichever road he rides” (1225- anyone about her. The fairy is in turn 1226). While it is revealed at the end of the controlling what Lanval can and cannot do or tale that Lady Bertilak was essentially a prop say, proving that in some ways, she does to test the honor and loyalty of Gawain, it is desire power from her relationship with essential to separate Lady Bertilak the prop Lanval. Both of these sources of power and Lady Bertilak the lady. She was a key crumble respectively within their tales, which role in the mission of fooling Gawain, but is an indicator of just how powerless women nonetheless she is a woman, and it is in this society can be. important to keep in mind that she probably The power dynamics within these had a personal quest separate from her formal Arthurian texts are tense and distracting; quest. Perhaps, one of the motives that drove therefore, it is imperative to explore power her quest was her hunger for a husband with dynamics between the men and women, a more formidable reputation. It appears that because such analysis can reveal possible the fairy woman in “Lanval” may desire explanations of their quests and even more Lanval because he is a good knight, but importantly, their characterization. The unlike Gawain, Lanval is not celebrated difference between the two Arthurian legends because the text explains that Arthur in terms of power dynamics is that in Sir mistreats him. Also, the fairy takes him to Gawain and the Green Knight, the power Avalon at the end of the piece, so even if boomerangs back and forth between Lady Lanval had an impressive reputation, it Bertilak and Gawain. In “Lanval,” the power would not matter much in Avalon. remains solely with the fairy woman. In the Power is also an important possibility beginning of Gawain and Lady Bertilak’s to consider when looking at the different relationship, Gawain has the power because motives behind Lady Bertilak and the fairy he is not only the male in their dynamic, but woman, because unlike love and reputation, also the guest. Without even realizing a both of the women desire power within their relationship between them exists, Gawain relationships with these men. Bertilak holds naturally has the power because of the time power over Gawain when she tries to seduce period and etiquette. This changes the first him; she wants to have control over him, but time Lady Bertilak sneaks into Gawain’s © 2015 Sparks Journal - www.sparksjournal.org 2 Spangler, E., March 2015 www.sparksjournal.org/feminine-quests chambers and Gawain, being a man and a debatable, but the fairy woman’s possession guest, tries to shoo her away by saying, “But of power throughout the majority of the lai my gracious lady, if you grant me leave, / shows that even though she does not have a will you pardon this prisoner and prompt him name and is visibly seen very little to rise” (1218-1219). Immediately, Lady throughout the story, she controls not only Bertilak turns the tables and says, “‘Not so, Lanval, but the entire ending of the poem. beautiful sir,’ the sweet lady said. / ‘Bide in When they first meet, the fairy woman gains your bed – my own plan is better’” (1222- the power, because she says, “I command 1223). Not only is she disobeying him, but and beg you, / do not let any man know she adds that her staying in the room is a about this” (144-45). By “commanding” him, much better plan, clearly taking back the she ends the power struggle for the moment, power from Gawain. Also, another way Lady because he will do anything she asks of him Bertilak controls Gawain is how she offers due to her unmatched beauty and wealth. the green girdle to him. It is ironic that she However, the Queen gains power in Lanval says in the text, “You refuse my ring because and the fairy woman’s relationship when she you find it too fine, / and don’t care to be accuses Lanval of dishonoring her. She then deeply indebted to me; so I give you my has the upper hand, because Lanval is forced girdle, a lesser thing to gain” (1827-29), to defend himself in court, but cannot because in reality he is in debt to her produce the lady he speaks of.
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