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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This is a 4 page paper that provides an overview of Marie de France's "Lanval". The poem is analyzed in terms of Lanval's foreignness being representative of his subversive masculinity. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Page Count:
4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: KW60_KFfrpoem.doc
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
re-tellings and re-interpretations by a host of authors, including many outside England. For example, the lais of Marie de France tell of Arthurian knights and their travails in a manner
that exploits many of the same themes and symbols as the original English authors. However, as the legends spread and were re-interpreted, the values of outside cultures began to find
their way into the works, changing their character in a manner that makes them more robust and universal in theme. One of the best examples of this trend is "Lanval",
one of the most original and celebrated of Marie de Frances Arthurian lais. While many Arthurian tales are re-expressions of the social values of the Middle Ages, including the reinforcement
of traditional gender roles through the symbology of masculine knights and feminine damsels, "Lanval" subverts these traditional values. Marie de France accomplishes this subversion by adopting a main character in
Lanval whose foreignness expresses a different version of masculinity than that commonly associated with Arthurian heroes, and by reversing traditional gender role and narrative structure in the poems climax.
This paragraph helps the student present the first pieces of evidence for Lanvals foreignness being representative of his subversive brand of masculinity. As the poem opens, Lanval, a noble knight
in the service of Arthur, is overlooked during a feast at which Arthur generously doles out ranks and land holdings to all of the other men who had served him,
besides Lanval. Though it could reasonably be inferred that at least some of the party were aware of this, no one will attest to Lanvals rights: "Lanval [the king] forgot:
no man helped his recall" (Marie de France, 2005). This is the first hint of Lanvals foreignness in comparison to the rest of Arthurs knights, and is reinforced in the
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