Addicted to Love
In Gottfried Von Strassburg’s retelling of the ancient romance, Tristan, love’s portrayal as a psychological disease is considerable. For Rivalin and Blancheflor, Tristan and Isolde, and also King Mark, the affliction causes them to act in a way that they would normally shun. Love changes the perspective on life of those who become intoxicated by its power; whether it’s shared as a couple or entirely unreciprocated, the lust to attain and secure its presence is consuming.
Love’s torment of Tristan and Isolde is a sweet torment that “noble lovers” endure. Grieves are shared, blessings are doubled, and embraces are electrifying on both the physical and emotional levels. One sided love is a hell like no other. Here,
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For both Rivalin and Blancheflor the danger involved in consummating their love is twofold. Bearing a bastard child would result not only in the cataclysmic loss of societal position, but quite possibly her death. Rivalin, less prudent then his future son, risks the wrath of an angry Mark by out right eloping with his true love. Under the influence of love’s tyrannical reign, both disregard their reservations and good sense; blinded by passion they escape to Parmenie to be legally wed. Like a wounded cowboy in a classic western film who downs whiskey to avoid the pain of a gunshot wound or snake bite, love appears to ease the pain of Rivalin’s wounds after a battle. Although on what is almost his death, the passion for Blancheflor numbs his hurt and allows Tristan to be conceived.
As perfect lovers, Tristan and Isolde’s addiction to Cupid’s opiate is surpassed by none. This is proven by the trials Brangane endures, the disregard for Isolde’s personal acts of treason, and also the blows to Tristan’s honor and loyalty to his uncle. Once Isolde has the epiphany that the killer of her Uncle Morold is bathing in the next room, she is enraged. However, she is unable to extract revenge on Tristan. Gottfried suggests this is due to a feminine instinct; simply, that Isolde was too refined to commit such an uncouth act. This delicate characterization of Isolde would not last long. Upon the accidental ingestion of the love potion,
While this idea of daring exploits and melodramatic ideals is intriguing, in reality, courtly love is more of a literary invention. Through works such as Chrétien de Troyes’s Lancelot, Guilaume de Lorris’s Roman de la Rose, and Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde, courtly love has evolved from an adventurous race towards love into one of the most important literary influences in Western culture (“Courtly Love”). While the ideals of courtly love were highly accepted and almost idealized in medieval society, the origin of these ideals remains a mystery because the very definition of courtly love is debated among modern and ancient literary scholars (Wollock 32).
“Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die” (The Good Morrow) the basis of Tristan and Isolde is known to be a romantic tragedy but as the quote states their love continues on despite their death. Tristan and Isolde regardless of the version of the story always are explained to be in love, a love that consumes them so much they disregard every consequence that can come from there so called love. Tristan and Isolde has become an epic and famous love story told in many versions the origins of this story dates back many years ago but the film discussed was filmed in two thousand and six in which we will compare it to the text of The Romance of Tristan and Iseult. There many differences within the film and the story, that can be due to moderation, the audience they are appealing to, and or just changes needed to corporate to fit the film. Due to the origins of this story dating ages back there is no doubt that the film would differ from the story.
The Romance of Tristan and Iseult, by Joseph Bédier, and Jean Cocteau’s 1943 cinematic adaptation of the epic love story Eternal Return, both portray the love between Tristan and Iseult, and Patrice and Natalie as an agonizing cancer that overpowers the lovers after they consume the love potion. But the differences of how and when the love potion is administered, and the lovers’ feelings for each other before the potion is drunk, reveal different depictions of the love potion between the novel and the film.
What went wrong here is that instead of Isolde and Mark took this potion, Isolde and Tristan drank it and fall in love. In fact, I take this part of the love potion as a metaphor, because there was already some attraction between them. Like Mr. McDonie says, “There are a lot of possibilities, as it turns out. Is it that moment
The romance of Tristan and Iseat tells a tale of everlasting love. The lovers struggle through keeping the secret of their hidden love. Tristan and Iseat have undying and infinite devotion for lovers, which cause them to risk their lives and social status. Although the tale portrays the lovers to have this ideal courtly love, one must question whether this love is true or forced due to the magical potion. The debate begins when the lovers first drink the potion, causing a false idea of love in Tristan and Iseat’s minds. However, as the legend continues the lovers persevere. Even though Iseat marries Tristan’s uncle, the two star-crossed lovers hide their consummated love.
Love is such an abstract and intangible thing, yet it is something that everyone longs for. In Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the difficulty of love is explored through the obstacles that characters have to face while pursuing their loved ones. Those characters that are in love in the play were conflicted with troubles; however, the obstacles of love do not seem to stop them from being infatuated with each other. The concept of true love is examined throughout this play. By creating obstacles using authority and a higher power, Shakespeare examines the power of love. Through Hermia and Lysander’s loving words, it is reasonable to conclude that love conquers all if you believe in it.
to be chivalrous. If it were not for the love between the two he would not have acted out of
This is where the story of Tristan and Iseult takes a twist because the reader knows enough that Tristan, if given the chance, would like to have Iseult for himself. It is fascinating therefore, when Iseult’s mother entrusts Tristan with the potion of love that should only be shared between King Mark and Iseult. By this time, Tristan and Iseult have developed passion in each other, and the potion they would drink only enhances the chemistry that is already existent. To not drink the potion, which Tristan knows would cause Iseult to love him even more, is attempting to remain dishonest to his true self. Tristan is not just an ordinary man; he is a war hero seducing the would-be- queen of Cornwall. Because of this predicament, Iseult as the wife to the king is to engage in adulterous affair with Tristan to reinforce the courtly love value, while Tristan gains access to Iseult through chivalrious prowess. The potion of wine therefore, serves as a big temptation for both, and the Christian ideal that is forced into the situation by the hermit stands as an experiment.
For example, Lysander explains to Hermia that love is difficult, and that we need to be patient for it to be right. "The course of true love never did run smooth," he stated (Ii136). He elaborates on this by saying, "war, death, or sickness did lay siege to it" (Ii146). Lysander understands that love can be interrupted at any moment, and that is part of what makes it difficult. According to him, this problem can make love seem as momentary as a sound, swift as a shadow, short as any dream, brief as the lightning in the coiled night" (Ii145-147). Helena is facing a different problem: imbalance. She loves Demetrius to a great extent. However, Demetrius hates her thoroughly. The thing that is ruining her love, in this case, is another person. Her once loyal lover, Demetrius, immediately turned his back on her when he saw Hermia. And in the story, Helena is described to be as fair and as wealthy as Hermia. Helena, in her lines, relates love to child "because in choice he is so often beguiled" (Ii248). Shakespeare portrays the idea that love can be deceiving when Helena states, "things base and vile, holding no quantity,/love can transpose to form and dignity" (Ii241-242). Clearly, she also knows that love can trick people, and that will never allow it to run smoothly. All in all, love in the play goes wrong in numerous places due to its instability and its ability to deceive
Marie explains the symbol that defines the love between Tristan and Isolde. While the symbol is spelled out in the quote, the greater significance, both to "Chevrefoil" and the collection in general, begs consideration. As in many lays, Marie is interested in how private love cannot survive when it enters the public world, and often leads to tragedy. In the well known story of Tristan – which Marie introduces with a reminder of its tragic end – she shares a picture of isolated and private love, hoping we will recall that these moments do not spell an ultimate happiness, but instead will often fade away to tragedy, since the strongest of loves lead to disaster when the world separates the lovers who feel that love.
This piece depicts Tristan and Isolde drunk the the potion and fell in love. In some versions, they drink it by accident. In some other versions, they drink it on purpose. However, Isolde married to King Mark, so the triangle between Tristan, Isolde and King Mark is an example of courtly love. Throughout all the different versions, Tristan and Isolde was ended with a tragic ending. Looking at their facial expression and their action, they looks like they enjoy the potion and drink it purposely. Also, Isolde was frowning, it made me feel like she is thinking the marriage to King Mark since she fell in love with Tristan. On the other hand, Tristan looks like he wants Isolde so much that he cannot wait when they go back to Cornwall.
Love is something that cannot be helped, unless it is an accident. The legend of Tristan and Iseult is a love story that ends in tragedy. The star-crossed lovers, who accidentally fell helplessly in love by drinking a love potion, run into issues while trying to hide their love. Throughout time, the many authors of stories about Tristan and Iseult changed parts of the story to fit the time period the stories were written in. Audiences in the different time periods appeal to different kinds of entertainment. Therefore, the changes that occur in different versions of the story over time are due to different audiences appealing to different things.
“The course of true love never did run smooth,” comments Lysander of love’s complications in an exchange with Hermia (Shakespeare I.i.136). Although the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream certainly deals with the difficulty of romance, it is not considered a true love story like Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare, as he unfolds the story, intentionally distances the audience from the emotions of the characters so he can caricature the anguish and burdens endured by the lovers. Through his masterful use of figurative language, Shakespeare examines the theme of the capricious and irrational nature of love.
Love can be a person’s greatest gift or curse that will bring them to their demise. It infects their mind, controls their actions and consumes their thoughts with the singular obsession of being around their love. In the love stories, Tristan and Isolde and Lancelot and Guinevere, the characters face problems of the soul, and that bring about monumental repercussions to everyone around them.
In Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, two star-cross’d lovers of enemy households are no longer entities, and cascade into each others souls, and more specifically, fall deeply in love. They develop an obsessive relationship with their feelings for one another; they have a constant desire to be together, even though their emotions are based on sight alone. The addiction was so enslaving, that their only solution to their family fued was to turn to their one and only lover. Romeo and Juliet’s addictive relationship has lead to their unavoidable departure, because it has caused their secret marriage, failed Mantua escape plan, and suicide.