Tristan And Isolde

Throughout the Lais of Marie de France there are several themes presented as central to the various stories. Some of these themes are present in all of the lais. One such example is that of courtly love and it's implications. Courtly love being one of the more prominent themes in all of medieval literature, it is fittingly manifested in all of the lais as well. Another theme present in two of the lais is isolation. The theme of isolation plays a large role in the stories of Guigemar and Lanval. In each of these lais we see isolation as a factor in determining the fates of the central figures. Within each lai isolation is represented on several different occasions, each time having a direct impact on the outcome. These instances of

In her poem "Lanval," Marie de France shares a fantasy with her readers, telling the tale of a mysterious woman who journeys from a distant land to be with Lanval, a dishonored knight of King Arthur's Round Table. Marie's portrayal sets Lanval's mistress apart from the maidens and ladies in waiting at King Arthur's court, as she eclipses even Queen Guenever. Much like an editor of a modern woman's fashion magazine, Marie targets her audience of mostly aristocratic twelfth-century women. She describes a mysterious lady whose retinue, meadow pavilion, clothing, figure, cultured sentiments, deportment, and conduct depict her as a superior being. Lanval's mistress is a model Marie's readers

The queen began to accuse Lanval of being gay because he had never had a woman show him pleasure. Suddenly, Lanval admits that he is in love with someone else who would be far better than the queen herself, which sent the queen away crying. Soon afterwards, Lanval was commanded to appear in court without delay. The Queen’s assertive power was shown by her ability to punish innocent people, meaning she obviously got what she wanted regardless of whether it was right or not.

True love is selfless. It is prepared to sacrifice. This is the dominant theme in Shakespeare 's The Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet, a play is about two rival noble families from Verona, the Capulets and Montagues. Indeed, the two families have such an ongoing hatred for each other that they are constantly feuding violently without end. Having had enough, Prince Escalus, the Prince of Verona, one day decrees the penalty of death to be upon the person who disrupts the peace again. It is against this vicious backdrop that Shakespeare by contrast, accentuates love in Romeo and Juliet. Three different types of love are depicted: the infatuation of Romeo, the son and heir of Montague, with a woman named Rosaline; the arranged love between Juliet, the daughter of Capulet, and Paris, a kinsman of Prince Escalus, whom Juliet’s parents have chosen to be her suitor; and ultimately, the true love between Romeo and Juliet, whose families are each other’s worst and greatest enemies.

While the theme of love itself, may it be positive or negative, is reoccurring, Marie’s presentation of romantic relationships and their differing qualities can be considered a theme alone. In “Guigemar”, the relationship between the knight and his lady represents loyalty, and an ability to heal or cure. Yet, the relationship between the beast and his wife in “Bisclavret” demonstrates the selfish and traitorous behavior that can occur between partners, especially if one has proved to be adulterous.

This is particularly apparent as he continuously and secretly visits Juliet late at night at her house, despite the dangers. His actions help prove that his only desire is to be with Juliet. He wishes for a life that “in it [Juliet] might I love, you honour, serve and please.” ( Line 513). However, their situation holds them back from truly expressing their love for one another. They are star crossed lovers with families that disapprove of their love to the extent that they are described as each other’s “deadly foes.” Overall, these characters help illustrate the main theme: romantic love. As a result of their actions and dialogue, they depict the passion and yearning that characterizes young love. Additionally, they prove that love is an overpowering force that transcends rational thinking and other emotions or values. I believe that as an effect of external forces, their love may be will be impaired which would further the

At this point in the story the intense attachment between Catherine and Isabella begins to slowly deteriorate. Thus far the two girls have been inseparable, but although Isabella promises at that evening’s dance that “nothing…should induce her to join the set before

In both of these works, the characters experience loving someone out of reach. Their love is taboo; it will never be accepted because of their circumstances. This causes a rift in their stream of normality and forces actions to be made. Love triangles emerge since the characters are trying to find a way to achieve their goals but still keep what they have. In both of the stories, Tristan and Isolde love each other similarly to Lancelot and Guinevere. All they can think about is each other. (insert quote). Lancelot went behind his king’s back to be with Guinevere just like Tristan. Both of them knew that each of their kings was with the woman they love, but both realized that no matter what they did their relationship would be forever confined to the shackles of secrecy, darting glances of affection and sporadic moments of privacy.

As the sky continues mourning, tears are running down her face. She caresses her beloved's face and stabs her heart with a dagger, for she would rather die than be alive without the love of her life. Every human being goes through heartbreak and the joyus wonders of ‘true love.’ Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet, is the perfect embodiment of both unrequited and romantic love. Paris trying to get the affection of Juliet and Romeo being so in love with Juliet are types of love that are very different but in a way alike.

After Tristan and Iseult have fallen in love, they exhibit all of the virtues that the Humanists of the Renaissance admired. They focus on the joys of this life instead of focusing on death and the afterlife. When

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet – popularly considered by many to be the quintessential love story of all time – is a play that we are all familiar with in one way or another. Whether it be through the plethora of portrayals, adaptations and performances that exist or through your own reading of the play, chances are you have been acquainted with this tale of “tragic love” at some point in your life. Through this universal familiarity an odd occurrence can be noted, one of almost canonical reverence for the themes commonly believed to be central to the plot. The most widely believed theme of Romeo and Juliet is that of the ideal love unable to exist under the harsh social and political strains of this world. Out of this idea emerge two

Although the Lais of Marie de France may seem to be ordinary tales of knights and chivalry, each explores the complicated issues surrounding love, loyalty, and gender. Marie uses four stories in particular to make statements on the relationships between men and women of that time.

During the Middle Ages, Courtly love was a code which prescribed the conduct between a lady and her lover (Britannica). The relationship of courtly love was very much like the feudal relationship between a knight and his liege. The lover serves his beloved, in the manner a servant would. He owes his devotion and allegiance to her, and she inspires him to perform noble acts of valor (Schwartz). Capellanus writes, in The Art of Courtly Love, “A true lover considers nothing good except what he thinks will please his beloved”. The stories of Marie de France and Chrétien de Troyes illustrate the conventions of courtly love.

Fairy tales have been embedded into our culture and date back before recorded times, they provide a source of entertainment and imagination for children. Despite today’s fairy tales having positive moral intentions they have been adapted from earlier versions which often can be very different and much more sinister. The fairy tale “Sun, Moon, and Talia” by Giambattista Basile formed the basis for the more commonly known Disney interpretation called the “Sleeping Beauty” however they are vastly different, Basile’s original is a very dark and twisted story compared to the Disney version.

John Keats’s poem “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” dramatizes the conflict between dreams and reality as experienced by the knight. On a late autumn day, the speaker stumbles upon an ailing knight and asks what is wrong. The knight reveals that he had fallen in love with a beautiful lady, “a faery’s child” (14), who then abandoned him after professing her love and spending one night together. The speaker is recounting his experience with the knight to his audience.