Aren't mediaeval romances great?
Today I reread King Horn, Sir Orfeo, and Amis and Amilhoun. The latter is amazingly morally dubious! I thought it interesting that there are many points of comparison between the behaviour of Rymenhild in Horn and Belisaunt in A&A, to begin with - both fall in love at first sight; both push the point upon a man who is either disinterested (Horn) or downright alarmed (Amis); both are tongue-tied by their affliction, etc. But then Rymenhild fades away into the background, but Belisaunt becomes 'good', somehow being assimilated into the male cameraderie and homosocial ranks of Amis and Amilhoun. Also, the difference between the two men's wives (er. A and A's wives, that is) is based worryingly on the fact that one thinks her husband shouldn't have deceitfully attempted to save the life of his friend in a tournament (she rejects their bond and is punished); the other accepts their overriding bond to the point where she doesn't seem particularly bothered about the fact that her husband has just murdered their two children for love of his friend! I thought that was telling. If women accept that male bonding is more important than marital ties will ever be, they're A-Okay. Otherwise: doomed. Especially if they try to assert power over their husbands.
But yes, A&A is very morally doubtful. In many, many ways. I love it. :)
Question: Well, we all know how I feel about Malory, so there's no way I'm reading that thing again - or trying to! But, can anyone tell me - what is it exactly that Arthur says about Lancelot when he's told that he and Guinevere are sleeping together? Something along the lines of 'Oh noes, I'm so much more unhappy about Lancelot, because good queens are ten a penny but there's only one Lancelot'?
Ah - never mind - found it, in the original unpunctuated version. How helpful you are, Malory!
'and therfor sayd the kynge wete yow well my herte was neuer soo heuy as it is now / and moche more I am soryer for my good knyghtes losse / than for the losse of my fayre quene / for quenes I myghte haue ynowe / but suche a felaushyp of good knyghtes shalle neuer be to gyders in no company / and now I dare say sayd kyng Arthur there was neuer crysten kynge helde suche a felaushyp to gyders / & allas that euer syr launcelot & I shold be at debate...'
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7 comments:
funny how they are still concerned primarily with male-male relationships, except that they have found a better way of inserting women into the picture.
Janette... I know you're not, err, fond of Malory... but the 'Morte Darthur' has LOADS in it that you could note about male bonding and how women do/don't fit into this picture... Give him a chance. :)
As Lali knows, I'm particularly big on Guenevere's infertility, and how that affects her functioning in the male bonding system (encompassed, you could argue, by the Round Table)... She brings the Round Table to Arthur, along with many sexy knights, on their wedding day... but she eventually becomes a danger to it, as a barren queen. She can't produce an heir that will secure it.
The moment you note of Arthur seeing Guenevere almost as an expendable item, is an odd moment I feel... His & Guenevere's relationship had been previously shaped as quite positive by Malory. Although lacking in the passion she has with Lancelot, theirs is one of gentle companionship (Dr. M said it reminded her of "the Bill and Hilary Clinton relationship"...!). When the Maid of Astolat's body is flowing down the river, we see Guenevere and Arthur holding hands, and conversing quietly by the window. In the 'Poisonous Apple episode', Arthur shows himself clearly worried about Guenevere's fate, which isn't the case in other tellings of that episode. I think Guenevere's infertility does contribute to Arthur's harsh comment here-- she's messed up things by failing to give him a child, a son specifically.
(NB: Guenevere's passion with Lancelot is smudged over a lot by Malory-- he shows himself distinctly uncomfortable with their relationship in comparison to the French Arthuriana, particularly their sexual experience. Whereas the French sources are very open about Guenevere and Lancelot sleeping together, Malory is very oblique about their relationship and seems to avoid at all costs describing their sex lives. Again perhaps showing his greater comfort with homosocial bonds?)
Malory also appears to HATE Guenevere!! He invests so much energy into presenting her negatively... She's irritable, moody, insecure. She's always yelling at poor Lancelot, who is unfalteringly loyal to her (and let's face it-- so many women, me included, have the hots for Lancelot, but he has rejected all of us for his beloved Guenevere), though Guenevere refuses to see that. I think Malory's feelings towards Guenevere may also have something to do with her infertility, her difficult position in the male bonding system. Though very interestingly is the famous 'May' passage, in which he says something along the lines of 'Guenevere was a good lover, and therefore she had a good end'. No-one knows what Malory means here, and Loomis, in despair, has suggested Malory was drunk when he wrote that bit. But what it shows perhaps is though Malory is unable to accommodate her to the male fabric, he is somehow still intrigued by her capacity to love Lancelot purely and profusely.
Karen Cherewatuk in her book 'Marriage, Adultery and Inheritance in Malory's Morte Darthur' (2006, I think published in St. Olaf tho' not sure) argued that the Round Table could be seen as Guenevere's metaphorical pregnancy, noting the fact that it's, err, round (well done, Karen!). I don't like this reading, (and neither apparently does Dr. M)... but it's something to grapple with if you want to argue that Guenevere isn't disassociated from the Round Table by her infertility.
Anyway, sorry, I'm babbling... There's SO much more in the 'Morte' you could find. The Grail Book is also particularly important in this regard, because Malory attempts to create a female-free textual space, by having women disallowed from the Quest... But what is interesting is that all these women keep popping up throughout it. None of them-- with the exception of Perceval's sister, who dies anyway-- actually take part on the Quest though, which remains a deeply masculine journey.
Well, I didn't mean to say it's a 'masculine journey' as such... It's a spiritual journey that is in theory applicable to both men and women... But in reality, women are directly barred from going on the Quest. It's stated that a lot of the women do want to 'accompany their lovers' on the quest, but this hermit sends a message saying 'nope, sorry gals, but this is guys only-- you feeble women are too prone to sin!'. Okay, his message isn't quite so direct, but that's essentially what he says--he equates women with a capacity to sin, and says that that's why they can't go on the Grail quest. The Quest has no place for women; it's a 'man's world' at its most intense... Women do come up lots of course (including two fabulous anchoresses, both of whom are very wise :)), but they don't take part in the quest... The exception is of course Perceval's sister, but hey, she has a rather sticky end!
I'm sorry if none of the above is relevant, or helpful! Just because my extended essay was on *just* this topic-- how women fit into the male 'system' of identities & relationships... So I just kinda gushed out what I know and what I think...
No, no no no! It was all incredibly helpful, and really interesting; thank you! I wrote an essay for Kate on basically this topic - the marital relationship being overpowered by the homosocial bonds in Middle English romance - but it was, you know, the work of a week, rather than of half a term and a lot of effort, like yours. :) I appreciate your input; I have read some of the Malory, and I would happily *try* to read more, provided I don't have to plough through all the irrelevant bits...hmm. Would it be really cheeky of me to ask you to send me your extended essay to read? It just all sounds really interesting? (I like the pregnancy idea. In the sense that I think it's really funny. Oh, look, it's ROUND, LIKE A PREGNANT WOMAN'S BELLY. SIGNIFICANT?)
And I never had you down as a Lancelot girl, Ayoush! Gawain is my favourite. Ahh, Gawain. ;)
Gawain? Janette, he doesn't even compare to the wonder that is Lancelot!!!! ;)
I'm really glad you found my blabberings at least a bit helpful!! I do tend to blabber on and on and ON about this topic... Of course I can send you my extended essay! Though most of it, I should warn you, is about the maternal role... But it might be useful in giving you the right bits of text to look at, not having to worry about the rest of Malory....!!!
I know, when I read Cherewatuk's point about the Round Table being Guenevere's metaphorical pregnancy because it's round, I snorted with laughter in the middle of the library! But I shouldn't be mean, 'cause dear Karen helped me a lot--her book is fantastic, especially for this kind of topic-- I really recommend it . :)
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