The Influence of the Supernatural on Courtly Conduct, Christianity, and Chivalry in Lanval and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Christian Williams
Student ID# 995895456
Professor Watson
ENGC30
December 1, 2010
The Influence of the Supernatural on Courtly Conduct, Christianity, and Chivalry in Lanval and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
In the world of medieval literature the supernatural is a consistent theme, presented in extraordinary encounters, mysterious experiences and with magical objects such as potions, spells, and the prominent image of the green girdle of Lord Bertilak de Hautdesert’s wife in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Magic and the supernatural is seen as the driving force behind several narratives and acts as a method by which we might judge human achievement against that of a species that appears to be greater than us, akin to the role of religion in similar texts. This paper aims to examine the Marie de France’s Lanval and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to reveal how they use the supernatural to create striking, fantastical worlds that are indicative of the attitudes of the time period and how the supernatural is used to create a world where the high ideals of medieval culture are epitomized, questioned and praised. Of particular note will be how both the lais and the quest narratives reflect contemporary outlooks and ideas, and creatively incorporate them into their tales using magic as a transitory element. Alongside a broad overview of the role magic and the supernatural play in both texts, the paper will also attempt to explore the relationship between human and otherworldly magic and how both schools exert an effect on one another as well as magical figures that are present in the texts. Most notably, the images of the Lady Bertilak’s girdle and the Lanval’s fey queen will be contrasted against images taken from medieval literature that features more of the Christian supernatural in an attempt to compare the altruistic or maligned agendas each group has in their respective narratives and how they affect the characters around them. To begin
Student ID# 995895456
Professor Watson
ENGC30
December 1, 2010
The Influence of the Supernatural on Courtly Conduct, Christianity, and Chivalry in Lanval and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
In the world of medieval literature the supernatural is a consistent theme, presented in extraordinary encounters, mysterious experiences and with magical objects such as potions, spells, and the prominent image of the green girdle of Lord Bertilak de Hautdesert’s wife in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Magic and the supernatural is seen as the driving force behind several narratives and acts as a method by which we might judge human achievement against that of a species that appears to be greater than us, akin to the role of religion in similar texts. This paper aims to examine the Marie de France’s Lanval and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to reveal how they use the supernatural to create striking, fantastical worlds that are indicative of the attitudes of the time period and how the supernatural is used to create a world where the high ideals of medieval culture are epitomized, questioned and praised. Of particular note will be how both the lais and the quest narratives reflect contemporary outlooks and ideas, and creatively incorporate them into their tales using magic as a transitory element. Alongside a broad overview of the role magic and the supernatural play in both texts, the paper will also attempt to explore the relationship between human and otherworldly magic and how both schools exert an effect on one another as well as magical figures that are present in the texts. Most notably, the images of the Lady Bertilak’s girdle and the Lanval’s fey queen will be contrasted against images taken from medieval literature that features more of the Christian supernatural in an attempt to compare the altruistic or maligned agendas each group has in their respective narratives and how they affect the characters around them. To begin
Cited: Benson, Larry D. Art and Tradition in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1965. Clein, Wendy. Concepts of Chivalry in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Oklahoma: Pilgrim Books, 1978. Foster, Damon. Marie de France: Psychologist of Courtly Love. PMLA, Vol. 44, No. 4 (Dec., 1929), pp. 968-996. Howard, Donald R. and Christian Zacher. Critical Studies of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. London: University of Notre Dame Press, 1968.