‘‘luf-talkyng’ in luf-talkyng’ in Medieval Medieval

Literature 5Literature 5

Thomas HoneggerThomas Honegger

t.m.honegger@swissonlt.m.honegger@swissonline.chine.ch

Troubadours, Troubadours, Trouvères and Trouvères and Courtly Love 3Courtly Love 3

http://www.db-thueringen.de/

content/top/index.xml

The PastourelleThe Pastourelle

‘‘L’autrier jost’una sebissa’ L’autrier jost’una sebissa’ by Marcabru (fl. 1130-by Marcabru (fl. 1130-

1149)1149)

Defining elementsDefining elements

pastoral mode: country setting, pastoral mode: country setting, heroine is a shepherdessheroine is a shepherdess

cast includes a man and a cast includes a man and a young womanyoung woman

plot comprises a discovery and plot comprises a discovery and an attempted seductionan attempted seduction

narrative and dialoguenarrative and dialogue point of view is that of the manpoint of view is that of the man

Pastourelle vs. cansoPastourelle vs. canso

The Troubadour pastourelle The Troubadour pastourelle is a ‘counter genre’ to the is a ‘counter genre’ to the Troubadour canso and stands Troubadour canso and stands in a dialectic relationship in a dialectic relationship with the canso.with the canso.

Importance of the Importance of the troubadour traditiontroubadour tradition

Focus is on loveFocus is on love it provides metaphors and images, it provides metaphors and images,

in short, a language, to speak in short, a language, to speak about love, about love,

it provides the background of it provides the background of ideas (veneration of women, love ideas (veneration of women, love as a refining and ennobling as a refining and ennobling influence, etc.).influence, etc.).

Middle English Middle English LyricsLyrics

Blow, northerne windBlow, northerne wind

For hire love I carke and care,For hire love I carke and care,For hire love I droupne and dare,For hire love I droupne and dare,

For hire love my blisse is bare,For hire love my blisse is bare,And all ich waxe won;And all ich waxe won;

For hire love in slep I slake,For hire love in slep I slake,For hire love all night ich wake,For hire love all night ich wake,For hire love mourning I makeFor hire love mourning I make

More then eny mon.More then eny mon.

Care away, away, awayCare away, away, away

I am sory for her sake,I am sory for her sake,Ic may well ete and drinke;Ic may well ete and drinke;Whanne ic slepe ic may not wake,Whanne ic slepe ic may not wake,So muche on her ic thenke.So muche on her ic thenke.

I am brout in suche a bale,I am brout in suche a bale,And brout in suche a pine,And brout in suche a pine,Whanne ich rise up of my bedWhanne ich rise up of my bedMe liste well to dine.Me liste well to dine.

TopoiTopoi

Heo me wol to dethe bringHeo me wol to dethe bringLonge er my dayLonge er my day

Hire eye haveth wounded me, Hire eye haveth wounded me, iwisseiwisse

Thow I be far out of her sight, Thow I be far out of her sight, I am her man both day and I am her man both day and nightnight

Honour, joy, helthe & Honour, joy, helthe & plesaunceplesaunce

And so you not displese with my desire,And so you not displese with my desire,This wolde I you biseche, that of youre This wolde I you biseche, that of youre gracegraceIt like you, lo, to graunt me all this yereIt like you, lo, to graunt me all this yereAs in your hert to have a dwelling place,As in your hert to have a dwelling place,All be it never of so lite a space;All be it never of so lite a space;For which as this the rente receive ye For which as this the rente receive ye shallshallMy love and service as in every case,My love and service as in every case,With hert, body, my litel good and all.With hert, body, my litel good and all.

Narrative Narrative Tradition 1Tradition 1

Marie de FranceMarie de France

Narrative ContinuationNarrative Continuation

Le roman de FlamencaLe roman de Flamenca Guillem and Flamenca Guillem and Flamenca troubadour Peire Rogier troubadour Peire Rogier

Lyric vs. narrative Lyric vs. narrative traditiontradition

Lady remains a Lady remains a distant and distant and vague figurevague figure

Lady remains Lady remains silent and silent and passivepassive

Wooing phase Wooing phase depicteddepicted

Lady becomes Lady becomes more ‘tangible’ more ‘tangible’ and realisticand realistic

Lady acquires a Lady acquires a voice of her own voice of her own and becomes and becomes more activemore active

Additional Additional phases depictedphases depicted

Narrative traditionNarrative tradition

Chanson de geste (e.g. Chanson de Chanson de geste (e.g. Chanson de Roland ca. 1130-1170)Roland ca. 1130-1170)

Romances of antiquity (e.g. Roman Romances of antiquity (e.g. Roman d’Eneas, Roman de Troie) (ca. 1150-d’Eneas, Roman de Troie) (ca. 1150-70)70)

Courtly romances (e.g. Chrétien de Courtly romances (e.g. Chrétien de Troyes Erec et Enide, Ivain, Perceval, Troyes Erec et Enide, Ivain, Perceval, Lancelot, Cliges, ca. 1170ff)Lancelot, Cliges, ca. 1170ff)

Lays (e.g. by Marie de France ca. Lays (e.g. by Marie de France ca. 1160)1160)

LayLay

modest lengthmodest length simplicitysimplicity density and condensationdensity and condensation details converging towards one details converging towards one

main scene main scene love depicted as an intense love depicted as an intense

emotionemotion ‘‘transitional’ genretransitional’ genre

Marie de France (c.1130- Marie de France (c.1130- c.1200)c.1200)

Al finement de cest escrit, / Que en Al finement de cest escrit, / Que en romanz ai treité e dit, / Me numerai romanz ai treité e dit, / Me numerai pur remembrance. / Marie ai nun, si pur remembrance. / Marie ai nun, si sui de Francesui de FranceAt the end of this work / which I have At the end of this work / which I have translated and written in the translated and written in the vernacular, / I will name myself to be vernacular, / I will name myself to be remembered. / Marie is my name, I remembered. / Marie is my name, I am from France. am from France. FablesFables (B.M. Harley 978) (B.M. Harley 978)

MdFr WorksMdFr Works

LaisLais (c. 1160-1170) => Lanval, (c. 1160-1170) => Lanval, GuigemarGuigemar

Fables Fables (c. 1170-1180)(c. 1170-1180) Espurgatoire saint PatriceEspurgatoire saint Patrice (c. (c.

1180)1180)

Underlying concept of Underlying concept of love? 1love? 1

adulterous love-relationships adulterous love-relationships ((GuigemarGuigemar, , EquitanEquitan, , BisclavretBisclavret, , YonecYonec, , LaüsticLaüstic, , ChievrefoilChievrefoil, , EliducEliduc) )

unmarried love-relationships unmarried love-relationships ((FresneFresne, , LanvalLanval, , Deus AmanzDeus Amanz, , ChaitivelChaitivel) )

Underlying concept of Underlying concept of love? 2love? 2

relationships that start out as relationships that start out as liaisons between two unmarried liaisons between two unmarried lovers but which develop into lovers but which develop into potentially adulterous ones (potentially adulterous ones (MilunMilun and, to some extent, and, to some extent, EliducEliduc), ),

an estimation of marriage as the an estimation of marriage as the socially appropriate form of socially appropriate form of uniting the lovers (uniting the lovers (Deus AmanzDeus Amanz, , EquitanEquitan, , FresneFresne, , MilunMilun, , EliducEliduc))

Narrative structureNarrative structure

inception of loveinception of love crisis/separationcrisis/separation dénouement dénouement

Guigemar & Guigemar & LanvalLanval

GuigemarGuigemar young knight, no lady-loveyoung knight, no lady-love goes hunting, white hindgoes hunting, white hind wounded in the thigh, prophecywounded in the thigh, prophecy passage to the Otherworldpassage to the Otherworld is discovered by a lady (‘mal mariée’)is discovered by a lady (‘mal mariée’) hostess-guest relationshiphostess-guest relationship fall in love & enjoy their lovefall in love & enjoy their love separationseparation reunion & marriagereunion & marriage

Lady & knightLady & knight

hostess - guest relationshiphostess - guest relationship love-sickness of the knight love-sickness of the knight

described by the narrator (vs. first-described by the narrator (vs. first-person point of view in lyrics)person point of view in lyrics)

love-sickness of the lady described love-sickness of the lady described by her maidenby her maiden

no prolonged period of waitingno prolonged period of waiting

The lady’s maiden on The lady’s maiden on lovelove

Ceste amur sereit covenable,Ceste amur sereit covenable,Si vus amdui feussez estable:Si vus amdui feussez estable:Vus estes bels e ele est bele!Vus estes bels e ele est bele!This love is right and properThis love is right and properif you remain faithful to each if you remain faithful to each other.other.You are handsome and she is You are handsome and she is beautiful. (Rychner 1983:19, l. beautiful. (Rychner 1983:19, l. 451-453)451-453)

Guigemar’s fearsGuigemar’s fears

Pur ceo qu’il ert d’estrange terePur ceo qu’il ert d’estrange tereAveit poür, s’il li mustrast,Aveit poür, s’il li mustrast,Qu’el l’enhaïst e esloinast.Qu’el l’enhaïst e esloinast.((GuigemarGuigemar, Rychner 1983:20, ll. 478-, Rychner 1983:20, ll. 478-480)480)Because he was from a strange countryBecause he was from a strange countryhe was afraid that if he showed it [his he was afraid that if he showed it [his love] to her,love] to her,that she would hate him and send him that she would hate him and send him away.away.

lay vs. lyriclay vs. lyric

Confession of love Confession of love made in privatemade in private

Confession of love Confession of love made face-to-face made face-to-face with the ladywith the lady

Confession of love Confession of love unadornedunadorned

Detached Detached narratornarrator

Confession of love Confession of love made in publicmade in public

‘‘indirect’ indirect’ confession of loveconfession of love

Confession of love Confession of love in poetic form in poetic form

Narrator = loverNarrator = lover

Narrator on loveNarrator on love

Love is:Love is: a wound that is not visible from a wound that is not visible from

outside outside a long-lasting ill that has its roots a long-lasting ill that has its roots

in ‘Nature’in ‘Nature’ True lovers will serve and be at the True lovers will serve and be at the

beloved lady’s commandbeloved lady’s command It is It is notnot philandering philandering or boasting of one’s conquestsor boasting of one’s conquests

Guigemar’s declaration Guigemar’s declaration of loveof love

Dame, fet il, jeo meorc pur vus!Dame, fet il, jeo meorc pur vus!Mis quors en est mut anguissus:Mis quors en est mut anguissus:

Si vus ne me volez guarir, Si vus ne me volez guarir, Dunc m’estuet il en fin murir.Dunc m’estuet il en fin murir.Jo vus requeor de druërie:Jo vus requeor de druërie:Bele, ne m’escundites mie!Bele, ne m’escundites mie!((GuigemarGuigemar, Rychner 1983:20-21, , Rychner 1983:20-21, ll. 501-506)ll. 501-506)

Guigemar’s declaration Guigemar’s declaration of loveof love

Lady, said he, I die because of Lady, said he, I die because of you!you!My heart is in great anguish.My heart is in great anguish.If you do not want to cure me,If you do not want to cure me,then it must all end in my death.then it must all end in my death.I am asking for your love.I am asking for your love.Fair one, do not refuse me.Fair one, do not refuse me.

Marie de France’ Marie de France’ techniquetechnique

‘‘She finds a middle path between She finds a middle path between the elementary simplicity of the the elementary simplicity of the folk-tales and the subtle folk-tales and the subtle complexities of the psychological complexities of the psychological courtly tales. This intermediary courtly tales. This intermediary zone is not without subtlety or zone is not without subtlety or charme.’charme.’translated from translated from Ménard, Philippe. 1997. Ménard, Philippe. 1997. Les lais de Marie de FranceLes lais de Marie de France. (Third edition. . (Third edition. First edition 1979.) Paris: Presses First edition 1979.) Paris: Presses universitaires de France, p. 101.universitaires de France, p. 101.

Guigemar’s strategyGuigemar’s strategy

Hostess/nurse Hostess/nurse - guest/patient - guest/patient relationshiprelationship

quisse = thighquisse = thigh

Nurse/beloved Nurse/beloved - patient/lover - patient/lover relationshiprelationship

quors = heartquors = heart

The lady’s reactionThe lady’s reaction

[..] Amis,[..] Amis,Cist cunseilz sereit trop hastisCist cunseilz sereit trop hastisD’otrïer vus ceste priere:D’otrïer vus ceste priere:Jeo ne sui mie acustumiere.Jeo ne sui mie acustumiere.((GuigemarGuigemar, Rychner 1983:21, ll. , Rychner 1983:21, ll. 509-512)509-512)Friend, / such a decision would be Friend, / such a decision would be too rash, / to grant you this request. too rash, / to grant you this request. / I am not accustomed [to such / I am not accustomed [to such requests]requests]

Don’t be so hasty …Don’t be so hasty …

Andreas Capellanus: tam Andreas Capellanus: tam festinanter postula[re] amorem festinanter postula[re] amorem ….….to ask for love with such haste [is to ask for love with such haste [is unseemly]unseemly]

GraelentGraelent: Tu ne dois estre si : Tu ne dois estre si hardishardisYou must not be so impatient.You must not be so impatient.

Guigemar’s response 1Guigemar’s response 1

Dame, fet il, pur Deu merci!Dame, fet il, pur Deu merci!Ne vus ennoit si jol vus di:Ne vus ennoit si jol vus di:

My lady, he replied, in God’s My lady, he replied, in God’s name, mercy!name, mercy!Do not be angry if I tell you this:Do not be angry if I tell you this:

Guigemar’s response 2Guigemar’s response 2

Femme jolive de mestierFemme jolive de mestierSe deit lunc tens faire preierSe deit lunc tens faire preierPur sei cherir, que cil ne quitPur sei cherir, que cil ne quitQue ele eit usé cel deduit,Que ele eit usé cel deduit,a woman who is fickle by habit / lets a woman who is fickle by habit / lets herself be courted for a long time / herself be courted for a long time / to make herself feel important and to make herself feel important and so that he [the suitor] does not so that he [the suitor] does not realise / that she has practised such realise / that she has practised such pleasure.pleasure.

Guigemar’s response 3Guigemar’s response 3

Mes la dame de bon purpens,Mes la dame de bon purpens,Ki en sei eit valur ne sens,Ki en sei eit valur ne sens,S’ele treve hume a sa maniere,S’ele treve hume a sa maniere,Ne se ferat vers lui trop fiere,Ne se ferat vers lui trop fiere,But the well-intentioned lady / But the well-intentioned lady / who has in herself worth and who has in herself worth and wisdom, / if she finds the man to wisdom, / if she finds the man to her liking, / should not show her liking, / should not show herself too forbidding.herself too forbidding.

Guigemar’s response 4Guigemar’s response 4

Ainz ke nuls le sachet ne l’oieAinz ke nuls le sachet ne l’oieAvrunt il mut de lur pru fait.Avrunt il mut de lur pru fait.Bele dame, finum cest plait!Bele dame, finum cest plait!((GuigemarGuigemar, Rychner 1983:21, ll. 513-, Rychner 1983:21, ll. 513-526)526)But she should [rather] love him and But she should [rather] love him and enjoy it. / Unless anyone knows or enjoy it. / Unless anyone knows or hears of it, / they will profit greatly hears of it, / they will profit greatly from it. / Fair lady, let us put an end from it. / Fair lady, let us put an end to this discussion.to this discussion.

Guigemar’s response 5Guigemar’s response 5

rhetorical sleight-of-hand rhetorical sleight-of-hand (Zaubertrick)(Zaubertrick)

2 levels of Guigemar’s 2 levels of Guigemar’s responseresponse

‘‘interactional’ interactional’ level:level:Attends to the Attends to the lady’s positive lady’s positive face-needs.face-needs.

Level of narrative Level of narrative organisation:organisation:tongue-in-cheek tongue-in-cheek depiction of the depiction of the protagonists’ protagonists’ endeavour to endeavour to keep up keep up appearancesappearances

traditionstraditions

lyrical traditionlyrical tradition rational-argumentative traditionrational-argumentative tradition

Separation of the loversSeparation of the lovers

She ties a knot into the tailpiece She ties a knot into the tailpiece of his shirtof his shirt

He ‘girds her loins’ with a belt or He ‘girds her loins’ with a belt or girdle that is secured by a bucklegirdle that is secured by a buckle

Separation = belated trial of loveSeparation = belated trial of love

Lay vs. lyricLay vs. lyric Auctorial narrator Auctorial narrator

guarantees guarantees genuineness of genuineness of lovelove

Lady gains a voiceLady gains a voice DialogueDialogue ‘‘interactive’ ladiesinteractive’ ladies

Characterisation Characterisation via dialogues and via dialogues and interactioninteraction

First-person First-person narrator narrator predominatespredominates

Silent ladySilent lady MonologueMonologue Distant and Distant and

passive ladiespassive ladies Self-defined via Self-defined via

monologuesmonologues