“Lanval” is a work by Marie de France, revealing how a hapless knight is attracted to a fairy ready to make him her lover. The story is about Lanval, who seems to be a handsome knight, but in reality, the female figures are the strongest. Lanval is a young knight who fails to realize himself in the royal court and is, therefore, forced to wander. In his rambling and every event that happens to him, the most critical event is the fairy’s arrival at King Arthur’s castle, where she reveals the truth and protects Lanval. This focal passage is presented almost at the end of the work, but this does not make it any less essential or tenuous:
«When they’d seen all there was to see
and praised her beauty fittingly,
she spoke to Arthur in this way,
for she was not inclined to stay.
“King, I have loved thy vassal. See,
there he stands; Lanval, it is he!
Here in thy court, he stands accused;
Lanval must not be here abused
for what he spoke; thou, King, must know
the queen was wrong; it was not so,
he never sought her love at all!» (de France 611-621)
This passage is the culmination of the tale in which, after much suffering, Lanval finally finds happiness. Before this, no one had helped the unhappy knight (de France 467-469); the queen herself had accused him (de France 315-320), but it is only at the end that Lanval finds justice thanks to the fairy who saved him.
The passage answers the question of the climax similarly to other tales of knights and princesses, but in this case, the roles are reversed. The author’s reversal of roles is a vital decision remotely related to notions of feminism. However, as in traditional fairy tales, the central moment brings the story to a logical conclusion: the knight and the princess (the fairy in this story) remain happy together.
Looking at the poem in this way, the reader can identify the main trends in the development of the narrative and the reasons why this passage is focal. Firstly, it is Lanval’s personality: he is strong and courageous, encounters adventures, and displays bravery. However, he is disliked in society because his qualities do not match the public, and therefore, his judgment is a misfortune.
Secondly, the image of impending evil is the queen and King Arthur, who are a barrier to Lanval’s perfection. Finally, it is the very image of the beautiful fairy who is willing to help Lanval in exchange for him keeping their secrets. She is the guide throughout the story, with whom Lanval experiences emotional ups and downs. At the end of the story, she is the central character who has improved and helped a previously struggling character.
I still question what would make a fairy leave Avalon and bring a knight who did not fit in with his society. Also, the course and purpose of Laval’s trial cannot be entirely determined because while recognizing him as King, Arthur is still willing to execute him. The motivational aspects also seem complicated, and I doubt the behavior of the fairy who interceded despite Laval’s betrayal. I think some issues can be discussed within the realities of the Middle Ages, but the stories remain mysterious.
Thus, the focal passage in the poem “Lanval” is the fairy’s arrival at King Arthur’s palace and her request not to judge Lanval. This is the logical conclusion of three plot lines: Lanvaland’s life journey, the Queen’s accusation, King Arthur’s judgment, and the fairy’s attention to Lanval. The climax encompasses all the characters involved in the emotional conflict, bringing it to a conclusion. The fairy is the one who sets the point in the narrative and allows the miracle, typical of chivalric stories, to come to fruition.
Work Cited
de France, Marie. Lanval. no date.