"The Lais of Marie de France"

Paper Summary:

This paper argues that, in 'The Lais of Marie de France', 'love' is represented as a source of irrational disruption to a political order based largely upon reason and patriarchal authority. The author points out that the problem of focusing on only 'courtly love' is the risk of overlooking a range of complex issues addressed in this collection of lyrical stories. The paper relates that one of the most interesting of these issues is the text's representation of the feudal political context in which it was created.

From the Paper:

"While the focus of much of the research, as well as readers' interest, regarding The Lais of Marie de France concerns the representation of "courtly love" in the text, this focus risks overlooking a range of complex issues addressed in the collection of lyrical stories. One of the most interesting of these issues is the text's representation of the feudal political context in which it was created. This essay argues that, in 'The Lais of Marie de France', 'love' is represented as a source of irrational disruption to a political order based largely upon reason and patriarchal authority."

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