Women’s Responsibility for the Actions of Men in "Lanval"

In Lanval, strong women are the driving force of the plot, where characters such as the fairy lady and Queen Guinevere play major roles and heavily influence the narrative. Despite having a large significance, they do not necessarily empower and are instead given questionable traits that often lead to the men facing unfavourable consequences. They are portrayed to seem one-dimensional, scheming and secretive, thereby demonstrating that the agency they are granted is often undermined by the results of their own actions and hence, empowers them to a small extent.

Although women in Lanval are undeniably powerful, they fail to use their influence positively as men are pressured to step out of line and at times, abandon their chivalrous ways due to the pressure women put on them. By looking at the relationship between the fairy and Lanval, it is clear that the fairy is the provider in the relationship, as she promises to give Lanval “whatsoever thing he wanted” (David 133), including tangible, costly items like “gold and silver” and “expensive clothes to wear” (138). However, it comes at the expense of keeping the relationship a secret from Lanval’s society, as he “shall never again” (147) see her “nor have (her) body in (his) fee” (148) if he breaks the promise. On one hand, the fairy demonstrates her agency by picking her lover during a time when it was considered appropriate for only men to do so. On the other, her request is comparable to a form of manipulation and a looming threat that hangs over him that is underscored by his resolution to “do whatever thing she asked him to” (150). Furthermore, the lady’s request of secrecy brings into question her intentions, especially when we see the lengths Lanval goes to honour his word. As Byrne states, the idea of keeping their relationship a secret “bears no relation to the situation at hand” and “seems completely gratuitous and appears to have no clear moral or ethical import” (157).

However, this secrecy suggests that their love is forbidden to exist in the world Lanval is from, and it forces him to distance himself from what he recognises to be familiar. At one point, when Gawain invites him to take part in a festival to meet “the fairest and most captivating” (David 242) maids-in-waiting, he “goes off alone and turns / aside from all the rest” (251- 252) without second thought. As Quinn states, “there is a shift in focus from a masculine preoccupation with jousts and purposeful quests to a preoccupation with a female-dominated fairy realm” (212), illustrating that the abandonment of his knightly obligations and a lack of chivalry are a direct result of his relationship with the lady and his deep loyalty to her. His loss of these knightly qualities is further highlighted by a lack of hesitation in later following the lady to Avalon. This decision also brings to attention the lady’s lack of compromise. Hence, the fact that men have little power in their choices as a result of female dominance suggests that the agency women has does not effectively empower them.

Next, women can come across to seem shallow in Lanval, especially in comparison with the men, whose characters are given more depth. This superficiality is namely evidenced by the fairy lady and Queen Guinevere when they each attempt to win Lanval over. During the fairy’s first meeting with Lanval, she showers him with physical gifts such as “her body, every part” (David 130), “money, as fast as he can spend it” (135) and basically, “whatsoever thing he wanted” (133), while he simply “promise(s) to fulfill” (124) her commands and “give up all the rest” in order to fully devote himself to her. On the surface, it is clear that the lady has significantly more riches to offer. However, it also implies that she has nothing more than tangible wealth to give to Lanval. Thus, the fairy’s insincerity contributes to the idea that women in Lanval are not empowered in spite of their significance.

In a similar vein, Queen Guinevere’s anger at Lanval for rejecting her advances as his “mistress” (265) due to his refusal to “betray” (270) King Arthur “never for love, and not for you” (271), reveals the disparity in their respective moral values. While Lanval displays his loyalty to the King by being appalled at the prospect of being “untrue” to his lord (272), the Queen stoops to accuse him of homosexuality and tells a twisted version of the story to King Arthur. To add on, the Queen’s rapid change in demeanor towards Lanval reveals an air of artificiality to her. Initially, she claimed to have “cherished (him) and loved (him) dearly” (262), such that “all (her) love is at (his) disposal” (263) and yet pressed for his execution the moment he rejects her advances. The Queen’s actions reveal her character to be one that is deeply egocentric and manipulative in contrast to Lanval who acted out of his loyalty to the court and love for the fairy lady. Furthermore, Lanval’s death sentence can be seen as a consequence of Queen Guinevere’s open sexual desire for him. This once more highlights the negative implications of the agency women in Lanval have, as the freedom of expression they are granted tends to be undermined by the consequences others face.

However, we cannot dismiss the agency of women in Lanval as irrelevant simply because of its impact on other characters- regardless of how negative some of them are- as the men in Lanval do have agency as well. It is noted that “the unique quality of lanval is not found in sexist criticism and a venomous attack on male dominance but in a balanced challenge to feudal society, where male and female weaknesses, and strengths, are presented alongside each other in an effort to criticise an unjust society” (Eccles 285). This can be observed in Lanval’s willingness to break his code of conduct several times in the lai as a result of his devotion to the fairy lady. It is mentioned that he spoke “with spite, as he was much upset” (David 287) to the Queen when she insults him to be a “faithless coward of low degree” (281), illustrating how he is able and willing to speak his mind even if it means breaking the chivalric code. In another instance when other knights were expected to greet maids-in-waiting during the festival, he instead “goes off alone” (251), once again exercising his freedom of choice, without consequences this time. In other words, men in Lanval are very much able to make decisions for themselves and it is thus unfair to pin the blame on women just because they actively utilise their autonomy. As such, even though we see that the fairy lady is the main reason behind Lanval’s outburst at Queen Guinevere and we can choose to blame her for having such a large influence, it is imperative to recognise Lanval as someone who has equal agency and hence should be held accountable as well. Hence, with regards to Eccles’ claim that “there is no hint or malice or unjust criticism in her writing” (285), it can be argued that men and women in Lanval are presented equally, without one being more dominant than the other. Ultimately, there is no doubt that women are put in a position of high power in the lai and can be held responsible for being the source of joy in the lives of men just as much as they can be held responsible for their distress.

At the start of the poem, the claim “nor did his men like him at all” (David 20) suggests Lanval’s lack of popularity with the knights, which results in him being an outcast of sorts. His loneliness perhaps attributed to his pessimism, as he is described to be “lonely, seeing the darker side” (34). His liaison with the fairy results in immense popularity with the knights, as he uses her riches to give “expensive presents” (207) and “does honors in excess” (210). The lines “he lives in joy and delight, / whether it be by day or night” underscores the sheer happiness of Lanval and is in stark contrast to his temperament before. This suggests that the fairy is responsible for delivering him from poverty, improving his well-being and his social status amongst the other knights. It is further suggested that Lanval “finds his identity not in knightly deeds but in his encounters with a woman who proved to be a fairy” (Quinn 212), insinuating that the lady positively contributes to his growth as a person and thus reaffirms the argument that women in Lanval are put in a position of influence that is not necessarily a negative one. At the end of the lai, it becomes clear the fairy lady has been controlling much of the narrative which empowers the role of women in Lanval.

During Lanval’s trial, the fairy exercises her power by using available resources to delay Lanval’s death sentence twice, even before her actual appearance. King Arthur’s agreement to “clear (his) chambers” (David 493) and “hang them with silk draperies” (494) eventually leads to the court belatedly acknowledging that their “attention was distracted” (506) from the matter at hand, which illustrates the fairy’s mastery over human affairs and her ability to change circumstances. This is further underlined by the fact that she “did not intend to stay” (618) in the castle despite requesting for the King to host her visit, suggesting she has enough authority to toy with the royal court. The fairy lady can be instantly recognised as a heroine when she makes a grand entrance, such that “the heart of every single knight” (587) was “warmed with sheer delight” (588) at the mere sight of her. She goes on not only to defend Lanval but also preserves his honour by rightfully accusing the Queen who “committed perjury” (624). This shows that the terms of her relationship with Lanval are her own, as is the decision to forgive him and vindicate him in court. Hence, the fairy is portrayed here to be benevolent, as well as a dependable character.

In conclusion, Lanval challenges the stereotypical roles of women by putting characters such as the fairy lady and Queen Guinevere in positions of power and allowing them to extend their influence to the people around them. The fact that men’s actions are arguably dictated throughout the lai by feminine influence can be fairly interpreted as an attempt to subvert traditional gender roles. Despite this, the consequences men face in response to female dominance at times undermine this very challenge as it implies that women in power results in negative ramifications. Ultimately, Marie de France’s attempt at giving women autonomy is successful to a limited extent but is essential all the same.