Lanval

Lanval is the title of Lais ( short poem in French on a Celtic theme) by Marie de France ( * ~ 1135 ~ † 1200). The Lais treat fairy-tale motifs, or saying substances from the Celtic Britain. The twelve Lais their collection were recorded by Marie de France in 1170. Typical of her poems is a recurring combination of joy and sorrow.

Content

Lanval a handsome and brave knight at the court of King Arthur in Carlisle, but not all knights is popular. One day he sees a beautiful lady in a river that invites him into her magnificent tent, because she wants to examine its merits. The two fall in love and live a night together as man and wife. In the morning the lady Lanval obliged to tell anyone, they 'll always come back and make him rich and happy. Lanval promises this and returns to the back yard where him his newfound wealth and friends but also creates envy. The Queen Gwenhwyfar, Arthur's wife wants to seduce him, but he refuses on the grounds that he was true to an even more beautiful lady. Enraged by this remark to Gwenhwyfar complained to the king, Lanval 've offended by these words. At the hearing of this incident is Lanval refuses, true to his promise to name the name of the lady and should be condemned. Only Sir Gawain still holds to it. As the lady appears on a white horse and now all see that it is actually the most beautiful. Lanval is acquitted and rides with his lady to Avalon - the two were never seen again.

Other language versions of poetry

In Middle English language appeared Sir Lanval to 1340 and later the rhyming story Sir Lamb [e ] well in the 16th century. In Scandinavia, the 13th century this was retold Lai under the title Januals LiOD.

Modern reception

Eduard Stucken created in 1903 the drama Lanval, which in 1911 was listed at the Burgtheater in Vienna with great success. The content follows the very freely Lai of Marie de France and ends in contrast to that in a disaster.