Tag Archives: milun

Similarities Between Marie de France’s Lais

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When reading Marie de France’s Milun, I realized that it shared many characteristics with other lais that we have read, but most notably Le Fresne. Not only are the plots similar, but also the concept of unwanted children who are sent off to be raised by others, as well as leaving them with objects that ultimately become a major part of their identity.

In Le Fresne, Fresne is born with a twin sister, and the mother, believing that having twins will ruin her reputation and she will be thought of as an adulterer, sends Fresne to a monastery to be raised by a nun, and keeps one of the children. This is very similar to Milun, as he gets his lover pregnant, but because they are not married, she decides to send the baby to her sister to be raised because having a child out of wedlock would ultimately ruin her reputation. So, in both stories, children are not only sent off, but their mother’s reputations become more important than keeping their children, probably reflecting just how important one’s reputation was in a given medieval society. Also, in Le Fresne, Fresne is given a number of fine garments by her mother when she is given away. The garments become a major asset of her identity, and ultimately they define her when her mother sees them towards the end of the story and realizes that this is her daughter. In Milun, the child is given a ring, and once this is seen by his father, he goes from wanting to “put him to shame,” for having a reputation that is as strong as his, to being so happy that he kisses him. In both cases, these objects are not only crucial to the plot, but define their owner’s identities. There are also key differences between Milun and Degare. Degare is too born illegitimately, and is given a broken sword that he keeps throughout his lifetime. In the end, like in Milun, he is fighting his father, who notices the sword, and the two are happily united.

Reputation

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Reputation, Reputation, Reputation. Reputation is a huge theme in all the medieval Breton Lais it seems. Lanval’s reputation is slighted when he doesn’t receive a gift from his lord King Arthur. Again his reputation is sullied when Guinevere lies and says he tried to sleep with her. We see the importance of reputation in Eliduc, when he has given his word to his wife that he will be faithful. Reputation is huge in Milun because the girl has gotten pregnant without being married. Almost the entire first part of Milun, a love story, focuses on her reputation and the worry she has if anyone finds out about the baby. The love part of the story takes a backseat. In fact love takes a backseat to reputation more often then I would have guessed. Milun and Eliduc are two lais in which this happens so I wanted to explore the agency of reputation in some of the lais we’ve read.

First off reputation in the romantic court is quite possibly the most important aspect of a knight. Every deed, action, adventure a knight does is done for his reputation. The same can be said of the woman in the court; they can’t have their reputations sullied. The society of the time of these lais stress reputation beyond anything. Reputation travels throughout the land. In Eliduc and Milun the love interests hear of Eliduc and Milun before they have ever laid eyes on them. The reputation of the two knights is what draws the knights and woman to each other. I think I can say that the woman fall in love with the knights’ reputation.

Reputation drives the society. The livelihood of the knights is dependent on reputation. When Eliduc’s reputation is slighted by the lies told to the King, he is kicked out of the King’s service and goes over seas to find a lord. The power of reputation to me is above even the power of love. Reputation has a higher relevance than religion or God in these lais. Reputation, Reputation, Reputation.

Love over lies

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Eliduc, Emaré and Milun all depict the idea that those who respect love tell the truth, and that this act can only result in a positive outcome for those involved. With this in mind, the logical step would be to represent lies as something which can only bring about pain and suffering. Instead, the authors of these texts demonstrate that though dishonesty possesses destructive capabilities, it cannot overcome the superior agency of love, and only temporarily hinder its inevitable ascent.

In Emaré, the king’s mother shows a selfish disregard for the principles of love, simply because she gives in to her own internal speculations. She uses her power over the messenger to change the agency of the letters entirely, thus separating the two lovers. The fact that the king, on receiving the deceitfully-written letter, instructs his staff to treat his wife well should show his mother the strength of his love. By replacing the second letter, she shows that she has completely failed to understand love, and though her treachery only delays the happy climax, she is brutally punished for this.

The female protagonist in Milun also mistreats love, albeit in a less vicious way. Her need to actively keep anyone from knowing about her lover and their son, which stems from her initial decision to keep her relationship with Milun secret, results in heartache. Though again, lies only slow down love’s progress, the family must suffer through over twenty years apart from each other, and ultimately risk death, in order to be reunited. This text demonstrates that love, though a powerful actant, must be respected with the truth in order to benefit other actants. Guildeluec portrays this principle perfectly in Eliduc, by using the truth to selflessly calm the fears of her husband’s lover, thus carving out a happy, loving future for them all.

In the assemblages of these tales, love is an incredibly potent force, which at times even explicitly imposes itself on other actants: “Love sent her a message, / commanding her to love him”. So-called ‘blocking characters’ can briefly block love’s path with lies, but the end result is always one of happiness for those who have learned to treasure love.