A study of some aspects of marriage as presented in selected ostosyllabic French romances of the 12th & 13th centuries
It is often assumed that love in Old french romances derives from ProvenĂ§al fin'amors, in which love and marriage are incompatible. Yet in at least half the surviving octosyllabic romances written before 1300, love leads to marriage. The present thesis studies these ~marital~ romances. Part I discusses modern critics' views on the importance of ProvenĂ§al influence, later sections look at marriage as it affects heroes and heroines of romances. Love and marriage are very closely associated for these protagonists, who normally reject both marriage without love, and love without marriage. However, the idea of marriage for love conflicts with the feudal concept of marriage for profit or political advantage. These problems are generally solved by the combination of both concepts in the wedding of hero and heroine. Since the heroine is generally an heiress, while the hero is of lower rank, and may be poor, marriage to the heroine brings him wealth and status, as well as fulfilment in love. After his wedding, the hero acts as a good feudal lord, arranging rich marriages for his followers. Such heroes embody the aspirations of landless knights of the period, performing military service in the hope of being rewarded
Burch, Sally Louise
Love
A study of some aspects of marriage as presented in selected ostosyllabic French romances of the 12th & 13th centuries. It is often assumed that love in Old french romances derives from ProvenĂ§al fin'amors, in which love and marriage are incompatible. Yet in at least half the surviving octosyllabic romances written before 1300, love leads to marriage. The present thesis studies these ~marital~ romances. Part I discusses modern critics' views on the importance of ProvenĂ§al influence, later sections look at marriage as it affects heroes and heroines of romances. Love and marriage are very closely associated for these protagonists, who normally reject both marriage without love, and love without marriage. However, the idea of marriage for love conflicts with the feudal concept of marriage for profit or political advantage. These problems are generally solved by the combination of both concepts in the wedding of hero and heroine. Since the heroine is generally an heiress, while the hero is of lower rank, and may be poor, marriage to the heroine brings him wealth and status, as well as fulfilment in love. After his wedding, the hero acts as a good feudal lord, arranging rich marriages for his followers. Such heroes embody the aspirations of landless knights of the period, performing military service in the hope of being rewarded
study aspect marriage present select french romance often_assume love old french romance derive fin love marriage incompatible survive romance write love lead marriage present_study marital romance part_discuss modern critic view importance influence late section look marriage affect heroes heroine romance love marriage closely associated protagonist normally reject marriage without love love without marriage however idea marriage love conflict feudal concept marriage profit political advantage problem generally solve combination concept wed hero heroine since heroine generally hero lower rank may poor marriage heroine bring wealth status well fulfilment love wedding hero act good feudal lord arrange rich marriage follower hero embody aspiration landless knight period perform military_service hope reward