Author Archives: lramdhan

Even though Marie de France integrated loyalty and honor into Chevrefoil and Lanval, the poet writing Sir Gawain and the Green Knight elevated both loyalty and honor to exceed previous works. Marie de France was able to have a gloomy outlook on love most of the time, but they also defied the traditions of love within the church. She wrote about adulterous affairs, women of high stature that seduced men which gave the idea that women can have sexual freedom. Even though that was very much untrue! She even wrote lais that supported many mistresses, all of which were against the traditions of the church and the idea of virginal love and marriage. The lais also exhibit the idea of a stronger female role and power.

Her story of Sir Gawain was a simple story of a woman who loved another man and would leave the bed of the man she was married to for the knight. Marie de France made it dark and creepy after the killing of the bird occurred and then the sharing of the bird. Once that took place the story changed from a possibly sweet love story to a shady and very odd one. Overall Marie de France was a strong feminist that proved to men that woman are stronger and can withstand any obstacle that they endure.

Io and Jove was a story of metamorphosis and love. Io was an innocent woman until she met Jove. After meeting Jove her whole world transformed. Literally. She was turned into a heifer to cover the the fact that he was up to no good and going against his wife. He was a strong man, a God, and it was in his mind that he was able to act they way he did just because he was a God. God or not, one must love their wives.

Another male figure that was disappointing was the father of Io named Inachus. When Io finally told her father of her misfortune he was very unsympathetic. He was actually more concerned that he wasn’t able to get a son-in-law or a grandson because of her transformation. He rambled on about her problem and never once thought of a solution to counter her curse. He was also very much into being a God as well by stating that he was in so much grief that he would kill himself but he wasn’t able to because he was a God. The men of the story was very disappointing! They lacked compassion and love instead they acted in power ranks and were selfish.

The story of Othello shows the powerful effect of trusted advisors. Throughout the story, Iago was the the puppeteer over all the characters. He would pull the strings to defeat those that he set his mind against. Much like life there is always someone who is pulling the strings or using their cunning wits to gain what they most desire. Iago was a clever advisor who helped Cassio to seek revenge for his loss of his war rank, a lieutenant, and Cassio was blinded by his anger to think of Iago’s true motive. Iago, began to kindle Othello’s fire of jealousy when he sees Cassio walk away from his wife Desdemona. When Othello sees Cassio part away from Desdemona, Iago tells him,“No, sure, I cannot think it,  That he would steal away so guilty-like,  Seeing your coming” He planted the seeds to see his reaction and unfortunately it wasn’t pleasant. Othello loved his wife and was heart broken to think that she would be with another man. Little did he know Iago was behind this conspiracy and not just Cassio. Iago’s greatest part to his revenge for Cassio was the handkerchief of Desdemona being planted in Cassio’s room to prove her guilty of all suspicions and see Othello fall.

Within the great story of Beowulf the theme was very blunt. Never make a deal with demons, no matter how tempting or pretty they may be. The poem had not described Grendel’s mother as a beautiful woman like the movie did so the only thing that really tempted Beowulf comparing both scenarios; was the natural craving of power. To become a king seemed like that was his top priority and in the end he rationalized that he deserved that much. However, when you make a deal with those who are corrupt it will come back to haunt you, its unavoidable. Within the story he knew of this in the back of his mind that it would be due time for the deal to break but he banked on a small hope that it wouldn’t be so. When the deal was broken he found himself in battle with his son as his opponent. The comparison between Grendal and Beowulf’s son was a significant difference. Grendal seemed distorted and was unnaturally different but to be the offspring of a warrior showed imminent strength. Beowulf’s son being a dragon symbolized a massive strength and terror. It was sad to know how it ended between them but it was foreseen.