The Use of Nature in Marie de France's "Lanval"
A Triumph of Natural Beauty and Grace Over Unnatural Forces
Jul 27, 2009
In the lay “Lanval,” Marie de France embodies nature in the fairy women to contrast them and their noble power against the unnatural and forced human power of the Queen and her court. This shows the victory of sublimity and uncontrollability of nature over regulations and control, which lack the allure of nature’s opposite qualities.
The Fairy Woman as a Representation of the Natural
After a brief introduction in which Lanval is dejected from the court of King Arthur, the reader encounters the vivacity and poise of nature in the form of two exquisitely-dressed women whose “clothes were in expensive taste / Close-fitting tunics, tightly laced / Made of deep-dyed purple wool/ Their faces were most beautiful” (lines 55-58). This is Lanval’s first encounter with nature in our story, and the first aspect that is revealed to us is the beautiful.
The use of color here distinguishes these fairies from later mentions of the Queen, who is never described with a color. Whereas the Queen could be seen as bland and colorless, this introduction of the fairy servants gives the reader a deep purple—the color of a setting sun or blooming flower—with which to associate to the fairy. With this initial interaction, Lanval is already interested.
While her servants before her are the deep purple of a flower, the beautiful fairy herself far surpasses the majesty of a flower, captivating Lanval with her magnificence immediately and establishing a role of power over man that is on par with that of the natural world. “Inside the tent the maiden was: / Not rose nor lily could surpass / Her beauty when they bloom in May” (91-93).
The comparison puts the reader into the realm of nature, implying that the beautiful fairy wields power within the elements of nature. What follows is an elaborate and poetic description of the fairy that goes beyond the description of her servants. This lack of detail—let alone favorable detail—upon the Queen’s entrance into the poem is extremely noticeable.
Though there exists a mutual love between Lanval and the fairy, the fairy remains both in control and unpredictable just as nature rules over all men with no set plans beyond a simple love. She gives up no power, saying, “I warn and pray you and command: / You must never tell anyone / About the love that you have won. / The consequences I shall declare: / Should people learn of this affair / You shall never see me / Nor have my body in your fee” (140-147).
The Queen As a Representation of the Unnatural
The Queen reveals her romantic intentions to Lanval as he sits alone during festivities at the castle. “Lanval, I’ve honored you sincerely / Have cherished you and loved you dearly / All my love is at your disposal / What do you say to my proposal” (257-260)? The Queen’s proposal indicates that Lanval has a choice that needs to be factored into future matters.
However, the fairy gave Lanval no choice. “Lanval, fair friend, for you I’ve come / For you I’ve traveled far from home / If you are brave and courteous / You’ll be more glad and prosperous / Than ever was emperor or king / For I love you over everything” (107-112). The bravery she speaks of is referencing their later agreement of Lanval’s silence about their relationship. While Lanval is able to defy the Queen—at least until he decides to simultaneously defy the fairy—he must live in compliance with the fairy just as he must live in compliance with nature if he wishes to be glad and prosperous.
Sublimity in Nature
The fairy’s qualities soon fall directly in line with the sublimity of nature, as her beauty is represented by the mention of breeding and bounteous grace. These two elements are prevalent in the dangerous magnetism of nature, and Lanval reveals to the Queen that “Each serving-maid in her domain / The poorest girl of the whole crew / My lady, is worth more than you / In beauty of both figure and face / In breeding and bounteous grace” (292-296).
Lanval’s original denial of the Queen’s advances led the Queen to insult him by telling him that “women are not what you prefer” (279). He only truly incites the Queen in this bringing-up his relationship with the fairy, a thing he said he would not do. Lanval truly oversteps his boundaries at the end of his revealing of the fairy. Here, Lanval speaks the truth of the fairy, but in breaking his oath to her he defies nature and must suffer the consequences.
The Queen gets Lanval in trouble with King Arthur, and when being held for trial, the knights offer themselves up one-by-one as bail. As the fairy finally shows up to save Lanval from his fate at the hands of the court, her power over all people is undeniable when “[i]n the whole town, great men and small / Old men and babies, one and all / Came running just to watch this show / When they saw her riding, these folk / Knew her beauty was no joke” (420-425).
An Overwhelming Power
This lay takes the concept of nature—its never-ending power over all beings and irresistible “female” charms—in the beautiful fairy and her servants. A comparison with the Queen and her forced, human rule serves to acknowledge the triumph of the sublime through unwavering supremacy. Nature’s sublimity and uncontrollability opposes and defeats the regulations and control of the Queen and her unnatural realm.
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