Arthurian Legend

Geoffrey Chaucer

Author of 'The Wife of Bath's Tale' from The Canterbury Tales (late 14th c.).

Heroic quest

A central theme in which the protagonist undertakes challenging tasks.

Lanval

A neglected knight who meets a fairy lady.

Culhwch and Olwen

Welsh prose tale, anonymous; part of The Mabinogion; earliest Arthurian tale (c. 1100s).

Culhwch

The protagonist cursed to marry only Olwen.

Olwen

The beautiful daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden, whose love motivates Culhwch's quest.

Ysbaddaden

The evil father/giant who sets impossible tasks for Culhwch.

King Arthur

The legendary king who helps Culhwch succeed in his tasks.

Community aid

The support from others, exemplified by Arthur's assistance to Culhwch.

Fate and destiny

Themes exploring the predetermined paths of characters.

Love as trial

The concept of love being tested through challenges.

Evil Stepmother

Culhwch's stepmother curses him.

Rash Boon

Arthur promises to help Culhwch before knowing the details.

Quest/Tasks

Similar to folktale 'Bride Quests.'

Chrétien de Troyes

French court poet and author of 'Lancelot, or The Knight of the Cart' (12th c.).

Queen Guinevere

The abducted queen whose rescue is central to Lancelot's quest.

Lancelot

The knight who must rescue Guinevere, proving his love and worth.

Meleagant

The kidnapper of Queen Guinevere.

Courtly love

A theme focusing on romantic ideals and the complexities of love.

Honor vs. shame

A theme exploring the tension between personal honor and societal shame.

Loyalty

A theme emphasizing fidelity in relationships.

Spiritual temptation

A theme reflecting the moral challenges faced by characters.

Marie de France

Anglo-Norman poet; first known female author in England, author of 'Lanval' (12th c.).

Fairy Lady

The powerful and autonomous love interest of Lanval.

Justice

A theme concerning fairness and moral rightness.

Female agency

The capacity of women to act independently and make choices.

The Knight

The protagonist who must discover what women desire most.

Old Woman

The character who provides the answer to the knight's quest.

Sovereignty over men

The answer to what women desire most, leading to the knight's transformation.

Transformation through humility

A theme illustrating personal growth through learning humility.

Queen Periods

Queen replaces Arthur in judgment—symbol of female moral authority.

Olwen's mother

Aids the hero against her husband, highlighting women's indirect agency within patriarchal systems.

Folkloric motifs

The evil stepmother's curse propels the story, the rash boon binds Arthur to help.

Chrétien de Troyes' Lancelot

Crafts the model of courtly love, elevating adulterous passion into a moral and spiritual ordeal.

Lancelot's humiliation

Contrasts with his exalted devotion, showing love's ability to both degrade and purify.

Guinevere's dominance

Exemplifies the medieval ideal of 'lady as ruler of love,' giving her unusual control in a chivalric world.

Marie de France's Lanval

Subverts patriarchal court dynamics by granting her heroine supernatural authority.

Fairy lady's power

Critiques the court's hypocrisy, especially Guinevere's misuse of power.

Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale

Merges Arthurian settings with a moral fable about gender and power.

Knight's transformation

Occurs when he recognizes women's right to sovereignty.

Loathly lady motif

Encapsulates inner vs. outer virtue.

Sovereignty and equality in love

Central theme in the Wife of Bath's Tale.

Heroic perseverance

Reflects fate through female-centered quest in Culhwch and Olwen.

True love vs. courtly corruption

Central theme in Lanval.

Love's humiliation and purity

Central theme in Lancelot.

Women's Influence

Olwen's mother helps secretly; Olwen inspires quest.

Key Motifs

Evil Stepmother, Rash Boon in Culhwch and Olwen.

Queen Power

Key motif in Lancelot.

Loathly Lady

Key motif in Wife of Bath's Tale.

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