Marie de France’s Lanval and the Birth of the Romance Genre
In Lanval, Marie de France tells the story of a knight’s adventures—including a
whirlwind romance with supernatural themes—in the court of King Arthur. The plot is
typical of the medieval romance genre, which grew in popularity after Marie de France
completed Lanval. In some ways, however, Lanval is a less-than-typical romance in
that it focuses on economic issues; in this light, one might consider it an example of a
subgenre known as the “largesse fable.” The largesse fable traditionally explores the
financial woes of the neglected classes in the feudal society; the lay therefore becomes
a sort of fairytale solution to material problems.
Despite the romance theme, Lanval is primarily concerned with the courtly economy,
which was then centered on gift-giving. A central part of the plot centers on the king’s
rejection of Lanval because he is no longer financially successful. In this way, Lanval
operates in much the same way that older texts like Beowulf do: by exploring the
relationship between rulers and their court. Lanval returns to the same sort of comitatus
ethic that ruled in earlier years.
The romance is also notable for its reversal of gender roles, which was extremely
uncommon in the Middle Ages. The romance features two authoritative women (the
fairy and the queen), both of whom drive the action of the plot. In Lanval, the fairy
maiden provides Lanval with financial protection, thereby helping him resecure his
position in the court. In effect, the traditional damsel in distress is replaced by a female,
and an independently wealthy one at that, who rescues her distressed husband. For
female readers, the figure of the fairy is a form of wish-fulfillment, as she wields power
over her husband and her own life—a narrative of empowerment that we will discuss
later in relation to Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.
As a “midway point” between Anglo-Norman culture and future romances (particularly
Chretien de Troye’s verse versions), Lanval is a text of considerable historical
importance. Although it introduced many of the themes that would be popular in late
verse romances, Lanval is distinct in its treatment of its subject matter. In addition to
shifts in gender roles, the romance also approaches King Arthur in a less than favorable
manner. The king, traditionally represented as the epitome of English heroism, is
neither generous nor prudent. Nevertheless, Lanval does anticipate a broad shift
towards the romance as a genre, as well as King Arthur’s court as a focal point of later
artistic endeavors.
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