Marie’s lais held my attention because they were to the
point. I struggled with Erec and Enide. The first half of the book had a
certain rhythm to it: super slow, fast, slow, fast, slow. The amount of
character descriptions and imagery are not my cup of tea.
“… Erec, a member of the Round Table, who enjoyed great renown
at the court. Since he had his that nowhere on earth could be found a knight so
handsome. Though not yet twenty-five, he was most noble, brace, and becoming.
Never had any man his age displayed such valor. What more can I say of his good
qualities?” (2)
There is actually a good story mixed in with the superficial
ass kissing repetition. Erec represents an honorable knight by granting Sir
Yder mercy. Enide is very different from the women in Marie’s lais. I feel like
she proves to be adventurous as she travels with Erec, and love is mutual
between the two. Unlike in Marie’s lais, I never found myself questioning who I
disliked more or felt sorry for. (Although, as I mentioned earlier… there is
quite a bit of unnecessary ass kissing between the two of them.) Even though
those specific lines bore me, I do feel like Erec and Enide have mutual respect
for each other. They both seem to give each other inspiration. I doubt Erec
would have been as “eager for the combat” (10).
Perhaps I am over thinking this, but I found the part where Enide
prepares Erec for combat a sign of equality and support.
“She made fine work of arming him from head to toe” (10).
He wants to fight for her. She helps him prepare for battle.
He battles and wins. She is gifted the Sparrowhawk.
While most of the lais we read had some scandalous
relationships happening, this story follows the meeting and life of a married
couple. Instead of meeting here or there in secrecy, Erec and Enide are always
together. The troubles arise more so in Erec’s duties as a knight. (I’m not
sure how the knights kept their titles in Marie’s lais. They were always busy
chasing women; however, the knightly duties were never questioned.) This
appears to be a story about a couple encountering moments of jadedness. I have
not read the second half of the story; however, it seems as if the momentum of
the story is going in the direction of the two adventuring to get past the
bores of marital life. I foresee Enide being as equally important in the second
half.
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I would have finished the story if I wasn't so tired out by the really boring imagery and ass kissing parts of the story.
