Those Darn Real-Life Details

So I thought that these lais were pretty interesting, and I didn’t mind reading them at all. 

With Equitan, I was actually surprised at how similar the plot was to some of our modern romances about couples who cheat. It started out with two people who lusted after each other and realized all of the reasons why having an affair would be wrong, but then said, “fuck it” and did it anyway. They were caught, of course, and had to suffer the consequences, but death is just a bit harsher than our normal punishments now a days. Also, I feel compelled to ask: wouldn’t Equitan’s death have major repercussions? I mean, yeah, he was a crap king and his seneschal did most of his work, but he was still the king and, since he didn’t have a wife or heir, his death would have created massive problems and probably thrown the area he ruled into turmoil. And the seneschal would have been put to death for treason, so no real happy ending for him either.

Le Fresne on the other hand, was a sweet story and I was actually happy to find out that not all of their stories involved torture, death, and other things like that. However, I have to admit that I was disappointed that the mother didn’t have to face any sort of punishment for getting rid of one of her daughters and never telling her husband about it. Also, she would rather kill someone and go directly against her religion rather than have to deal with her reputation taking a nosedive? What a vain woman. But then she goes ahead and gives the child (that she was about to kill) this ridiculously expensive robe and ring and sends her off to the monastery. I’m sorry, do you care about this child or not? Your attitude just did a complete 180. But hey, I guess her confessing and repenting at the end was enough to make up for this so…happy ending for everyone!

Now Bisclavret was an odd story. One thing that I thought was weird was how he couldn’t turn back into a human if he didn’t have his clothes. I mean, who came up with that? That is such a random rule (although I guess only changing during a full moon is a kind of random rule too). And his wife was absolutely horrible. She begged and manipulated her husband into telling her all of his secrets after promising that she would still love him, and then she turned around and betrayed him immediately. Also, why did she keep his clothes around after she took them? If she really wanted him to stay as a werewolf, then why didn’t she just burn the clothes or something? I did, however, like her punishment (and the nose less children idea was hilarious).

 

And did the king and Bisclavret get together? Because they were kissing at the end but Maríe de France didn’t really mention anything else about it.

                Overall, these were some intriguing stories, even if I couldn’t stop my brain from pointing out all of the little discrepancies. I realize that I just have to accept the random ideas in the lais, but it still bugs me.

 

Love is too complicated... smh crazy people

Okay so before I go on this weird and probably over exaggerated tangent, I just want to say that I really enjoyed reading these Lais: Equitan, Le Fresne, and Bisclavret. In each of the readings there wasn’t anything that is too out there and too different from what we read today. Or correction at least the crazy and creepy shit I read in my own spare time.

Where should I start... hmmmm? I guess I will start with Equitan. Can I just say one thing? Why is this woman trying to find any reason not to be with the King aside the fact that SHE IS FUCKING MARRIED!!!  To me that would be one of the most obvious reasons why you should not start an affair. BUT NOOOOO she only tries to tell him that she is not worthy because she is not in the same class as he is. I don’t think class should really matter when it comes to love, but that if there is something else like (cough cough… A MARRIAGE) then you should re- think how great you love is. Plus no offense but how can you fall in love or want a woman when you never seen her. I love (note the sarcasm) how he doesn’t want to hurt his seneschal because he owes him as much to not steal his wife but then he throws that thought out cuz he wants a lover. Like WTF you just had a good thought to be loyal to your guy, but then you say, “Fuck it all!!” 

 

Well all I can say is that the King and the wife got what they deserved. YOU SHOULD NEVER LET THE PENIS RULE YOU!!!!! At least not where you’re becoming a home wrecker.

  

 

So now onto Le Fresne all I have to say is that Jealousy is a vile thing. Why would you go and start a rumor over a woman, let alone your neighbor just because she is carrying two twin boys. Instead of being happy LIKE ANY NORMAL PERSON you have to become a petty b*ach and start spreading rumors. Well guess what Karma must have been hella hungry cuz they came and bit you in the ass. Now it is you who is having twin girls. So to makes sure you don’t sound like a hypocrite you give away your baby. Does no one see anything wrong about giving up your baby to be sent to a convent?  But at least in the end it is on a happier note. The long lost twin is reunited with her family and then she got to marry her love. It was weird but ok I will go along with it. At least no one died.

Bisclavret was probably my favorite of the three. Maybe it is because I am OBSESSED with weird supernatural beings. All I know is that if my husband was part werewolf I would be jumping for joy. Well at least I would once I made sure he wouldn’t hurt me. If he was anything like Jacob from Twilight or like Scott from Teen Wolf.

 

I thought love meant that you stick together like glue and even if you know your man or you turn into a hideous creature your partner/lover should love you just the same If not more because your partner can TAKE CARE OF YOU BETTER!!! She a stupid hoe!!! How you going to abandon a great guy to marry an average Joe? like why would you give up on the sexiness????

  

In line 139 I liked how it said, “When the hounds were unleashed” it reminds me of hearing stories about the hounds of hell and how they were wild but protective of who they loved. I just find that interesting and I just got to say it’s her loss maybe she should have stuck with the sexy werewolf then she would still have a nose.

 

Hypocrisy and Loyalty...One in the Same?

Out of the stories we had to read for this week, the story of Equitan really got me thinking. It made me think about how some people are nothing but hypocrites. I assume that most people would expect that their significant other would be loyal to them, but for some strange reason, people sometimes think it's okay to do the exact opposite of what they want their partners to do. Take the seneschal's wife, for example. She clearly states to Equitan that he must remain loyal to her, while she, on the other hand, has no loyalty to her own husband. In other words, she's committing adultery, but doesn't want to be the victim of cheating herself. WHAT A HYPORCRITE!!

I'd like to compare this to modern day ideals on this subject. Cheating is, unfortunately, a regular occurrence in today's world. Sadly, I don't think the hypocrisy has gone away either. People can cheat all they want, but no one wants to be on the other side of it, meaning the cheater becomes the one being cheated on. I just don't understand why people can't be honest with each other. It is evident that cheating on someone isn't a new idea, so why hasn't anything been done to fix the problem? If people are honest about their feelings toward others, perhaps people won't jump into boiling water/throw their disloyal lovers into a boiling pot of death.