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mallory_minerva 's review for:
The Lais of Marie de France
by Marie de France
The Old French poems attributed to "Marie de France" (whose identity is mysterious) are some of the best medieval fiction there is. This book consists of twelve stories, which range in quality from being decent and quaint, to being masterpieces of short fiction and poetry, with most being simply great. They are not Marie's original storytelling, but rather Breton folk tales being polished and recorded for posterity. They are love stories, and occasionally resemble fairy tales, and on average are approximately five or six pages in length. The stories they tell are of knights, kings, maidens and jealous courtiers. They are remarkable for their realistic portrayal of love, with psychological nuance and a consideration for social and religious confines on relationships, and the breaking of those confines. These stories do not attempt to explain how love works of why it exists, but rather what lengths people will go to be in love, especially when it is taboo. And in doing so, it tells stories that are sad, funny, beautiful and even gripping! My favorite is Eliduc, the final and longest story.
It is worth noting that, although these stories aren't necessarily feminist, they are not particularly sexist either. Gender dynamics are very relevant to these stories and they are treated with fairness, while the characters are treated with sympathy. In other words, women are treated as real people with agency worthy of respect. These stories are quite simple, but thematically they have remarkable depth and uniqueness for the time they are from. Lastly, Marie was a damn good poet, and her writing flows beautifully and smoothly. I am reviewing the Penguin Classics version, which contains a fantastic translation that renders her writing into prose, and it reads excellently as well. Attached are examples of the original Old French text, notes, and a 40 page introduction that is very dry and is one thirds helpful context and two thirds academic drivel. That is the main reason why I award this a 4 instead of a 5, but the stories themselves do vary in quality. Overall this is a fantastic read and a highlight of medieval literature that holds up incredibly well in the modern day.
It is worth noting that, although these stories aren't necessarily feminist, they are not particularly sexist either. Gender dynamics are very relevant to these stories and they are treated with fairness, while the characters are treated with sympathy. In other words, women are treated as real people with agency worthy of respect. These stories are quite simple, but thematically they have remarkable depth and uniqueness for the time they are from. Lastly, Marie was a damn good poet, and her writing flows beautifully and smoothly. I am reviewing the Penguin Classics version, which contains a fantastic translation that renders her writing into prose, and it reads excellently as well. Attached are examples of the original Old French text, notes, and a 40 page introduction that is very dry and is one thirds helpful context and two thirds academic drivel. That is the main reason why I award this a 4 instead of a 5, but the stories themselves do vary in quality. Overall this is a fantastic read and a highlight of medieval literature that holds up incredibly well in the modern day.