Betrayal and Love

When reading the lais I was struck by the responses to different betrayals in the stories. In fact, in each one someone is betrayed. The difference in the reaction seems to be based upon which side of the "true love" the betrayal is made. Betrayal favoring the main couple in the story is easily forgiven as if it were a natural course. Betrayal that serves to tear them apart is rewarded with shocking revenge. Bisclavret contains an obvious betrayal of what is described in the beginning of the story as a worthy love. When his wife betrays him, Bisclavret takes clear steps toward revenge going as far to mark the betrayer.

Lanval's betrayal is trickier. He betrays his love in spite against slander. The difference appears even before he commits the act as Marie declares after which "he was often to regret," and later "he now regretted this, for as a result he had lost her." The key for Lanval is regret and the suffering he alowed himself to feel following his loss, something which Bisclavret's wife lacked.

In Yonec important betrayal appears to be the Lord’s betrayal of his wife by killing her lover. This betrayal serves to tear the lovers apart and following the previous examples deserves a punishment of vengence. More interesting to me is how the wife’s betrayal of her husband is easily forgotten because it is in favor of the story’s “true love.” In order for it be forgiven so easily it appears to me that the husband must be made out to be an ogre, locking his wife away jealous of everyone. This is of course similar to the situation Guigemar, which has a similar forgiveness.

In terms of our course’s arc I find it very interesting that the one betrayed in these three stories is the one who is the most otherworldly. Bisclavret is a werewolf and obviously takes the cake in his story, Lanval’s lover is basically ethereal, and Yonec’s father shapeshifts into the form of a hawk. Each of them are betrayed, but ultimately end up either happy or avenged. Being monstrous in the stories only serves to place these character's above suspicion, even the werewolf can be sympathized with.