Our Hero(ine)

Let me be one of the first to say how refreshing it is to be back in a romantic narrative! I really enjoyed this text for the story and the ideas it induced. One of the most prominent questions that came to my mind while reading this text was this: if our protagonist is a noble woman dressed up as a knight, then what does this do to the othering of people in the story? Until this point, our heroes have basically been strong, Christian men of nobility and worthy knights. Though many of these men were othered because of their unusual amount of strength, this story is centered on a woman, a person initially othered before any actions occur. We are now confronted with an unusual character we call the hero (or heroine).

We begin the story of Silence with her father winning the hand of her mother after defeating a monster, the dragon. It is through the interruption of this monstrous creature that Cador and Eufemie become close and marry. In addition, it is poignant to note that in the tedious pages of tension between the two for what they believe is unrequited love, it is the woman who finally makes the first proclamation of love. This does not seem fitting after the formal modes of courtship we have read between other knights and maidens. So, this story begins with an unusual union that emasculates the male. This union allows for the birth of Silence.

In a similar manner to Alan de Lille’s writing, we have a confrontation to Silence by Nature and Nurture, two entities oddities in themselves attempting to place the protagonist on their side. Nature’s desire for Silence to “go to a chamber and learn to sew” (line 2528) is its determination to have Silence inside and away from the world. Nurture and Reason intervene as well, and help to stabilize Silence in this othered category. Silence proclaims, “I’m a young man, not a girl / I don’t want to lose my high position” (lines 2650-1). As we see here, the othering done to Silence is innate because of being born female. She decides to hide her femininity by being male, but her strength as a knight later in the text will other her once again.

Even when Silence meets the minstrels and journey’s off with them, he is othered in his actions. While performing he is the one who stands out among the minstrels as best. He is noted as being the performer rulers wish to hear and bringing in the most money.

Though Silence is attempting to fit into a false category, there is one place where he fails: in the meaning to his name. Silence rejects the silent way of life given to him as female. He rejects being silent when playing instruments for others and othering himself by creating the most beautiful music. Silence seems to other himself from his own name in the process. However, by not placing himself concretely into his own name, he does great things, and has progressed farther than he would have if known to be a female.

I would argue that this othered protagonist appears to critique the contemporary modes of conduct. Contrary to other heroes, Silence is othered in a way that is deemed, as “lower” than men. She elevates her status and by her accomplishments, she problematizes the notions of othering. It is interesting to note that this story is a precursor to Joan of Arc, who will historically other herself by not only being a female knight, but also leading the French to victory over the English.