Yvain #2

In this part of the story we hear more from Gwain and he goes and talks to Yvain about his marriage. He talks of how he doesn't want to see Yvain stray away from the manly thing to do as in fight and compete in tournaments. Gwain sees that hte man is in love but he thinks it unwise to be so submissive to his wife that he is having to consult with her with all the decisions that he takes. It seems like a repeat of Erec and Enide, as in both male characters manhood and honor are called into question. Gwain thinks that a woman won't respect a man who isn't manly and doesn't keep doing what he use to do. This argument doesn't seem to help the relationship, it seems that it just tears the couple apart with Yvain consenting to go because he didn't want to dissappoint anyone and though he didn't want to go, he goes anyway. He even asks her to grant her the favour to let him go fo her honour and his. So he's excuse to go is to restore their honour. His wife, Laudine, then makes a conditon that he must return to her before the feast of Saint John. If he didn't return shes says that he would be banished from her love. The agreement is one to make sure the other is faithful and I think I would agree with that, I mean it's a reasonable request seeing as he is leaving to go do manly things because his buddy says that he has to to be a man and maintain honour.

When Yvain does leave to go with Gwain and King Arthur's court he stays longer than her thought. Gwain keeps honouring him and accompanies him everywhere. After a while though, he then reflects and knows that he broke his promise to Laudine. It's been a little more than a year, and "Yvain suddenly began to reflect; since the moment he had taken leave of his lady he had not been so distraught as now" and so he is really feeling bad about breaking the promise to his wife. The guys really loves her though as it says that his heart "clung so tightly to the heart of her who remained behind that he had no power to take it with him." He has left his heart with her and now can not return because she won't have him. She sent a messanger to him to tell him what she thought of him and that she no longer trusted him and he was a cheat and a theif.

Laudine's message was basically that she no longer wanted him and that he was a cheat, seducer and theif. She no longer wanted to have anything to do with him. She says that a true lover wouldn't do what he did, that he wouldn't steal a lady's heart. She told him to give it back to her and would be done with him. He thought about how little he thought of her and how much time he had to get back to her but he took advantage of it. I was surprised that she would do it and that he deserved it. It see
mms to imply that the relationship is over and that there is going to be a fight back for her love by Yvain. He seems to go crazy after that and is subjected to illness and injury even though he was given a ring by Laudine though it only worked if he was thinking about her and staying faithful. In the woods he goes mad, eating raw meat and getting sick. All he wants is to get his wife back. I don't really know what to make of his cure which is him getting slathered in ointment by this girl, he is rejuvinated and made to remember the memories that he lost. It works too well, he is covered with ointment, even though only certain parts should have been.

I don't really recall any connection with mythology, this quesion is one that I can't quite answer. I don't fully understand or comprehend. I think the lion represents Yvain and the snake as Laudine.The dilemma i believe is that Yvain is facing is that he is in love with his wife and is doing eerything in his power to get her back. She seems resistant or others are persuading or making her feel that way. He also seems to be dealing with personal issues toward himself and why he was so selfish and didn't pay attention or think about his wife and how she felt. He was just doing what society expected of him.