Lais of Marie de France
Twelve Anglo-Norman lais celebrating courtly love and moral instruction.
The twelve short narrative poems known as the lais of Marie de France were composed in Anglo-Norman, likely between 1155 and 1170. These Breton lais focus on the adventures of their main characters, celebrating the ideals of courtly love. Marie’s work is considered foundational to the later genre of the Breton lais. Very little is known about Marie herself, though she is believed to have been born in France and to have written in England.
Written in eight-syllable verse, the lais are noted for their vivid descriptions, celebration of love, and strong individual characters—hallmarks of the emerging literature of the time. Five manuscripts contain some of the lais, but only one, Harley 978 (a 13th-century manuscript in the British Library), preserves all twelve. It has been suggested that if Marie arranged the lais as they appear in this manuscript, she may have intended a structure that contrasts positive and negative outcomes of love. The odd-numbered lais (such as “Guigemar” and “Le Fresne”) praise characters who express love for others, while the even-numbered ones (like “Equitan” and “Bisclavret”) warn that self-centered love can lead to misfortune.
Harley 978 also includes a 56-line prologue in which Marie explains her motivation. She says she was inspired by ancient Greek and Roman examples to create works that are both entertaining and morally instructive, and she wanted to preserve the tales she had heard. Two of the lais, “Lanval” (later adapted into the Middle English *Sir Launfal*) and “Chevrefoil” (a short piece about Tristan and Iseult), mention King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Marie was likely a contemporary of Chrétien de Troyes, another writer of Arthurian stories.
Marie’s lais were among the first works translated into Old Norse, where they are known as the *Strengleikar*. The twelve lais, in the order found in Harley 978, are: Guigemar, Equitan, Le Fresne, Bisclavret, Lanval, Les Deux Amants, Yonec, Laüstic, Milun, Chaitivel, Chevrefoil, and Eliduc.
- field
- Anglo-Norman literature, medieval French literature
- known_for
- Twelve narrative Breton lais celebrating courtly love
- language
- Anglo-Norman
- manuscript
- Harley 978 (13th-century, British Library)
Lore & Background
Marie de France's lais, told in octosyllables or eight-syllable verse, are notable for their celebration of love, individuality of character, and vividness of description. Five different manuscripts contain one or more of the lais, but only one, Harley 978, a 13th-century manuscript housed in the British Library, preserves all twelve. It has been suggested that if the author had indeed arranged the Lais as presented in Harley 978, she may have chosen this overall structure to contrast the positive and negative actions that can result from love. In this manuscript, the odd lais ("Guigemar", "Le Fresne", etc.) praise the characters who express love for other people. By comparison, the even lais, such as "Equitan", "Bisclavret" and so on, warn how love that is limited to oneself can lead to misfortune. The Harley 978 manuscript also includes a 56-line prologue in which Marie describes the impetus for her composition of the lais. In the prologue, Marie writes that she was inspired by the example of the ancient Greeks and Romans to create something that would be both entertaining and morally instructive. She also states her desire to preserve for posterity the tales that she has heard.
Reader's Guide
Two of Marie's lais, "Lanval," a very popular work that was adapted several times over the years (including the Middle English Sir Launfal) and "Chevrefoil" ("The Honeysuckle"), a short composition about Tristan and Iseult, mention King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Marie's lais were precursors to later works on the subject, and she was probably a contemporary of Chrétien de Troyes, another writer of Arthurian tales. Marie's lais were among the first works translated into Old Norse, in which they (and a number of other lais) are known as the Strengleikar. Despite her stature in Anglo-Norman literature and medieval French literature generally, little is known of Marie herself, but it is thought that she was born in France and wrote in England.
Did You Know?
- The lais were probably composed between 1155–1170.
- Only one manuscript, Harley 978, preserves all twelve lais.
- The Harley 978 manuscript includes a 56-line prologue.
- Two lais, "Lanval" and "Chevrefoil," mention King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.
- Marie's lais were among the first works translated into Old Norse, where they are known as the Strengleikar.
More in Poetry Collections And Epic Poems 1-22
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