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The Many Faces Of Love In Arth - Online Term Paper

The Many Faces Of Love In Arth

The theme of love develops through several different levels in Arthurian Literature. Geoffrey of Monmouth and Wace equate love with sexual desire, and little else. The concept becomes less one-dimensional in Hartmann von Aue�s romances. In Erec and Iwein, Hartmann�s definition of love includes emotional attachment and a degree of commitment. He also discusses the importance of love in proper measure. Sex still plays an important part in Hartmann�s discussion of love, but �love� in his works connotes far more than just physical desire. It can be an ennobling or a degenerating entity with the power to refine or to condemn.
Wolfram von Eschenbach�s concept of love strays even further from ...

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love is the love and service of God. In order to clarify this development of the concept of love from simple human desire to a sublime commitment to the almighty, let us examine in detail the works of these perpetuators of Arthurian Legend.
Geoffrey of Monmouth�s History of the Kings of Britain contains an account of the events that lead up to the birth and reign of King Arthur. Geoffrey tells of Uther, the King of Britain whose longing for Queen Igerna culminates in Arthur�s conception. When Uther sees Igerna at his Easter festival, an overwhelming desire for her ensnares him. Unfortunately for Uther, Igerna is married to Gorlois, the Duke of Cornwall, who takes offense to the king�s advances toward his wife. Uther laments this predicament as he expresses his feelings to a soldier of his:
�I burn with love for Igerna, and I do not think I can avoid
danger to my health unless I win her. Tell me how I can satisfy
my desire, or I shall die from torment� (Geoffrey, 61).

Uther says ...

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sex or sexual desire in The History of the Kings of Britain. Merlin marvels at the intense anguish Uther�s unfulfilled instinctual drives have placed on him; the wizard refers to that anguish brought about by physical attraction as �love.�

In Wace�s Roman de Brut, the exact same scenario unfolds with Uther and Igerna. Wace tells the reader that Uther�s �love for Igerna�exceeded everything else� (Wace, 13) and that it �was constantly urging him forward� (Wace, 13). The �love� urging Uther forward consists of sexual desire; Wace informs the reader that �The king lay that night with Igerna�� (Wace, 14), but he does not say why Uther loves her for any reason other than her physical ...

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 3/17/2005 07:34:54 PM
Category: Book Reports
Type: Free Paper
Words: 5113
Pages: 19

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