Lanval Reading Questions (Norton7)

English 201: English Literature to 1700
Prof. Boyer

Reading Questions for Marie de France's Lanval (pp. 127-140)

The best beginning procedure is always to read the assignment all the way through, keeping track of characters, so that you know what's happening. If possible, read the whole work first. Try to get the big picture of the book (or section, or chapter) before getting bogged down in details. Read through, then go back and clear up details. Then you're ready to read the work closely with these questions in mind. Page and line numbers in parentheses refer to The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 7th ed. (N7).

1.

First, notice from the headnote that Marie's identity and dates are unclear but that she was probably writing in the court of Henry II (1154-1189) and may have been related to him.

2.

At the beginning of Lanval, why is Arthur in the north at Carlisle? What is being celebrated? What happens when Arthur gives out gifts? What kinds of gifts does he distribute (line 17)? How does this compare with gift-giving in Beowulf? What about Lanval? What is Lanval's response?

3.

What happens when Lanval goes riding (lines 37-74)? Who comes to him? What do they say?

4.

What happens when Lanval visits the lady (lines 75-186)? What does she tell him? What is his response? What does she give him? What is the catch? (That is, what must he do in return?)

5.

What happens when he returns to the city (lines 187-212)? Is Lanval happy? How does he treat others?

6.

What happens when the queen goes outside with her ladies on St. John's Day (lines 213 ff.)? (St. John's Day is June 24. Pentecost, when the story began, occurs between May 10 and June 13.) Does Lanval join in the fun? What does the queen offer him (lines 257-262)? What is his response (lines 263-268)? What does she accuse him of (lines 269-280)? How does Lanval respond to this provocation (lines 281-296)? Why will he later regret what he said?

7.

What happens when the king comes to the queen's chamber (lines 297-325)? What does the queen accuse Lanval of? How honest is she? How does the king respond? Whom does he send to Lanval and why? Have you met this story before? (One version is Biblical: Potiphar's wife accusing her husband's servant Joseph in the Bible; another is classical: Phaedra accusing her stepson Hippolytus to her husband and his father Theseus in Euripides' Hippolytus.)

8.

How is Lanval responding (lines 326-352)? Why is he so sad? What happens when the barons arrive? What would he like them to do (line 352)?

9.

What happens when Lanval comes before the king (lines 353-412)? How does he answer the accusation? How does he find pledges? Who are his pledges and what do they pledge? After Lanval returns to his lodging, why do the knights keep checking up on him?

10.

What happens on the first part of the trial day (lines 413-464)? What are the barons to do? What possible decisions are there? What do they decide would free him of the charges (lines 447-454)? If he is not freed of the charges, what will the penalty be (lines 455-458)? What does Lanval respond (lines 459-464)?

11.

What happens when the return to deliver their verdict (lines 465-504)? What do the two girls ask? Does Lanval recognize them? Does anyone connect their arrival with Lanval's trial? What is the verdict of the barons (lines 501-504)? (Notice that the barons function more like a grand jury than a trial jury.)

12.

What happens when the trial is reconvened (lines 506-544)? What do the two girls ask? Does Lanval recognize them? Does anyone connect their arrival with Lanval's trial? Why is the king eager to have the judgment (lines 540-544)? Does line 539 perhaps give another reason?

13.

What happens when the barons are about to give their judgment (lines 545-630)? How is this girl described? How does everyone respond to her? What happens when Lanval sees her? What does he ask for? What does the lady tell the king (lines 613-623)? Does this free Lanval?

14.

What does Lanval do when she leaves (lines 625-644)? Has the lady invited him to go with her? Has she forgiven him? Does she let him go with her? Where do they go? Sound familiar?

Return to English 201 list of reading questions

1.	First, notice from the headnote that Marie's identity and dates are unclear but that she was probably writing in the court of Henry II (1154-1189) and may have been related to him.
2.	At the beginning of Lanval, why is Arthur in the north at Carlisle? What is being celebrated? What happens when Arthur gives out gifts? What kinds of gifts does he distribute (line 17)? How does this compare with gift-giving in Beowulf? What about Lanval? What is Lanval's response?
3.	What happens when Lanval goes riding (lines 37-74)? Who comes to him? What do they say?
4.	What happens when Lanval visits the lady (lines 75-186)? What does she tell him? What is his response? What does she give him? What is the catch? (That is, what must he do in return?)
5.	What happens when he returns to the city (lines 187-212)? Is Lanval happy? How does he treat others?
6.	What happens when the queen goes outside with her ladies on St. John's Day (lines 213 ff.)? (St. John's Day is June 24. Pentecost, when the story began, occurs between May 10 and June 13.) Does Lanval join in the fun? What does the queen offer him (lines 257-262)? What is his response (lines 263-268)? What does she accuse him of (lines 269-280)? How does Lanval respond to this provocation (lines 281-296)? Why will he later regret what he said?
7.	What happens when the king comes to the queen's chamber (lines 297-325)? What does the queen accuse Lanval of? How honest is she? How does the king respond? Whom does he send to Lanval and why? Have you met this story before? (One version is Biblical: Potiphar's wife accusing her husband's servant Joseph in the Bible; another is classical: Phaedra accusing her stepson Hippolytus to her husband and his father Theseus in Euripides' Hippolytus.)
8.	How is Lanval responding (lines 326-352)? Why is he so sad? What happens when the barons arrive? What would he like them to do (line 352)?
9.	What happens when Lanval comes before the king (lines 353-412)? How does he answer the accusation? How does he find pledges? Who are his pledges and what do they pledge? After Lanval returns to his lodging, why do the knights keep checking up on him?
10.	What happens on the first part of the trial day (lines 413-464)? What are the barons to do? What possible decisions are there? What do they decide would free him of the charges (lines 447-454)? If he is not freed of the charges, what will the penalty be (lines 455-458)? What does Lanval respond (lines 459-464)?
11.	What happens when the return to deliver their verdict (lines 465-504)? What do the two girls ask? Does Lanval recognize them? Does anyone connect their arrival with Lanval's trial? What is the verdict of the barons (lines 501-504)? (Notice that the barons function more like a grand jury than a trial jury.)
12.	What happens when the trial is reconvened (lines 506-544)? What do the two girls ask? Does Lanval recognize them? Does anyone connect their arrival with Lanval's trial? Why is the king eager to have the judgment (lines 540-544)? Does line 539 perhaps give another reason?
13.	What happens when the barons are about to give their judgment (lines 545-630)? How is this girl described? How does everyone respond to her? What happens when Lanval sees her? What does he ask for? What does the lady tell the king (lines 613-623)? Does this free Lanval?
14.	What does Lanval do when she leaves (lines 625-644)? Has the lady invited him to go with her? Has she forgiven him? Does she let him go with her? Where do they go? Sound familiar?