Preserving female agency in Marie de France's Lanval and Le Fresne, and the reestablishment of patriarchy in Sir Launfal and Lai le Freine

Abstract

In Lanval and Le Fresne, Marie de France allots women agency within designated private spaces. By doing so, she draws attention to female oppression within the public space of the male-dominated court and undermines the patriarchal social structure of the courtly system. This thesis will explore how the Middle English adaptations, Sir Launfal and Lay le Freine, replace female autonomy exhibited in Marie’s works with patriarchal control.