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This article argues that Chrétien de Troyes' Yvain serves as an exemplum of Christian virtue through which the author explores caritas-love directed toward a higher purpose than oneself-as the theological virtue under which all others are ordered and which the hero Yvain must work to perfect. (RMF)
Chrétien de Troyes' heroes are frequently thrown into situations requiring them to prove their honor, and the proving usually comes about through a central virtue with which the heroes are closely connected. In Yvain, ou le Chevalier au Lion, the hero Yvain is proven honorable through the virtue of caritas-love directed toward a higher purpose than oneself-which is the theological virtue under which all others are ordered. This ordering of virtue assumes a Christian approach, and Chrétien provides in Yvain a character who embodies caritas as espoused, in particular, by Peter Abelard and Heloise in their letters and in Abelard's independent works on Christian ethics. While other philosophers address similar points, as indicated by references below to Augustine, Cicero, and Aristotle, Abelard pulls the ideas of these thinkers together into a cohesive claim that most thoroughly reflects Chrétien's development of Yvain's virtue ethics. Further, Chrétien and Abelard are contemporaries, suggesting a possible awareness by Chrétien of Abelard's work, or of a common philosophy of virtue ethics in twelfth century northern France. Through Yvain, Chrétien establishes a beneficial, other-directed love that carries a heavy obligation to the beloved through deeds that are 'correctly ordered' and that follow Heloise's understanding of amor.1 Chrétien does this, primarily, through Yvain's relationships with Laudine and Gawain: Laudine represents 'correctly ordered' love, while Yvain's friendship with Gawain challenges Yvain's virtue and propensity toward caritas through Gawain's penchant for self-centered worldliness. This friendship leads to loss of virtue and the need for Yvain to habituate himself to virtuous practice and the wholeness of virtue that is possible under caritas, which he achieves through a series of charitable acts toward others that lead him back to amor honestus (honest or true love) with Laudine, the quintessential object of his selfless love for others. What this article argues is that Yvain serves as an exemplum of perfect Christian virtue and the difficulties in upholding it.
Chrétien opens the romance with a disputation on love, arguing, 'now...