The Knight With The Lion/ Yvain, pages 295-324

I found the first third of this story to be very interesting, most notably in the way it treats love. Throughout his stories, Chrétien treats love as if it is an instantly affecting occurrence, like a lightning strike immediately impairing the person’s heart; it is even an intent force of its own (Love). This can be seen with Erec and Enide, who fall in love (rather conveniently) just as Erec claims her as his future wife. Chrétien often employs the “love at first sight” phenomenon, making the characters instantaneously affectionate of one another; but it’s worth pointing out that these loving couples have never even conversed (or, like Yvain and Laudine, they have never even met). This means that their sudden love for each other was not based on any personality chemistry or shared characteristics. Instead, both find the other extremely physically attractive, and “Love” works her magic for the two. Chrétien somewhat idealizes the event of falling in love; a naïve reader may be led to believe that two people who recognize the other as handsome or beautiful are destined to be together eternally.
Conversely, though, Chrétien states that this instant love can be somewhat of a punishment or burden, which the person does not choose: “The lady…has fully avenged the death of her husband; she has taken greater vengeance than she could ever have thought possible,” (311). Chrétien gives and takes from his characters: After he gives the couple true bliss in finding one another, they are forced to endure great hardships (often because of their love). Yvain even points out that he "must love whomever Love chooses" (312). As the author points out, “anyone who loves is a prisoner” (319).