The Knight With The Lion/ Yvain, pages 324-353

In his speech, Gawain encourages Yvain to consider himself an entity apart from his wife and to spend some time away from her at the tourneys with King Arthur. Gawain begins by asking what Yvain truly wants in his marriage: “’Would you be one of those men…who are worth less because of their wives?’” (326). Gawain is not demeaning Laudine; he is instead claiming that Yvain must be a better and more respectable man for his wife, and that Yvain will find no purpose in abandoning his knighthood for her. He warns against a loss of reputation, noting that Laudine will “quickly withdraw her love- and she’s not wrong to do so-if she finds herself hating a man who has lost face in any way after he has become lord of the realm” (326). Gawain is counseling Yvain to learn to be both an honored knight and a loyal husband (a strikingly familiar conclusion that Erec journeyed to find for himself). The advice emphasizes how a couple must be honorable for each other, therefore keeping them equal (and a wise recommendation, since we saw how it impaired Erec’s relationship). The struggle for balance between man and woman in marriage is one Chrétien continues to utilize; and he is smart to do so, because these matrimonial issues are prevalent throughout practically all times and cultures (keeping the story still practical for us today).