This paper will talk about the use of freedom and constraint in “The Lai of LeFresne” In the story there are two families who are neighbors and friends. One of the wives has twin boys. The father was proud and told is neighbors saying that he would name one after him and send the child to him to raise. The neighbor’s wife who was a petty woman decided to tell the knight that he should be ashamed of having two sons because it meant that his wife had sex with two men “we know the truth of the matter all too well /that a woman could have two sons in one birth— unless two men had lain with her." (Marie).
So gossip spread and everyone in the town believed that the woman had been impregnated by two men. Eventually the petty woman found herself pregnant and gave birth to twins daughters. Now because of her own actions she could not and she decided to kill one of her children “Now, to keep from being disgraced, /I'll have to kill one of my children!” (Marie) Her nurse would not allow that to happen and took one of the babies to the convent.
In this one section of the story one can see how love frees a character when the mother gives Fresne to the nurse to take to the convent rather than killing her. The fact that she actually did love her daughter is shown in that she dressed her in fine clothes and wrapped a ribbon made of pure gold with a ruby in it around her arm. She did this so that when she was found the person would be willing to raise her because they would be getting paid, and they would know that she was from a noble family.
Fresne was place in an ash tree by the nurse where she was found by the abbess. This is how she got her name because Fresne means ash. Time passes and she grows up to be a beautiful and cultured young woman while living at the abbey. One day a knight named Gurun heard about her and fell in love. Nonetheless he realized that he could not hang around the abbey for no reason, so he decided to become its benefactor. So he and Fresne end up getting together and after a bit he asked her to move in because he knew that her aunt would be upset if she knew about them. “When he was sure of her love, /he spoke seriously with her one day /I'm sure you know /that if your aunt found out about us/ she'd be upset If you'll take my advice, / you'll come away with me” (Marie). So Fresne decided to go with him to his castle she took with her the ribbon and swaddling cloth that her mother had left with her.
This section shows bot love as freedom and constraint. The abbess who loves Fresne is allowing her to follow her desire to be with Gurun. She shows her acceptance of Fresne’s decision and her love for her by not trying to prevent her from leaving. Gurun on the other hand, is using love to constrain her. He has done nothing but try to insinuate himself into her life. He became the abbeys benefactor just so he could live on the grounds and get close to Fresne. Then as soon as they have sex he uses it to convince her that the abbess would be angry and to imply that she would do something to prevent them from being together. So far in the story love for both the mother and the abbess has been about letting Fresne go while love for Gurun is about possession.
So Fresne went to live with Gurun at his castle and everyone loved her. This bothered some of his lords who felt that he needed to marry a noble woman and to get rid of Fresne, who was seen as a mistress because she was not of noble birth. When they threatened to no longer accept him as their lord he relented and agreed to their wishes. The tell him of a noble man who has a daughter named Codre, who is unbeknownst to everyone Fresne twin. The day of the wedding the mother once again tries to remove Fresne from the picture by requesting that Gurun marry her off “she'll tell her son-in-law/that he should marry her off to some good man;/ that way he'll be rid of her, she thinks” (Marie).
Gurun and Codre wed. Later when the mother sees the cloth that Fresne had thrown over the bed and recognizes it as being the one that she had swaddled her daughter in, he calls her into question her on how she had obtained the cloth. The truth about Fresne’s parentage comes out. The wedding of Codre and Gurun is annulled and Fresne and Gurun are able to marry.
In this section there does not seem to be much in regards to constraint or freedom. Gurun seems to actually be a decent guy. He loves Fresne and does not get jealous of the fact that so many others love her also. Nevertheless, he still cannot seem to let her go. He is marrying another and he has Fresne accompany him to be married. This not only seems a bit cruel but also shows love as a constraint when it comes to him. Despite the fact that he is marrying someone else he cannot let her go. Fresne on the other hand has no difficulty in moving on. This is because to her love has always been being let go. While to Gurun love means being constrained.
In conclusion the use of freedom and constraint in regards to love in LeFresne indicates that neither or them is correct if utilized for the wrong reasons. Le Fresne is abandoned so her mother could save face after she caused herself to risk being accused of adultery. Le Fresne mother giving her freedom was not love but selfishness. The abbess gave her freedom because she loved her, when she permitted her to go with Gurun. Gurun constrained her by using her love for him to keep her near even when he married someone else. This was because Gurun was selfish and did not want to let her go.
Works Cited
Marie, Robert W. Hanning, and Joan M. Ferrante. The Lais of Marie De France. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1995. Print.
