Love and Marriage: On Love and Erec and Enide

Chrétien’s Erec and Enide seems to develop a view of marriage that is nearly opposite of that advocated by Andreas. While Andreas’s text says that love cannot exist within marriage, in Erec and Enide the cause of the couple’s adventures seems to be excessive love within their marriage. In addition to disagreeing on the subject of marriage, the defining characteristics of love in these two texts seem to be different. So to determine whether Eric and Enide contradicts the views set down in On Love, Andreas’s definition must be applied to the relationship between Eric and Enide. If they are in love according to the rules of On Love, then there is a contradiction on marriage between the two texts. However, the couple follows only some of the rules of love laid down by Andreas. They are not in love as Andreas defines it, and so their marriage does not conflict with On Love’s statement that love cannot exist within marriage. Because their love conflicts with Andreas’s definition of love, their marriage does not.

Andreas’s definition of love is clearly defined, as are his (or his patron’s) views on marriage. Marriage is a legal agreement, subject to bonds and restrictions. Marie de Champagne’s letter gives reason why love cannot exist within marriage:

Freedom is important to Andreas’s concept of love. True love is given willingly, without obligation, as rule five states: "A lover exacts from an unwilling partner bitter love." (On Love, p. 52) Rule 26 states that "Love could deny nothing to love." In marriage, the obligations of love are replaced with the obligations of law, and giving oneself to one’s lover is no longer an expression of love but a fulfillment of duty.

In Erec and Enide, this outlook seems valid, as Erec offers to marry the vavasour’s daughter in exchange for the man’s help, so that Erec may defeat the unkind knight.

Erec and Enide, p. 46

Love is not spoken of as such until after the bargain has been made. Erec has noted Enide’s beauty, the vavasour has spoken of his wish to arrange a high match for her, and Enide blushes in Erec’s presence and is glad to be given to him, but love does not seem to be an issue until the battle with the knight.

Once the engagement has been agreed upon, Enide is in Erec’s power. She needs his permission even to receive gifts. In this situation, according to Andreas, love cannot exist. However, it is on the journey back to present Enide to the queen that love seems to blossom between the two of them, as they gaze upon each other.

Erec and Enide, p. 56

Love in this instance seems to be brought on by literally meeting one’s perfect match, and does not occur until the promise of marriage has been made.

Even if the couple fell in love before their marriage, the love of Erec and Enide should, according to Andreas, end with their marriage. According to Chrétien, the love between them is so great that Erec loses interest in anything other than Enide. "He turned all his attention to embracing and kissing her; he pursued no other delight." (Erec and Enide, p. 67) Since Andreas contests that they are in love, his rules of love must be applied in judging whether this is the case. Rule twenty-seven states that "A lover can never have enough of the consolations granted by his beloved." (On Love, p. 53) Erec follows this rule with gusto, losing interest in anything other than Enide’s consolations. Rule twenty-eight states that "The slightest suspicion forces a lover to entertain dark thoughts about his beloved," (On Love, p. 53) and indeed, as soon as Enide expresses concern about Erec’s damaged reputation, he doubts her love, separates himself from her, and Enide must prove her love to him through the quest he undertakes. Erec is a man, so he qualifies to love under rule six (On Love, p. 52).

However, several of Andreas’s rules are not followed. Erec, for example, is not jealous when the covetous count asks to speak with Enide: "Very guilefully he asked Erec for permission to speak with her…Erec was not in the least bit jealous, envisaging no deception in this." (Erec and Enide, p. 78) Erec also is not troubled by difficulty eating and sleeping, as rule two says he must be (On Love, p. 51). "Erec slept contentedly all night long until daybreak was near." (Erec and Enide, p. 80) Andreas also points out that "Love does not usually survive being noised abroad," (On Love, p. 52) but the great love between Erec and Enide is well known. Rule twenty-five dictates that "The true lover regards as good nothing except what he thinks pleasing to his beloved," but Erec undertakes the Joy of the Court in spite of the sorrow and fear the idea brings Enide.

It appears, then, that from the point of view of On Love Erec and Enide are not truly in love. The story does not, therefore, contradict the idea that love cannot exist within marriage.

Chrétien’s definition of love seems to be based on finding an appropriate match. The idea of marriage does not conflict with any part of this definition, and so there is no reason why love cannot exist within marriage. Andreas’s definition of love does not agree with Chrétien’s, and as a result, it can be argued that love does not exist between Erec and Enide. Erec and Enide then cannot be used to contradict the idea that love can’t exist within marriage.