Chevrefoil *** Marie de France

Marie de France emphasizes adultery and the passion of true love on this poem. Chevrefoil is an adaption of a romantic story from the Celtic times called Tristan and Isolde. Tristram falls in love with the queen Isolde, as a consequence of that love, King Mark the queen’s husband forbid Tristram from the kingdom. Tristram carves his name on a stick while he hides on the woods with the hope that the queen sees the stick. The queen sees the stick and wants him to go back to the kingdom. Chevrefoil is a lay composed by Tristram that expresses how happy he was on seeing his love again. Marie tells us about true love explaining that their love was so pure and true that brought them to die on the same day. Marie’s version of the story explores one of her main characteristics, such as, true love, adultery, among other things that make the poem unique and emotional. It is clear that her readers would be familiar with medieval romances and the lay should be understood for readers that would know the story. In the beginning of the story Marie already tells that a love between lovers will result on their tragic death.