Yvain, or the Knight With the Lion

Amid the chaos and darkness of the Middle Ages, a credo arose that inspired the knightly community. Called chivalry in honor of the cavalry officers who pursued it, the code demanded that knights offer fealty to their kings and to God, display gallantry in battle, act charitably toward those in need, behave with gentlemanly fealty toward the ladies they loved, and go on quests to prove to themselves and others their chivalrous nature. A prime example of chivalry is Yvain, the hero of the story.

Knights must be loyal. They are firstly devoted to the Christian God and sworn to act in ways that honor Him and His Commandments. They also serve their noble lords faithfully. Yvain, for example, is devoted to his king, Arthur. He hears Calogrenant’s account of his misadventure with another knight and decides to avenge his cousin’s loss: “I’ll go thence, / And take revenge for your shame” (24).

Yvain displays great skill in battle, and he overcomes and kills Esclados, the knight who guards the fountain visited by Calogrenant. When Yvain marries Laudine, Gawain warns him not to grow soft and complacent, and he agrees, joining his fellow knights on a quest for victories on the