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So we have seen that the Breton Lay of 'Sir Orfeo' follows the conventions of medieval courtly-love poetry, except for one feuture,nwnely that hero and heroine are husband and wife. lhi s, however , i. s not an Innovation of the noet's;it was taken from the classical version of the story.Aa a story 'Sir Orfeo' is well told,although I suggest that the churacters,by virtue of the reasons postulated on pages 25 and 2o,ure flat.In the F'rankli n' a Tule,Chuucer has also used the earlier,he uses them in a different way.As a story the Franklin's Wale is also good,and in its plot,as has al-ready been ahown,each event has a cause;the characters especially that of Dorigene,can he said to he round; the supernatural element,?nagic,i.s explained in detail. The explanation might not be a scientific one,but at least it is explained, whereas in 'Sir Orfeo' it is not. The courtly-love conventions too are used to servo a certain purpose,nwnely to illustrate Chats cer's views about marriage relationships... |
