Thursday, September 8, 2011

Erec and Enide (pg. 60 - 90)

1. The reader finally learns who Enide is during the scene where the royalty is making preparations for the wedding. According to the text, the only reason we find out Enide's name is because Erec could not be properly married without it. This just goes to show how little women were valued back then, aside from their beauty. Plus it shows that Erec is only marrying Enide for her looks, not her personality.

2. Enide's first words spoken in the book occurs during a bedroom scene in which Erec is sleeping and she is crying in his arms. She curses herself because she feels she is the reason her husband has abandoned all chivalry. I think Enide did this because she truly felt guilty and need to let her husband to know on some level. Perhaps she was subconsciously hoping he would hear her cries. Erec interpreted the conversation in a sorrowful manner. He is in such a deep and emotional love with her, that it scared him to hear that he is not as much of a man as he was before. He reacted quite quickly by ordering Enide to get ready to go for a ride. I think he is preparing to find a huge confrontation to prove his manhood, and that he is not, "whipped." I believe he does this because his character is strongly based on ego.

3. I believe Erec is taking Enide with him on this journey to prove to her that he is still chivalistic. Erec's character is very egotistical, which is largely driving this section of the story. Enide's earlier dialogue stripped Erec of his manhood. This whole journey, for Erec, is about redemption and pride.  Erec, himself, even admits on page 69 that, "those who blame me (being Erec) are also right." He is just trying to prove himself out of despair that Enide may be falling out of love with him.

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