Marie de France : le rôle des valeurs chrétiennes dans la diffusion des récits familiaux
Marie de France: The Role of Christian Principles in the Dissemination of Family Narratives

Author(s): Monica Ruset Oancă
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Literary Texts, German Literature, Theory of Literature
Published by: Editura Pro Universitaria
Keywords: Marie de France; harmony; Christian principles; sharing knowledge; imagination
Summary/Abstract: This article explores the Christian principles underlying the work of Marie de France, beginning from her view of writing as a moral and spiritual duty. Far from being centred solely on courtly love, her narratives foreground the family as the true locus of ethical and emotional fulfilment. The Lais reveal that harmony is achieved within the context of familial affection, while selfishness and moral failure disrupt both love and justice. Through a diverse range of stories, Marie constructs a composite portrayal of twelfth-century values, in which virtue, generosity, and piety ultimately determine happiness. Her works thus articulate a distinctly Christian understanding of devotion, justice, and family in the medieval imagination.

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