2/1 Bisclavret and Lanval - When a Dude is a Werewolf and another is Savage

So these two stories were all sort of interesting. Starting with Bisclavret...I'm quite satisfied with the wife's fate. Seriously, who does that to their husband (they apparently had a good thing going on)?

Did she feel unsafe knowing that he turned into a "monster" several times a week (that's what I think it says)? If she did should've known better. They've been married for what I think is a while and if he never harmed her before, what makes her think the future would be any different (except that it did because you betrayed him).

Sucks to suck.
But in all seriousness, perhaps the more likely reason was that her entire view of him changed. Since he transformed into a beast, he must be one. Going along with the thought, perhaps she thought that it would basically be bestiality if they continued to be intimate.

100% Ship Bisclavret with the King. That is the type of bromance and romance that we need in this world.

This also seems to be a story about appearances. The wife was noted to have been very beautiful, but as we learn, she is nothing more than just a pretty face. She instantly judges him when he reveals his curse. She doesn't pay any sort of attention to what sort of man he is - who is the type of man who loved and respected the wishes of his wife enough tot he point of ignoring his instincts and telling his secret (even Courtly Love tells you not to reveal all your secrets and you know it's a think when it's in the rule book). Loved the part where Bisclavret bit his wife's nose off and all of her subsequent daughters were noseless.

As for Lanval...Jesus, what to say, except that Guinevere, as always is starting shit and just in general, being a bitch (calling a guy gay just because he refused to be your lover out of respect for his King? Hello?). Loved it when Lanval straight up tells her that's she's not the most beautiful woman since even the handmaidens of his beloved are more beautiful than her.

Savage, bro. However, not smart as you had promised your lady friend not to tell anyone about each others. Once again, keeping some secrets is a good thing and revealing them to the wrong person or at the most inopportune time? Well, you dug your own hole. Now go crawl in it and think about what you've done.

For 3/20 Wife of Bath's Tale

Okay, so I only have one problem with this tale. Personally speaking, I rather enjoyed it and I think the Old Hag is an amazing character. It's always great when the Old character manages to outsmart the younger ones, and have them do exactly what they want without the younger ones realizing what just happened until it's too late (only if the old character is funny/nice/ a good person in general, otherwise they're the creepy, assholish character and that's unacceptable).

So as for my problem with this story, it's that the knight got everything in the end - a happy ending. He ending up with a beautiful, wise wife, who would stay faithful. What the fuck? He raped a maiden at the very beginning of this, his punishment was to figure out what women want, and once he finds it thanks to the old hag, he gets his happy ending by giving her sovereignty over her body, which never should have been an issue???

Yes, I get that he learned his lesson, and that he shouldn't take away someone's control of their own body and future, but still what about the maiden from the beginning? Where's her justice? Can you imagine what she must be thinking or feeling when she finds out that he was never executed, instead was sent out to find out what women want (probably smirked when she found out he was forced to marry an old hag), but then he gets a happy ending, and she's a young, defiled woman? What about her future??? This is the biggest problem I have with the story because the young maiden is literally just used as a prop to start the knight on his punishment quest and she never receives her justice.

Also, food for thought, but would the old hag have told him the answer if she knew why he was on this quest? He never states why he's on the quest, just that he has to get the answer or his life is forfeit. Or what if she finds out during their marriage? She already said she'd be his beautiful, faithful wife, but what would happen if she learned the truth? I somehow doubt they would remain happy.

A Cart Full of Irritation

I'm not really sure why, but this little riding in the cart bit has got me really irritated. So Lancelot is walking around and runs into this dwarf . . . and BOOM! We already know that dwarves mean trouble from our past readings so it's clear that this journey is about to get a whole lot more problematic.

But on top of that the dwarf is driving a cart which is supposedly reserved for criminals and the dishonorable. Anyone seen riding in one immediately is looked down upon and unwelcome in the area. It is the ultimate ride of shame followed closely by the prisoner's walk to death. In what world would you ever want to get in one (especially as a knight) knowing you were going to lose all of your honor and standing?

Yet, Lancelot does it anyway . . .

The romantic in me wants to swoon at this. Lancelot is risking everything - his honor, his standing, his reputation - all in hopes that by doing as the dwarf asks he will get the information to his loves whereabouts. He is choosing love over honor (a major necessity during this time). SUPER romantic! And it worked to a point, I guess. He did end up finding Guinevere but the man almost got killed in the process just trying to sleep in a bed. And then the dwarf just disappears out of nowhere! Again, I'm not sure why this part irritated me as much as it did, but it seems almost like too much drama and reputational sacrifice for something that could have been resolved in another way.

On one hand I like him (like I assume I am meant to). He is daring and brave and nearly perfect - the best kind of hero in any story. But there is something wrong. Something that my hopeless romantic mind is refusing to overlook with this particular scene yet I can't put my finger on it. Perhaps that is where my overall irritation is stemming from.