The Lady of the Fountain: A Study of a Medieval Myth

331 Pages·1976·12.493 MB·English

by  Warren Delaplane Ashby Jr.

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77-12,914
ASHBY, Warren Pelaplane, Jr., 1938-
THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAIN: A STUDY OF A
MEDIEVAL MYTH.
University of Miami, Ph.D., 1976
Literature, English
Xerox University Microfilms ,
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106
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THE UNIVERSITY OP MIAMI
THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAIN: A STUDY OF A MEDIEVAL MYTH
BY
Warren Delaplane Ashby, Jr.
A DISSERTATION
Submitted to the Faculty
of the University of Miami
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Coral Gables, Florida
December, 1976
MI
U
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THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
The Lady of the Fountain: A Study of a Medieval Myth
Warren Delaplane Ashby, Jr.
Approved:
ick*A* Re] Clarence G. Stuckwisch
Professor ^>f English Dean of the
Chairman of Dissertation Graduate School
Committee
John I. McCollum, Jr. Fpancis E. SJ
Professor of English Associate P^rofessor
of English
fames Joan G. Knoche
'rofessor of English Associate Professor
of German
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ASHBY, WARREN DELAPLANE, JR. (Ph.D., English)
The Ladv of the Fountain; A Study of a Medieval Myth.
(December, 1976)
Abstract of a doctoral dissertation at the University of
Miami. Dissertation supervised by Professor Jack A. Reynolds.
The Lady of the Fountain as a water-goddess is part
of Indo-European tradition. She occupies a position simi­
lar to that of Cybele, Artemis, Diana, Melusine, Medb,
Fand, Morgan la Fee, and Undine. The Lady combines ele­
ments of the classic goddess and the Celtic fairy-mistress;
however, her title emphasizes her distinctive and pervasive
characteristic, that which links her with water. As a
corollary in the radical of all the narratives concerning
the Lady, she is m need of a protector for her fountain.
The five versions of this study [Chretien's Yvain (ca.
1175), Hartmann's Iwein (ca. 1203), the Middle Welsh
Iarlles v Ffvnnawn (ca. 1375)— to be sure, a much older
version— the Old Norse tvens saga (ca. 1250), and the Middle
English Ywain and Gawain (ca. 1350)] provide in outline a
pattern by which it is possible to study the development of
mythical romances throughout the Middle Ages. In each
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version the narrative reflects peculiar elements of the
subculture from which it grows. The varied roles of the
Lady from the particularities of the modification thus
become evident.
IV
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My sincere acknowledgments are due Professor Jack A.
Reynolds, in whose graduate courses, Chaucer and Studies in
Middle English Language and Literature. I became very
interested in the courtly love tradition, and who gave
generous advice concerning the plan and method of this
comparative study.
I am also deeply indebted to Wolfram K. Legner,
Professor Emeritus of the George Washington University, in
whose graduate course, Middle High German Language and
Literature. I was profoundly moved by the writings of
Hartmann von Aue. Professor Legner*s guidance and encour­
agement at that time are gratefully acknowledged.
I should also like to express my appreciation to the
cooperative staffs of the British Museum, the Library of
Congress, the New York Public Library System, the Libraries
of the University of Miami, of Biscayne College, and of
Barry College for their indispensable assistance in locating
and procuring material vital to this study. Especially
the staffs of both the Libraries at the University of Miami
and at Biscayne College were most helpful m acquiring books
through interlibrary loan.
W. D.A., Jr.
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PREFACE
The Lady of the Fountain as a water-goddess is part
of Indo-European tradition. She occupies a position simi­
lar to that of Cybele, Artemis, Diana, Melusine, Medb, Fand,
Morgan la Fee, and Undine. The Lady combines elements of
the classic goddess and the Celtic fairy-mistress; however,
her title emphasizes her distinctive and pervasive charac­
teristic, that which links her with water. As a corollary
in the radical of all of the narratives concerning the
Lady, she is m need of a protector for her fountain.
The most important stories concerning the Lady are
Chretien's Yvain (ca. 1175), Hartmann's Iwein (ca. 1203),
the Middle Welsh Iarlles v Ffvnnawn (ca. 1375)— to be sure,
a much older version— the Old Norse tvens sacra (ca. 1250),
and the Middle English Ywain and Gawam (ca. 1350). These
five versions provide in outline a pattern by which it is
possible to study the development of mythical romances
throughout the Middle Ages. In each version the narrative
reflects peculiar elements of the subculture from which
it grows. One can discover the varied roles of the Lady
from the particularities of the modification. Although
there are several versions of the myth in medieval
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literature, these five particularly seem to reveal char­
acteristics with essential features of adaptation.
Chretien was first to give the Lady humanity. His
Laudine is the haughty lady of courtly love while Hartmann's
Laudtne becomes the gracious wife who sees her own respon­
sibility for her husband's suffering. The countess of
The Mabinogion is a vague, supernatural personality who
finally submits to her husband. The fru of the Old Norse
version, similar to Hartmann's lady, illustrates the bonds
of equality between husband and wife. Yet the fru at
conclusion obviously still holds a grudge for the shame
her husband causes her. And Alundyne of Ywam and Gawain
shows that in forgiveness a renewed life of conjugal bliss
is possible.
The Lady of the Fountain has been subjected to much
scholarly research. Some of the most important comments
concerning her are to be found in the writings of such
outstanding scholars as Roger Sherman Loomis, William Nitze,
Myrrha Borodine-Lot, Eva-Marie Carne, Charles Grimm,
Jean Fouquet, Lucy Allen Paton, Hendrik Sparnaay, Rudolf
Zenker, and Marie-Noelle Lefay-Toury. Although scholar­
ship has offered much information concerning the role of
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the Lady in each particular version, there has been a gap
in research, especially in evaluating the treatment of
the Lady comparatively in these five versions.
In this study, we will outline the various versions
of the myth, place each version in its historical and
social context, and then attempt to suggest the implica­
tions that may be drawn from such an analysis. It is
significant that the Lady's attitudes change according to
the subculture in which she appears.
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