Lanval is a romance known for switching gender norms and creating a knight in distress rather than a damsel. In this response, I would like to discuss a theory or way that the romance could be interpreted. Upon reading and analyzing the text, I began to think about whether or not people could use the story as an allegory for queerness. Or maybe queer people at the time read the poem and imagined it as a story for themselves. So, I am going to look at this romance through a Queer Theory lens. Through its reversal of traditional gender roles and portrayal of secrecy, Lanval can be interpreted as an allegory for queer identity, allowing queer readers both in the medieval period and today to find resonance in the challenges and desires of the protagonist.
Secrecy is something queer people have had to deal with for centuries in order to avoid persecution. Lanval’s lover gives him a warning, “In all you do, tell our sweet secret to no one. Here is my warning, all and sum. Betray us, and you lose your lover; I shall be lost to you forever” (Lanval). The Lady tells Lanval that they can be together but can never talk about it. The Lady’s warning to Lanval that their love must remain secret mirrors the societal pressure queer individuals have faced to hide their relationships, both in medieval times and in contemporary contexts. Despite Lanval being a man and the Lady being a woman, the secrecy of it and the need to keep it hidden can ring true for many queer people. And, if that secret were to get out, it would have dire consequences. For Lanval, his Lady would leave him and for a queer person, they most likely wouldn’t be alive for very long. The Queen enforces this idea later on in the story.
The Queen offers an interesting presentation of homophobia. Queen Guinevere accuses Lanval, “For women, you have no desire! But youths and squires, well-trained young men you see out; you disport with them. Oh coward! Boor! Unnatural” (Lanval) Later, Queen Guinevere tells Lanval he’s damned King Arthur if is gay. We can all recognize that the line is homophobic but in the context of the story, it’s the villain saying this. I think having the villain state this and use it as an insult helps us vilify her rather than vilify queerness. When the Queen accuses Lanval of desiring men, her homophobic insult serves not to condemn queerness but to further demonize her character, highlighting her as the villain of the story. Lanval may not be gay which doesn’t disallow the idea of a queer person at the time being able to identify with him and the unjust persecution. Luckily, Lanval is saved by his Lady in a reverse damsel in distress.
The entire romance is a switch on gender norms. It takes the idea of a heteronormative couple and switches it around which in itself is inherently queer for the time. For women who feel more comfortable in traditionally masculine roles and for men who feel more comfortable in traditionally feminine roles, they can find solace in the story. Lanval being a damsel in distress fosters the conclusion that not all men are ‘macho’ and not all women are ‘damsels’. The role reversal in which a powerful, independent woman reduces Lanval disrupts the traditional heteronormative romance narrative. This subversion of gender expectations parallels queer identities, where individuals may not conform to societal expectations of masculinity and femininity. In conclusion, Lanval offers a rich text for queer interpretation through its exploration of secrecy, role reversals, and societal condemnation of non-normative desires. While the romance may not explicitly address queer identities, its subversion of traditional gender roles and portrayal of persecution allow queer readers, both medieval and modern, to find resonance in its themes. By disrupting established norms, the story highlights the fluidity of identity and desire, making it a timeless allegory for those who challenge societal expectations.
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