Tristan
Webster's dictionary defines the word lovesick as an adjective used to describe one that is disconsolate because of unrequited love. Gottfried von Strassburg writes his romance, Tristan, for a lovesick audience. In his introduction, Gottfried notes that anyone who has been in love will rejoice in reading about the love of others. Gottfried's definition of the term lovesick, however, is different and more in-depth than simply unrequited love. The story tells of the great love of not only Tristan and Isolde, but also of Tristan's parents Rivalin and Blancheflor. Both of these lovesick pairs act in certain ways out of their lovesickness. They are disloyal and deceitful. Their happiness and very lives depend on the presence of their lovers. Both of these lovesick pairs come to sadly tragic endings due to their lovesickness. The definition of Gottfried's lovesickness can be found by examining the four lovers' actions as a result of this infliction. One way to examine what Gottfried means by lovesick is to look at the affected's actions. For example, one characteristic of these persons is their tendency to abandon everyone and everything except for the object of their affection. Blancheflor, in her passion for Rivalin, lea
Perhaps the lovesick are dishonest and disloyal to preserve their love because it is the only thing that can bring them happiness. Each time Tristan and Isolde are separated, they both feel utterly sad and dejected. At one point in the romance, Tristan and Isolde are meant to be kept apart by a trap of flour surrounding her bed. This separation causes Tristan so much anguish that he decides to risk the trap just to be with his love: "This trap was mortal pain for Tristan. His desire for the woman was at its height and his heart yearned in his body as to how he could get to her" (241). Tristan risks revealing his secret love because it causes him so much misery to be away from Isolde. In this case, even being in the same room with her is not enough. He must be close to her body to find relief. When Mark again separates Tristan and Isolde, they once again are despondent. Tristan must leave Isolde and this makes him feel as if his life is ending: "He fled Mark and death, yet sought mortal peril that was death to his heart-absence from Isolde" (284). Tristan knows that he will find no happiness or consolation during their separation. To the lovesick, in Gottfried's eyes, the only happiness they find is being with their love. Another characteristic of the lovesick, which is visible through the lovers' actions, is the tendency of lovers to be deceitful when they believe it serves their purpose. An example of this is Isolde's betrayal of her husband Mark. Throughout the romance she constantly lies to her husband about her emotions and actions. Her first major deceit occurs on her wedding night. Because Isolde is no longer a virgin, she persuades her maid Brangane to take her place in the wedding bed. Her lovesickness for Tristan is so great that she uses her closest friend's body to keep her secret. Isolde continues her lie to Mark
Some common words found in the essay are:
Tristan Isolde, Tristan Mark, Tristan Isolde's, Rivalin Blancheflor, , Mark Throughout, Tristan Tristan, Rivalin Blanchefor, King Mark, tristan isolde, love tristan, unrequited love, Isolde Tristan's, king mark, lovesick pairs, romance tristan, lovers' actions, tristan isolde's, gottfried's eyes, example isolde's,
Approximate Word count = 1250
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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