The Lais of Marie de France
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Prologue I. Guigemar II. Equitan III. Le Fresne IV. Bisclavret V. Lanval VI. Les Deus Amanz VII. Yonec VIII. Laüstic IX. Milun X. Chaitivel XI. Chevrefoil XII. Eliduc
Themes
All Themes Love and Suffering Virtue, Vice, and Justice Gender Roles and Class Status Magic and Storytelling
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Marie de France Guigemar The Young Lady Meriaduc Equitan The Seneschal The Seneschal’s Wife The Slanderous Wife (Le Fresne’s Mother) Le Fresne Gurun La Codre Bisclavret Bisclavret’s Wife/Ex-Wife Bisclavret’s Wife’s Lover Lanval The Fairy Lady King Arthur Arthur’s Queen The Lord of the Pistrians The Lord of the Pistrians’ Daughter The Young Man The Lady of Caerwent Muldumarec Yonec The Lord of Caerwent The Married Lady The Bachelor Knight Milun The Damsel Milun’s Son The Indecisive Lady The Wounded Knight Tristram Iseult Eliduc Guildelüec Guilliadun
Terms
All Terms Lay/Lai
Symbols
All Symbols Animals
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The Lais of Marie de France

by

Marie de France
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Equitan Character Analysis

Equitan is the lord of Nantes and a beloved king of Brittany. Equitan is devoted to chivalry and spends much of his time pursuing pleasure. His trusted seneschal conducts much of the business of the kingdom on his behalf. When Equitan hears about his seneschal’s wife, he falls in love with her from afar, and when they finally meet in person, he finds the lady to be everything he’d hoped—beautiful, wise, and good company. At first, though, Equitan berates himself for falling in love with her, feeling it’s a betrayal of his loyal seneschal. Gradually, however, he rationalizes that it wouldn’t be right for a courtly lady like the seneschal’s wife to lack a lover, and he talks the seneschal’s wife into having an affair with him even though they’re of unequal status. He also goes along with her eventual plot to murder the seneschal so that they can get married. But he’s not the most cautious man, and when the seneschal interrupts the two of them having sex, Equitan panics, jumps into a tub of boiling water, and dies.

Equitan Quotes in The Lais of Marie de France

The The Lais of Marie de France quotes below are all either spoken by Equitan or refer to Equitan. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Love and Suffering Theme Icon
).
II. Equitan Quotes

Because you are a powerful king and my husband is your vassal, you would expect, as I see it, to be the lord and master in love as well. Love is not honourable, unless it is based on equality. A poor man, if he is loyal and possesses wisdom and merit, is of greater worth and his love more joyful than that of a prince or king who lacks loyalty. If anyone places his love higher than is appropriate for his own station in life, he must fear all manner of things.

Related Characters: The Seneschal’s Wife (speaker), Marie de France, Equitan, The Seneschal
Love and Suffering Theme Icon
Gender Roles and Class Status Theme Icon
Page Number: 58
Explanation and Analysis:

His evil plan rebounded on him, whereas the seneschal was safe and sound. […] Seizing his wife immediately, [the seneschal] tossed her head first into the bath. Thus they died together, the king first, then the woman with him. Anyone willing to listen to reason could profit from this cautionary tale. Evil can easily rebound on him who seeks another’s misfortune.

Related Characters: Marie de France, Equitan, The Seneschal, The Seneschal’s Wife
Love and Suffering Theme Icon
Virtue, Vice, and Justice Theme Icon
Page Number: 60
Explanation and Analysis:
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Equitan Quotes in The Lais of Marie de France

The The Lais of Marie de France quotes below are all either spoken by Equitan or refer to Equitan. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Love and Suffering Theme Icon
).
II. Equitan Quotes

Because you are a powerful king and my husband is your vassal, you would expect, as I see it, to be the lord and master in love as well. Love is not honourable, unless it is based on equality. A poor man, if he is loyal and possesses wisdom and merit, is of greater worth and his love more joyful than that of a prince or king who lacks loyalty. If anyone places his love higher than is appropriate for his own station in life, he must fear all manner of things.

Related Characters: The Seneschal’s Wife (speaker), Marie de France, Equitan, The Seneschal
Love and Suffering Theme Icon
Gender Roles and Class Status Theme Icon
Page Number: 58
Explanation and Analysis:

His evil plan rebounded on him, whereas the seneschal was safe and sound. […] Seizing his wife immediately, [the seneschal] tossed her head first into the bath. Thus they died together, the king first, then the woman with him. Anyone willing to listen to reason could profit from this cautionary tale. Evil can easily rebound on him who seeks another’s misfortune.

Related Characters: Marie de France, Equitan, The Seneschal, The Seneschal’s Wife
Love and Suffering Theme Icon
Virtue, Vice, and Justice Theme Icon
Page Number: 60
Explanation and Analysis:
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