Marie de France
Marie de France was a pioneering medieval poet, active in the late 12th century. She is best known for her lais—narrative poems that explore themes of love and chivalry. Writing in Anglo-Norman French, her work is among the earliest of its kind in the vernacular. Little is known about her life, but her literary contributions have cemented her status as a foundational figure in the development of French literature.
Book summaries for books written by Marie de France
Quotes
He who loves must not be like a young man, / Who is not yet very wise, / And who loves and then takes it back.
Love, you give so much joy / That you make a man forget all sorrow.
He who is not in love / Is not alive, has no happiness.
Love is a pleasant thing, / A powerful thing, / A great thing; / It is what has made me suffer so much.
Love is a cruel thing, / I say, / And a thing that has caused me much sorrow.
Love, you are so sweet a thought / That you make a man forget all evil.
He who is in love / Will not believe that he is in pain, / But will think that it is a sweet joy.
Love is a great thing, / It is what has made me sick.
The love that I feel for you / Is so great that I cannot tell you.
My heart is so filled with love for you / That I am near to death.
Love is a pain / That makes a man restless.
Love is a joy / That makes a man happy.