The Romance of the RoseFebruary 17, 2020

The regime of False Seeming

The Old Woman

The Attack on the Castle

The “sermon” of the Old Woman

ExperienceTheory vs practice (197)

The Old Woman as University Master (197; 208)

Instruction as vengeance (198), as safeguard (200), as cautionary tale (222-23)

Morgan 948 Lyon 25, 102r

The “sermon” of the Old Woman, cont.

MemoryAs source of pleasure (199)

Fair Welcome’s memory (200; 208)

Continuation (and corrective)The portrait of Old Age; Friend (experience; deceive the deceivers; men should ignore adultery); God of Love (commandments 201; advice to (male) lovers)

Prefigurations of later materialWomen shooting arrows of love (201); Pygmalion’s image (201); art as aid to nature (209); Nature and reproduction

The “sermon” of the Old Woman, cont.Gifts

The chaplet (194-5)

“Your hands should be closed to give, and open to receive” (201)

“if she takes my advice, she will be interested only in what she can get” (211)

Women should not give gifts (222ff)

Chicago 1380, 81r Comment la vielle apporte le chapel a bel acueil que li amans li envoie

Arsenal 5209, 86r

The “sermon” of the Old Woman, cont.Appearances

How to enhance one’s appearance (204ff)

Performance (how to weep 206; how to behave at table 206-7; how to appear in public 208-9; how to sustain the lover’s interest 212-13; 220)

Nature – “stronger even than nurture” (216)Women are born free (214)

Birds, fish (215), cats, colts (216), cows and sheep (217)

Morgan 948, 136r

Mythological references

• Gods’ love affairs (202)

• Abandoned lovers (Dido, Phyllis, Oenone, Medea)

• Mars and Venus (213; 218)

• Argus (221)

• Venus and Adonis (242-43)

Lyon 25, 103r Morgan 948, 129v

Sainte Genevieve 1126, 94v

Vesa comment dido royne de cartage se tua dune epee pour lamour de Eneas le lessa et sen fui par mer a nage

Vesa comment phillis se pendipour lamour de demophon

Si dit la vielle comment paristricha Oenoe saime

Montpellier H 246, 95r

Ci dist la vieille a bel acuilcomment dido la roine de cartage socist dune espeepour lamour de son ami

Listoyre de mars et venusDouce 195, 99r

The Assault on the Castle

• Fair Welcome and the Lover• Gifts create obligations (226)

• Courtly language – “friend” (226), what’s mine is yours (229-30)

• Reaction of the guardians (231ff) – a return to the ending of Guillaume’s Rose

Morgan 948, 143r

Grenoble 608, 116r

The Assault on the Castle, cont.

• Addresses/Apologies to the reader• “true lovers” (234)

• “worthy women” (235)

• “people” (236)

• Storming the fortress of Jealousy• A psychomachia

• The island of Cythera (242)

• Venus to the rescue

Ci commence la bataille

Arsenal 5209, 103v

BnF 1567, 114v

Lyon 25, 118r

p. 239-40

Bien celer contre hontePaour contre bien celer

Sainte Genevieve 1126, 111v

Prudentius, PsychomachiaBritish Library 24199, 2r

Prudentius, PsychomachiaBritish Library 24199, 6v, “libido moritur”

Vesci comment Adonis chace ausengler lequel tua adonis

Sainte Genevieve 1126, 113v

Grenoble 608, 123v