The Curse of Courtly Love in Galien restoré

Abstract

This paper uses textual evidence from the Cheltenham Galien restoré to refute the traditional reputation of this text as having been profoundly influenced by medieval courtly romance. Occurrences of courtly discourse are shown to replace, rather than to enhance, actual romantic relationships between Roland and Aude and Olivier and Jacqueline. These premarital romantic relationships are clearly subordinated to the bonds of marriage and kinship, which are logically essential to the larger Geste de Monglane within which this text appears.