English 83

At the very beginning of “The Knight of the Cart” (Lancelot) Chretien introduces his reason for writting his story (lns 1-31). The note on this section says that both the introduction and the rest of the story can be read as being serious or as being meant to be humorous and exaggerated. I think that the first 31 lines makes it obvious that Chretien is being both humorous and ironic by exaggerating his praises of his patroness. The very repetition of his “and I utter no word of flattery” and later: “I am not one, I swear, who would wish to flatter his lady” (pp. 185), followed by extravagant flattery seems to me to imply that Chretien is being ironic in his flattery.

The line “Shall I say the countess is worth as many queens as a gem is worth pearls and sards? Certainly not: I shall not mention it” (pp. 185) right after saying he is not one to flatter anyone makes the flattery both humorous and ironic. I think he does this in part to prepare for the rest of his story which is a story of courtly love thrown to the extremes. In many parts Lancelot’s courtly love is exaggerated so much that it is both ironic and humorous. Take for example lines 714 to 813 when Lancelot is so involved in his contemplation of his love that he does not hear the knight at the ford warning his off three times. The whole episode is both humorous and ironic. Chretien is taking courtly love to its extreme in order to create humorous and exaggerated circumstances. I think the introductory paragraph complements this purpose of using exaggeration as part of an ironic situation.