Chevrefoil

The lai begins with the assumption taht we know the story and background information of Tristram and begins pretty abruptly with telling us the death of a woman and a man. She does not bother to create suspense and tells you straight up that they both die. Tristam is in love with the wife of his uncle Mark, who is the king. For this reason, the king banishes Tristam. Marie is above all interested in Tristram's artistic abilities, particularly as a musician, which are important in all the romances. One thing that can be assumed in this lai is that Marie de France believes that art and creation are what celebrate love while normal life only wants to destroy it. Lines 68 through 78 compare Tristan and Iseult's love to the intertwining of the honeysuckle with the hazel. These two plants grow so entwined that both will die if they are separated. This is Maire de France's way of explaining how if true love is separated, it is destoryed and both cannot survive without the other. She goes into the extreme that they both actually die.