Journal Entry for Eliduc

Bovasso, Kari
Journal 5 - Lit 11A
October 23, 2002

It was a typical knight's tale including the castle, status as a
favorite of the king, the beautiful wife, all followed by, of course, envy
and slander. Thus begins the story of Eliduc. At first, the knight Eliduc
garners your sympathy by being honorable, brave, and an exemplary model to
follow: Eliduc serves faithfully, is in charge of the king's territories,
and is also given royal favors because of his performance and service.
After Eliduc is slandered in his native France and dismissed by the king,
Eliduc voluntarily places himself in exile and travels to England to see if
he can fare any better there. Eliduc's experiences in England almost
mirror what has occurred to him up until this point in France: invited to
live in the castle, status as a favorite of the king as well, the castle,
and a beautiful young girl who falls in love with him. Similar, but let us
not forget that Eliduc is already married in France and is committing
adultery if he pursues it. Women have more control, even unknowingly, over
men's lives than they realize.
In England, Eliduc encounters his first sign of trouble – the king's
young daughter, Guilliadun. After spending some time together, the
Guilliadun and Eliduc have apparently fallen head-over-heels in love
together. After they make their love known to one another, Eliduc is
summonsed home to France, and Eliduc makes plans to return home, but only
after making a promise to Guilliadun to return to get her on a date of her
choosing. Upon returning home, Eliduc is reunited with his lawful wife,
Guildeluec who has remained faithful to him. But Guildeluec notices a
behavior in Eliduc that is surly and secretive and plots to find out the
reason why.
Upon Eliduc's return to France, he spirits away the young Guilliadun
by ship to England. Upon the boat ride home there is such a storm that all
the sailors believe the worst is going to happen. One of the sailors
blames the young girl, shouting that they should throw her overboard as
Eliduc is defying God, and his proper wife at home by remaining with
Guilliadun. This is the first time Guilliadun learns that Eliduc is
married. In her shock at Eliduc's marriage, and fearing

for her life because of the sailor's threats, Guilliadun faints, and falls
to the deck without breath or sign of consciousness. Believing Guilliadun
to be dead, Eliduc brings her body to a chapel in the woods to bury her.
Yet after many days, Guilliadun still appears alive with rosy cheeks, pink
skin, just faintly pale. Eliduc visits the chapel in secret every day, but
his wife Guildeluec has him followed to discover once and for all why he is
so miserable. The queen journeys to the chapel herself, and upon finding
the young girl in repose, and being pretty sharp herself, she knows that
the young girl Guilliadun is her husband's mistress and the reason for his
unhappiness and grief.
In a magical moment of watching a weasel resurrect its dead mate with
a mysterious life-giving flower, Guildeluec restores Guilliadun to
consciousness and assures her of Eliduc's love and devotion. Upon
returning to the castle and reuniting the two lovers, Guildeluec observes
the overwhelming love between Guilliadun and Eliduc. Realizing the depth
of the love and the happiness in her husband, Guildeluec asks her husband
to separate from her so she can become a nun and he can marry the girl whom
he loves. This is the only way that a man can 'legally' marry a second
woman in God and the church's view. Guildeluec sacrifices her own
lifestyle to become a nun in order for the man she married, and loves
still, to be happy. Guildeluec loved Eliduc so much that she renounced
their marriage for him to marry another. What a woman.