Women have been held in high esteem due to their beauty, kindness, and maternal nature. This view is held by many people in many different countries, but for others this positive image of feminism has been ruined by some bad experience, usually a broken heart. Troubadour poet Bernard de Ventadorn, and German poet Reinmar der Alte have both held women high at one point in their life, but due to cruel purposeless actions done against them and harsh dismissals of love, these men have grown to dislike women. Though they both see woman kind as malicious and heartless, Ventadorn’s characterization is more convincing because he provides a plethora of specific details about his relationship while Alte’s characterization is implied more from his own emotions than the lady.
Ventadorn originally adored women. In his poem, “When I see the lark,” he mentioned that he loved, protected, and trusted this one special lady (Ventadorn lines 11-12 and 26-27). Unfortunately for him, in stanzas 2-8 it became obvious that she did not love him back and that his efforts fell short of her heart and cares. Ventadorn had loved all of herself with all of his heart and all that he had (Ventadorn lines 13-16). Despite this, she still left him nothing “but a longing and …show more content…
The banishment and the death may not have been meant literally, but to not be loved by a woman who he has put his heart and soul into could feel like death and exile. In this particular poem, there was no reason for her to will his suffering. She pointlessly wanted to break Ventadorn’s heart and keep him from happiness when he had only tried to love her. Her cruel desires made it obvious why he feared and mistrusted all women and why he renounces all of his songs of love (Ventadorn lines 31 and 59-60). She was indifferent to his love for her and wickedly wished the worst for
Ventadorn originally adored women. In his poem, “When I see the lark,” he mentioned that he loved, protected, and trusted this one special lady (Ventadorn lines 11-12 and 26-27). Unfortunately for him, in stanzas 2-8 it became obvious that she did not love him back and that his efforts fell short of her heart and cares. Ventadorn had loved all of herself with all of his heart and all that he had (Ventadorn lines 13-16). Despite this, she still left him nothing “but a longing and …show more content…
The banishment and the death may not have been meant literally, but to not be loved by a woman who he has put his heart and soul into could feel like death and exile. In this particular poem, there was no reason for her to will his suffering. She pointlessly wanted to break Ventadorn’s heart and keep him from happiness when he had only tried to love her. Her cruel desires made it obvious why he feared and mistrusted all women and why he renounces all of his songs of love (Ventadorn lines 31 and 59-60). She was indifferent to his love for her and wickedly wished the worst for