Sexuality In Grendel's Lanval

Unlike the other women in this story Grendal’s mother is not presented or described with any typical female characteristics or pleasant in anyway. Even though she is technically female she is virtually sexless in every way in exception to her motherhood of Grendal. She embodies masculine energy and counteracts the social expectations of women during this time. She is not submissive and does not hold the roles of a peacemaker or a lover, she is nothing like the women in her time were expected to be, she is forceful and violent and viewed as evil and monstrous. There is nothing feminine about her. Grendel’s mother lets anger and the thirst for vengeance fuel her, she is not bound to the social constraints as other women are. By taking on the traits typical to that of a man she is washing away her femininity and opens herself up to becoming sexless and inhuman to the eyes of others. …show more content…
The way sexuality is portrayed and effects how the story and its female characters are viewed by the reader and other characters as well. Sexuality is apparent among the two main female characters: Lanval’s lover (who will be referred to as ‘the Lady’ from now on) and the Queen. In the time Marie de France’s Lanval was written, sexuality was something that was simply not discussed openly. “These themes (sexuality and identity) go beyond the normal realm of discussion for Marie de France’s time period, and what makes them standout even more is that a woman is the one putting these ideas into her writing.” (Malyssa Gee, Sexuality and Identity in Marie de France’s