Summary Of Aucassin And Nicolete Essay, Research Paper

A Summary of Aucassin and Nicolete, by and Unknown Author

Aucassin and Nicolete, by an unknown author is one of the best French fables written. It was very interesting because it was written in an alternating prose lyrical manner. The story was based around two young teenagers Aucassin and Nicolete. Aucassin was the son of Count Garin de Biaucaire, whom was very involved with the war. Whereas Nicolete was of a lower class, so the two of them were forbidden to see each other. During this time Biaucaire was involved in war and Aucassin refused to fight, because he wanted to be with Nicolete. This made his father angry, he told him that he should just get over it because they were never going to be together. Aucassin, filled with faith, contested that she was definitely worthy of being his wife and that her beauty was radiant.

Then finally, the Count realized that he would not be able to take Aucassin s mind off of Nicolete, so he went to the Captain, Nicolete s God Father, and asked him for help. The Captain agreed and decided to lock her in a chamber with an old woman and seal the door. Nicolete did talk of fleeing, but did not do much about it. Meanwhile, rumors did spread of what happened to Nicolete, but Aucassin wanted to know the truth, so he went to the Captain. The Captain told him that he could not just ignore their relationship, because the Count would kill her, so he had to do what he had to do. This did not help Aucassin much, but the Captain did request that he not speak to Nicolete, because if he did then the Count would kill her and him. Aucassin left saddened.

Unfortunately, the Count was, again, at war, and he called on Aucassin to help, but again Aucassin refused. After much debate Aucassin finally folded, and thought of a pact. He said that if he went to war and came back safely then the Count would let him see Nicolete, and the Count agreed. So, without a second thought Aucassin strapped on his armor and headed out on his horse. He rode off without care of what he was about to endure, his mind was consumed with thoughts of Nicolete which allowed his mind to be preoccupied which lead him to be captured by the enemy. He fought the men and came back with the enemy. Once Aucassin got back, his father acted like he did not even remember the pact that they had originally made. This, of course, angers Aucassin His father then casts him into a dungeon.

Meanwhile, Nicolette started to have thoughts of the Count, so she decided to escape. She tied scarves of silk together to make a rope and climbed down. She went to Aucassin, in the dungeon, and heard him speaking. She told him that she had to go to another country far away from his father in order for her to be safe. The Count did hear of her escape and he sent out guards to kill her on sight, so she had to flee. As she started her journey into the forest she ran into a Shepherd and asked him to tell Aucassin to come to the forest to find her. She gave him all of her money and in hopes that he would fulfill his promise. After the Count heard of Nicolete s disappearance he let Aucassin out of the dungeon, and they had a feast for him. At this feast a knight came up to Aucassin and told him that if he took a ride through the forest then his troubles may disappear. So he did. He ran into the same shepherd and listened to his song. He sang of a beautiful woman, which led Aucassin s mind to think of Nicolete. He confronted to Shepherd and he told him to go though the woods and he will find his happiness. As Aucassin rode on he came upon the lodge that Nicolete built, and was greeted by her with open arms. They decided that they had to run away together. They set sail with a ship until they came to an unknown island. They decided to stay there and they lived there with the King for two to three years. They lived in peace until one day a troop of Saracens attacked and took both Aucassin and Nicolete captive, seperately. They were both forced onto two different ships. The ships hit rocky water and ended up going in two different directions. Aucassin ended up back in Biaucaire and Nicolete wound up in Carthage. For Aucassin it was not so bad, it had been three years and both of his parent were dead so the city was looking for someone to lead them and so Aucassin did. Where as Nicolete went to Carthage and found her father, the King of Carthage, and realized that she had twelve brothers, all princes. She was never satisfied without Aucassin though so she learned to play the violin. Afterwards, she bargained with a woman to take a ship to Biauvaire. She showed up there and spoke with Aucassin. She was in disguise, though, so Aucassin had no idea. She told him that she would bring Nicolete to him and he was elated. Eight days elapsed and finally a woman came to get Aucassin and brought him to Nicolete. They were soon married and Nicolete became the Lady of Biaucaire.

It seems that the unknown author wrote this book as an example of how love was then and how intense love could be, even for two young teenagers. The author also showed how people sometime become more hazardous than helpful in making judgements on others. There are so many things to take from this piece, for example, the chivalry, the realness of love, and definitely the intensity of the piece. The theme has to be that love definitely conquers all. This piece shows: how love conquered war, when Aucassin would not fight, how love conquered fear, when Nicolete lived alone with no where to go in the forest, holding on to that last string of faith that Aucassin would show up, and how love conquered love, in the intensity of their relationship. This was a very well written piece with the parts that were said and the parts that were sung.