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Spiritual Transformation in the Medieval Poem ‘Yvain’

The narrative poem tells of the knight who lost everything but found virtue.
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Spiritual Transformation in the Medieval Poem ‘Yvain’
An illuminated manuscript illustrating Yvain fighting a serpent, between 1380 and 1385. Public Domain
Walker Larson
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One moment Yvain has it all: a kingdom, a beautiful wife, wealth, physical prowess—even a magical spring of water. The next moment, he has lost everything, including his sanity, and he runs naked through the forest, oblivious to everything except his grief. How did this knight of King Arthur’s court fall so catastrophically?

A Self-Centered Knight

"The Knight and the Lady," mid-15th century, by Master ES. Engraving. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. (Public Domain)
"The Knight and the Lady," mid-15th century, by Master ES. Engraving. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Public Domain
Walker Larson
Walker Larson
Author
Prior to becoming a freelance journalist and culture writer, Walker Larson taught literature and history at a private academy in Wisconsin, where he resides with his wife and daughter. He holds a master's in English literature and language, and his writing has appeared in The Hemingway Review, Intellectual Takeout, and his Substack, The Hazelnut. He is also the author of two novels, "Hologram" and "Song of Spheres."