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The discussion of love, of course! A good theme is prevalent through all, is love - its recurring use as a sequence of events help shape a broader narrative. In each that we have read, Love is a main drive within the stories. Love is a theme throughout the Arthurian stories and sometimes can be what the fundamental layout is for them, or what makes their actual journeys begin, or end.

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- One big connection Perceval has with the other reading/passages to is the concept of primitive folktale (that of being a ‘great fool’ or ‘simple hero’)

- Also, in our Culhwch and Olwen model (specifically when reading Arthur in the Welsh traditions), magic and fantasy also have similarities. With Perceval and the magic ring, and C&O with recovering multiple magical artifacts, etc...

- I speak of love a lot, but honor (chivalry) is the next big thing within these works. A good example to pull from would be our module on Arthurian romance, when it is stated, “chivalric adventures serve as a test for Arthurian values—one that the court does not always pass.” Are Honor and Chivalry intertwined? I think so!

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- An obvious similarity within Yvain compared to, say, Geoffrey of Monmouth (even within the woods in Perceval) is within the description of the landscape. Most, from what I have seen so far, Arthurian pieces describe the scenery or landscape as something breathtakingly beautiful (even if in Geoffrey, although it is obvious that it has more-so to do with the explanation of conquering - and Perceval, a lot of the beginning takes place within a forest!).

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- Let’s look at Geoffrey of Monmouth, for a moment, we can revisit love and the idea that it isn’t always so great with this quote from the passage “Vortigern being now drunk with the variety of liquors, the devil took this opportunity to enter into his heart, and to make him in love with the damsel, so that he became suitor to her father for her. It was, I say, by the devil's entering into his heart, that he, who was a Christian, should fall in love with a pagan.” Even in simpler, smaller contexts - it still has the meaning and potential to be vastly important.

- Although, that does not mean that it is necessarily positive, like when it is said in Geoffrey, “Sir, your enemies give you disturbance from all quarters, and few of your subjects love you.” Yet, a few lines down talk about death and sort-of-destruction?

- When I say parallels, I mean with characters within the stories we have read. I think about the term honor. Something that is seen as ‘high respect, or esteem’. We can see this by revisiting the topic of honor, within Yvain.  The knights, in all, usually have these qualities. Yvain deals with honor a lot. Like when he goes on his quest to avenge his cousin’s own honor - in which he dishonors, while inadvertently dishonor’s Laudine’s. Or, perhaps how all the knights in most stories will demonstrate honor for Arthur by obeying his orders and fighting to protect his kingdom. This mysterious motivator—honor—is a dominant theme for most characters (another connection - honor is tied in with almost everything characters do. Yvain with fighting for dishonor and causing it on someone else, Perceval after his adventures when he leaves his mother, etc.…).

- I think it is interesting how easily everything could possibly crumble without these two things: love, honor... It is just interesting that in King Arthur’s time, honor and duty were so very important, and love was deeply felt and almost cherished.

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- When I reflect on the theme, I think of C&O - although it is not necessarily in the context of a good love story. Culhwch refuses to marry the daughter of the stepmother, and then is told that he shall never be able to wed unless he wins Olwen, the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. It is even shown that, perhaps, love isn’t a wonderful thing within the story during the very beginning, when you read, “Ciydd son of Celyddon Wledig wanted a wife as well born as himself”. This makes me personally not see love as something positive, at least within C&O - just a few passages down you also read, “I shall die of this sickness, and you will want another wife.”

- King Arthur’s knights are typically portrayed as ‘epitomes of virtue’, in my opinion. In Yvain, “For, once, those lovers among us deserved to be called courteous, brave, generous and honourable. But now all that is turned to fable. Those who know naught of it, say I, Claim they love, but in that they lie; True love seems fable to those I cite, who boast of love but lack the right.” Knights are very important! Like in Perceval, “I’ve never met a knight, said the boy, “and I’ve never seen one, or spoken with one, or heard one- But you’re more beautiful than God. I wish I could be like you- Shining, like you!”

- Another quote from Yvain shows that the tales of the knights is not usually a happy one. “There are those who all they hear. Understand not, though they hear; They listen with the ears alone, While the heart is like a stone.” You can tell that the story of this misadventure contains more meanings simply than just thrills of wonder and terror!

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- Perceval (who is overall, in my opinion, the best example for Love to recur through all the examples and a good one to make connections with. The love that was formed between mother and son. It is central and extremely important to the entire story and how it progresses as well. Generally, through tales of love, chivalry, dedication, generosity, etc.

- Like stated on a past model, and a good connection on themes and parallels throughout the stories in general, would be “The tale of the rise and fall of Camelot counters loss with promise to promote ideas about national identity, political authority, gender roles, spirituality, honor, war, and conquest.” And this has proven to be true.

- I think an important connection that can be made within all these stories is Chivalry. This includes showing mercy, fighting for good (honor, as well?), and protecting the woman (love, once again!) whenever they may be in harm or genuinely need it as well.

- A good quote from Perceval for this is ““When a man fails to honour ladies, his own honour must be dead.”

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- I think through my observations, what sticks with me the most are the themes, and how they easily connect to one another, at some point, no matter what we have read or discussed. I find it interesting that, as my own opinion, love seems to be the largest one that stands out to me (other than honor).