Essay on faery Melusine

Betrayal is a very evident theme in Gareth Knight’s translation of Andre Lebey’s work, The Romance of the Faery Melusine. To betray someone is further defined as “being disloyal or false to someone.” (Free Online Dictionary) Although the description sounds like an overall awful and painful experience to be on the receiving end of, when one is betrayed by someone that is not significant to them, the pain pales in comparison to that caused by a betrayal by a family member, lover, or friend. Jungian Analyst James Hillman once wrote “We can be truly betrayed only where we trust-by brothers, lovers, wives, husbands, not by enemies, not by strangers. The greater the love and loyalty, the involvement and commitment, the greater the betrayal.” This quote is proven over the course of the story through the various trials and tribulations of the two protagonists, Melusine and Raymondin.
Although the reader is led to believe that Melusine and Raymondin have much love for each other, they have an interesting way of showing it. The both betray each other in a very major way. Raymondin breaks the most important promise that he ever made to Melusine. She makes him promise to never “try to see [her] in any way whatever, nor to seek to know where [she] [is]” (Knight, 27) any Saturday after sundown. Raymondin breaks the promise by deciding to spy on her one Saturday night. He does so because his brother, the Count of Forez made him suspicious. He claims that there have been many rumors stating that every Saturday night, Melusine is “in the arms of another”. (Knight, 111) This greatly angers Raymondin and he feels as if he has been stabbed in the back by his own brother, but at the same time starts to wonder if the rumors have some type of validity. He seeks her out and finds something very unexpected. He sees that she has been turned from the waist down into a serpent. Because of this situation, both lovers have betrayed each other. Melusine never mentioned this shocking fact about her life and Raymondin broke a very important promise that he made to his wife. Both had valid reasons, Raymondin’s being the suspicions in his mind and Melusine’s being the curse she was put under. Nonetheless these two betrayals, each from someone that the person being betrayed cares greatly for, cause an intense amount of pain. Raymondin feels such agony knowing that “he himself ha[s] broken [his marriage], exposed it, destroyed it!” (Knight, 126) Furthermore, Melusine whispers “Ah! If I could only die now!” (Knight, 128) Melusine knew the moment that she caught Raymondin spying on her that their relationship would never be the same and that their marriage would as a result, ultimately end. This would most definitely be an example of a betrayal such as the one that James Hillman was referring to in his quote.
In contrast to those two betrayals, is another, that although is very angering for the betrayed, causes little pain. Raymondin’s father, Henri de Leon was betrayed and banished, losing all his lands and wealth, by Josselin du Pont. Raymondin travels to Britanny to challenge Du Pont for his father’s honor. He aggressively calls upon Josselin “to admit [his] crime!” (Knight, 87) The feeling felt by the reader at this time is one of anger from Raymondin and not one of pain or sorrow. He is not hurt, but wants to defend his family’s honor. Raymondin defeats Du Pont’s son and even after defeating him decides to have him and his father hanged. His anger caused by the traitor’s action is what causes him to do this, as he follows through with his decision even after Josselin admits his crime.
In conclusion, this story proves that you can truly only be betrayed when you care deeply for someone. Both Raymondin and Melusine were the victims of this type of betrayal. When you truly love someone, you give them all that you have and you expect the same in return. To be betrayed instead, is something that can be extremely hard to get over. I hope that in my life I will never have to face as much pain as these two lovers did, and that if I do, I will find the strength and courage to overcome it. As the great English poet, painter and inventor, William Blake once said: “It is easier to forgive an enemy than a friend.” This quote is brought to life by The Romance of the Faery Melusine.