La Belle Dame sans Mercy and the Never-ending Quarrel

While France was mired in civil war, Alain Chartier composed a controversial love poem, La Belle Dame sans Mercy. The lady’s refusal of her lover incited ire at the court of Charles VII. A debate or querelle ensued, at first through letters between Alain and the ladies and courtiers to challenge Alain’s intentions. His character, the Belle Dame, was then accused of the murder of her lover and brought to trial before the allegorical court of Love in a cycle of litigious poems, authored by Baudet Herenc, Achilles Caulier and others. Other imitation poems position the lover and lady to behave differently or explore consequences of the lovers’ failed encounter. For example, the lady finally accepts her lover, the lady gives a confession of her sin of refusal, the lover enters the hospital of love or joins a group of friars, the lover faces charges of abusing the rules of love, he confesses wrongdoing on his deathbed, the lover’s loyalty is rewarded for eternity. In a proliferation of poems, many different themes, tropes, and contexts were exploited, but all focused on the rights of women in love and the responsibility of an author to the audience.