About “Yonec”
"Yonec" is a narrative lay written by Marie de France in the twelfth century. It is part of a collection of lais, which are short narrative poems. The story is told in the Anglo-Norman dialect of Old French, using rhyming couplets with eight syllables each. The poem follows a woman who is unhappy in her marriage and leaves to find love elsewhere. She gives birth to a child as a result of this new relationship. The lai explores themes of love, desire, and the consequences of leaving a loveless marriage. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.)
More by Marie de France
Some summaries adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.