Stanza 1:
“You’ve asked, my lords, for song:”—He is in the court of
the Viscount of Ventadorn, his
lord, and his lord requests more songs (Ventadorn’s job. The reason he is able to stay with high favor in the
castle
“I sing for my reply”—he performs his own songs
“Yet never sing for long”—Although it is his job to sing for
his lord (because he pays him
and keeps him in the castle), he doesn’t sing for long. This shows his attitude toward the patron since most
troubadours generally sing long enough
to make sure they please their patrons.
“I’ve lost the heart to try”—Refers to the removal of his
love, his lord’s wife, away from his
reach. His loss of heart is his loss of love.
“luck’s run dry”—He was able to sneak around with the lord’s
wife for a time before it was
noticed by anyone, so when it was, he luck had finally run dry. Could also be a sexual statement referring
to not being able make love to the lord’s wife
any longer.
“Has love, then, gone awry?”—Worries that the love will go
off and away from him. Plays with the
fact that their love was correct and proper when she was actually committing adultery by being
with him.
“No; better than before”—Although she isn’t near him, he is
confident that this will simply
make their love stronger and it will be “better than before”.
Stanza 2:
“With gifts beyond compare/The Lord has honored me;”—Since
“Lord” here is capitalized, refers
to God. The “gifts beyond compare” refers to his lord’s wife and the things they have done. Also plays
on the fact that his lord has showered
him with gifts and honored him while he has been in the castle.
“I love a lady, fair,/Who loves me faithfully”—Confirms that
the “gifts beyond compare” are
her. Shows that their love is mutual and that he didn’t force himself on her.
“I languish here”—The use of “languish” shows that his is
uncomfortable with his situation. He
would obviously like to be with his love. He is likely already tired of singing, for he never had
the heart to do it at all.
“I can’t so much as tell/If she fares ill or well/Which
fills my thoughts with care”— The lord’s
wife is locked away from him and guarded, so there is no way for him to get to her to tell of how she fares.
He seems to be protective of her, which
shows that he is truly in love with her.
“Since I dare not go there”—He knows if he dares defy the
lord’s orders, there would be
severe consequences. Although he worries for her, he knows there is nothing he can do to help the situation.
Stanza 3:
“ Through her, such joys I find”—Puts her on a pedestal; she
makes him a better person. These
“joys” are not only her presence and love, but also the sex that they have. She is the medium from which he finds joy.
“That if men shout or call/While she invests my mind/I’d
never hear at all.”—Shows the
all-consuming relationship that he has with her. He can become so enveloped with her that he would not
even hear someone calling to him. “Invests”
here can refer the fact that she took a risk to have an affair with him.
“That men swear and attest/That they all see me here/Though
my best part’s still there.”—Shows how
deep he is in love with the lord’s wife. She has stolen his heart with ease. Though he is there in front
of the men with his body, his “best
part”, referring to his heart, is with his love, the lord’s wife.
Stanza 4:
“Shall we two live in stife?”—By phrasing it this way, he
makes the grief he feels synonymous
with the way the lord’s wife feels.
“The griefs that must ensue/Would surely end my
life”—Without his love, he doesn’t
feel as though life is worth living. He values the love and affection of the lord’s wife more than he values his
own life.
“Unless”—There may be another way to stop the grief from
ending his life that he is
about to present to her. It may seem irrational though.
“Receive me in that place/She lies in, to embrace/And press
against me, tight,/He body, smooth and
white.”—Asks if they should continue against the lord’s wishes and sneak into “that place”, referring to the room where
she is locked away and
guarded. The last two lines refer to
sexual acts that could happen once
they are reunited.
Stanza 5:
“I’ll not renounce my love for troubles or love’s pains.”—It
seems as though his lord
may have asked for him to do this, and he is now giving his answer. His “troubles” or “pains” may be the consequences
he endures for not doing so.
“When God above who reigns above/Gave much, I took my
gains;”—He won’t renounce it
because he feels as if the lord gave this to him especially. It would go against his heart and God if he renounced
his love.
“Those far apart must wait/To overcome their fate.”—In time,
they will be reunited. Fate
here seems to be negative since they are trying to overcome it. Here the “fate” would be them (Ventadorn and the
lord’s wife) not being together.
Stanza 6:
“Good Lady”—Refers to the lord’s wife. Also gives reference
to God since it is usually used
in a different way, like Good Lord.
“thank you for/Your love so true and fine;”—sounds like a
prayer. More reference to God.
“I swear I love you more/Than all past loves of mine.”—Attempts
to show the depth of his love,
but he seems to also undermine himself by saying so.
“Is give me one sweet glance/If sometime you’ve the chance.”—Shows
how he longs for her
that even a glance will do. Also links back to the idea that she is having an affair and that all she can do
(without being to obvious in public) is to
give him a “sweet glance”.
Stanza 7:
Asks the Lord for help in obtaining his love. He also asks
for guidance by mentioning that they are “wandering endlessly”.
Stanza 8:
Refers to the “Escudor” character from the previous stanza.
He apparently helps Ventadorn.
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