The Wave In The Mind Analysis

Le Guin’s “The Wave in the Mind” relates particularly to Marie de France’s “Bisclarvret” and “Yonec.” Both authors talk about oppression and the deep desire for freedom. Le Guins states he “categorically judge[s] as wrong any person who considers himself or herself racially or socially superior to another or enforces inferior status on another” (212). Similarly, on “Yonec” de France takes a position of opposition to seigneur of Carwent. This seigneur was honored in his city and therefore felt that he was superior to the young girl (91), enforcing her status of inferiority he obligated her to do whatever pleased him and she was imprisoned. Le Guin further says that he finds “it a different matter to pass categorical judgment against people who

Women was regarded as being the inferior gender and it should not be acceptable to blame her for neither accepting her inferiority nor for fighting for her freedom. Futhermore, Le Guin states that “people is power are better fed, better armed, and better educated and therefore better able to stay that way” (215). He claims that the system that constitutes society is designed to benefit the superiors and that is what de France also discussed in “Bisclavret.” Men are the ones is power and society is designed to benefit them and that was exactly what happened when the King found that bisclavret was a man “the king ran up to the bed, to embrace his man, kiss him, and hundred times and more;” he didn’t ask questions or analyze the case to see who was at fault, he simply empowered him (the superior class) without giving a chance to her (inferior class) to defend herself. Hence, both authors discuss how society is designed to benefit the privileged to keep the inferior in that same position. Moreover, this text also relates to our class themes “mutual obligation” since it also examines human interaction and how it is one is society expects