The chastity, innocence and fidelity of Mrs. de Cleves in the novel The Princess of Cleves fascinates many readers because they feel that she is a true role model for married couples of all time, as she shows that feelings they can be repressed to keep the marriage bed pure of adultery. However, others are of the opinion that she was simply a coward for revealing her feelings to her husband. Was Mrs. by Cleves really weak?
In the relationship involving Mme de Cleves and the Duke of Nemours; Although the two loved each other, this love did not materialize. Although some of the characteristics of “courtly love” are found in your relationship; what they shared was “precious love”; “For example, the lady made the man suffer by not realizing love and the man had an ennobling force. We cannot classify their relationship as” courtly love “considering that love was not his supreme value, and that love, it seems” polite, “is mixed with rationality, that’s why we call it” precious love, “which better describes what existed between them.
Ms. Cleves’ rationalization is that her mother taught her to love her husband and to remain faithful to him. Her conviction that being in love with another man was unfaithful convinced her not to embark on a path that went against the values they instilled in her or against her education. Honesty, sincerity, and respect came to play an important role in her decision-making regarding pursuing a love affair with the Duke. It is clear that The Tender Geographies of the Map of Loveland written by Mademoiselle de Scudery had to be used by Mrs. de Cleves to help her stay away from love. She went from being on the unsafe side of the map road where she was “tender” and began to have esteem, inclination and gratitude for the duke to being on the safe side, showing qualities such as sincerity and fidelity to her husband, until she reached ” Oubli “where love completely faded.
So it is correct to say that the status of a good and faithful wife was more important to the Princess of Cleves than her feelings for the Duke of Nemours. That is why she often pretends to be ill to avoid the salons and, by extension, the Duke. Despite the death of her husband, Mrs. de Cleves, immersed in feelings of guilt and dedicated to remaining faithful to her husband beyond death; thing to get to the “Oubli” road when deciding to move into a retreat. Being in retirement helped both her and the Duke to stop nurturing love. Thus, we note here a different dimension of rationalization through her actions, which is intended to help her escape or totally forget this love.
Considering the facts; Was Mrs. De Cleves a coward or weak for telling her husband how she felt about another man? Although some may misjudge your attitude; the character of Mrs. of Cleves should be appreciated for having high moral standards and for respecting principles that are in line with biblical values that instruct that the conjugal bed should be free from adultery. However, it is necessary to admit that the ‘virtue’ of the princess exceeded the normal considering that no human law or religious principles suggest that a woman should remain faithful to her husband beyond his death. However, the Princess of Cleves is far from being a coward because only a very brave woman will admit to her husband that she has feelings for another man and only a strong woman is able to control her emotion and not let love guide her path.