Page:Tirant lo Blanch; a study of its authorship, principal sources and historical setting (IA cu31924026512263).pdf/149

 In the analysis we have observed how Carmesina pleaded with Tirant not to permit his amorous nature to interfere with his martial spirit. In the English romance, Felice justifies her attitude towards Guy in the following manner:

And if y the had mi loue yiue And wille it the whiles y liue Sleuthe wolde the so oercome, That thou woldest nomore armes doon, Ne come in turnement nor in fighte. So amorous thou wolde bee anone righte.

We have described in the analysis the scene in which Carmesina throws herself on the corpse of Tirant. Let us compare with it the following lines which picture to us the grief of Felice at Guy's death.

She sowned on her lordys bere, And kyst hys mouth with wepying chere. Hys fete, hys hondys she kyssed then, So dyd many an other man. All that with her commyn were Mad mornying and sorry chere.

The love story in Tirant lo Blanch forms an important part of the book. Surely the origin of this feature cannot be attributed to the career of Roger de Flor. On the contrary, the above comparative study presents strong evidence that the love affair between Tirant and Carmesina was developed by Martorell from elements drawn from Guy of Warwick. But unfortunately the author ascribed to the Capita Major so passionate a nature that in some of the love scenes we are disgusted at the actions of the protagonist. The character of Tirant is admirable in almost all respects, but in the pursuit of his immoral desires it is detestable. In our amazement and disappointment we ask ourselves why the author endowed his hero with such low and immoral cravings.