King Horn

King Horn:

What struck me most in King Horn is the focus on male beauty. In his initial meeting with Horn, Alymar asks “Whannes beo ye, faire gumes...Of bodie swith kene” (165-168)? Later on, when describing the way in which word of Horn would spread, Alymar states that Horn’s name and “fairness” would be known throughout the kingdom (215-220). More than his ability in battle or gentility, Horn’s aesthetic qualities are listed as primary components of his virtue. In part this does feed into the romance tradition of heroes possessing physical attractiveness, but in Horn’s case male beauty is emphasized to a much greater extent than strength of arms or craftiness, although Horn does demonstrate his ability in each. In expressing her desire for him, Rymenhild goes on at length about Horn’s beauty, and Horn’s early interactions with Alymar’s daughter demonstrate that despite his appearance he is not himself fully capable in “luftalkying,” acting through his Athelbrus and taking a largely passive role as he is pursued by Rymenhild. In short:

As I read King Horn, I couldn’t help but think of the similarities between this text and the Middle English Breton Ley Emaré. In both texts, the titular character is wronged at home and cast off to see in a rudderless ship. Both Horn and Emaré luckily find safe landing in friendly locales and are taken under the care of a steward who either trains them in the skills they need or gives them the opportunity to exercise their talents. Horn and Emaré are noticed for external aesthetic qualities (the wondrous cloth in Emaré’s case and Horn’s male beauty), and both take passive roles in their fates, although Emaré’s passivity is debatable and Horn become sless passive as he takes on more of his heroic mantle. I am perhaps being somewhat unfair towards Horn (who does, even early on, take a leadership role among his compatriots in exile), but his passivity in the early scenes with Rymenhild subvert their respective gender roles, making Horn the object of pursuit due to his aesthetic value and Rymenhild the active agent attempting to acquire him. It is also possible that Horn represents a different tradition of the romantic hero that I am less familiar with, but the emphasis this text places on male beauty over strength of arms or even courtliness makes me wonder what King Horn is saying about romantic gender roles.