The Cornerstone: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Cornerstone: Analysis of Major Characters" explores the intricate dynamics and moral complexities of its central figures, set against a historical backdrop of the Crusades and feudal society. The narrative follows Ansiau, the aging lord of Linnières, who, upon returning from war, grapples with personal loss, blindness, and the challenges of governance, ultimately embarking on a pilgrimage. His son, Herbert le Gros, is depicted as a flawed character driven by greed and brutality, whose actions lead to tragic consequences for his family. In contrast, Herbert's son, Haguenier, embodies youthful idealism, caught between familial loyalty and romantic aspirations, yet ultimately succumbs to guilt and responsibility.
The female characters, such as Lady Marie de Mongenost, are portrayed with nuance, revealing their manipulative tendencies and the impact of their choices on the male protagonists. Eglantine, Ansiau's illegitimate daughter, represents rebellion and tragedy, grappling with her status as an outcast and ultimately facing dire consequences. Supporting characters like Ernaut and Lady Alis contribute to the thematic depth, exploring issues of love, sacrifice, and familial strife. Through these character analyses, the work invites readers to reflect on the moral ambiguities of human behavior and the social constraints of their time.
The Cornerstone: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Zoé Oldenbourg
First published: La Pierre Angulaire, 1953 (English translation, 1955)
Genre: Novel
Locale: France and the Holy Land
Plot: Historical
Time: Early thirteenth century
Ansiau (ahn-see-OW), the old lord of Linnières in Champagne. Returning from the Crusades half-blind and ill, grieving for the son who died in the Holy Land, and troubled about his ungovernable illegitimate daughter, he finds that he no longer has the force to govern. He resigns his fief to his son Herbert and sets out on a pilgrimage to Acre and Jerusalem. Eventually, he becomes totally blind and thus especially vulnerable to the marauders in battle-torn southern France. His piety and his kindly nature win him the respect of strangers and the loyalty of three companions. Although he fails to locate his son's grave in Acre and falls into the hands of Muslims before he can reach Jerusalem, he is venerated by his captors as a holy man. He dies at peace with God.
Herbert le Gros (groh), Ansiau's son, the new lord of Linnières, a huge man with huge appetites. He is a wife abuser, a womanizer, and a glutton, but his primary interest is in acquiring land, money, and power. He values his son and heir, Haguenier, as someone who can help him achieve those goals, and he becomes furious whenever Haguenier fails to live up to his expectations. Although licentious, Herbert is calculating; only once does he lets his passions run away with him: By sleeping with his half sister, he risks criminal prosecution, damnation by God, and the disapproval of his mother. Although he is cursed both by her and by his rejected lover, the immediate cause of his death is his own brutality. When Herbert attacks his unfaithful wife, Haguenier fights against him, and Herbert's back is broken. Herbert forgives his son and is forgiven by his mother before he dies, but he also makes sure that the future is arranged as he wishes it to be.
Haguenier (ah-geh-NYAY), Herbert's son and heir, an idealistic nineteen-year-old who is particularly susceptible to women. After meeting Lady Marie de Mongenost, he decides to spend his life making her happy. His sympathy toward women causes him to defy his father, as when he balks at divorcing his wife. Tragically, by protecting his stepmother, he causes Herbert's death. Guilt-ridden, he accedes to his father's deathbed demands. Haguenier arranges the marriage of his infant daughter, turns over his property to his baby daughter's husband, and becomes a monk.
Lady Marie de Mongenost (mohn-geh-NOHST), a self-centered beauty who amuses herself by toying with men's affections. She sees the idealistic Haguenier as a perfect subject for her experiments in power, which are supposedly based on the tenets of courtly love. Her skill in deceiving Haguenier is shown by the fact that he orders his motherless daughter to be reared by Marie.
Eglantine (ehg-lahn-TEEN), Ansiau's illegitimate daughter. Her wildness is a continuous reproach to the father, who loves her dearly. By sleeping with her brother, she feels that she has confirmed her status as an outcast from the Christian community. His rejection leaves her completely isolated. She aborts her child and dedicates him to a pagan goddess, whom she thinks will help her to destroy Herbert. Eglantine's spells result in her own death. Believing that she has cursed the land, the peasants murder her.
Ernaut (ehr-NOH), the bastard son of Herbert by a peasant girl. He becomes one of Haguenier's best friends. Even though he has been knighted and given property by his father, because of his low birth Ernaut is refused the hand of the woman he loves. When she marries someone else, he hangs himself.
Lady Alis (ah-LEE), Ansiau's loving wife. A devout, strong-minded woman, she is respected and feared by her son, Herbert. Because of his dissolute lifestyle, she refuses to live in his castle. After learning about his affair with Eglantine, she curses him, an act she later regrets.
Auberi (oh-beh-REE), a twelve-year-old boy, Ansiau's servant. Although initially he bewails his lot, soon he is so devoted to his master that the Muslims who capture them think they are father and son. At Ansiau's insistence, he escapes and makes his way back to the Christian community
Riquet, a runaway monk who joins Ansiau on his pilgrimage. A strong, resourceful young man, he protects and provides for his companions. After staying behind to pursue a girl, he rejoins them in Marseilles and arranges for their passage to the Holy Land. Ansiau last sees him marching off into slavery.
Gaucelm of Castans (gow-SEHLM, kas-TAHN), also called Bertrand, a traveling companion of Ansiau, who has been blinded for a heresy he did not embrace. His wife and their daughters have been killed, so his only remaining hope is that his son has survived. When he finds the boy bent on martyrdom, Bertrand subsides into bitterness and despair. After he is captured, he courts death and is decapitated.