# XIV: Preliminary Tactics of Duke Jurgen explained — Jurgen

> Chapter companion for Jurgen by James Branch Cabell.

## What happens

Jurgen, now Duke of Logreus, is at the court of King Gogyrvan Gawr in Glathion, where he is hopelessly in love with Princess Guenevere, who is soon to marry another. He composes a sirvente in her praise, using the conventional pseudonym 'Phyllida' and engaging in the courtly love rituals of the court. Jurgen methodically advances his romantic relationship with Guenevere through philosophical arguments and physical intimacies, all while feeling a curious emotional detachment. He is troubled by an unaccountable shadow that only he can see, and finds the courtiers' chivalric ideals perplexing.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Marriage

Jurgen's calculated romantic pursuit of Guenevere, who is betrothed to another, explores the tension between courtly love conventions and genuine emotional connection.

### Illusion vs. Reality

Jurgen's awareness of the artificiality of his poetic praises and his emotional detachment contrast with the romantic illusions he maintains, while the unaccountable shadow hints at a deeper unreality.

### Self-Deception and Identity

Jurgen deceives himself about the depth of his feelings, prodding his emotions and finding them inadequate, yet veiling this inadequacy with 'very moving fervors.'

## Character check-ins

### Jurgen

Now Duke of Logreus, he is amorously pursuing Princess Guenevere at the court of Glathion, composing verses and employing tactical romantic advances, yet feels emotionally detached and troubled by a shadow only he can see.

### Dame Guenevere

The beautiful young princess of Glathion, with corn-floss yellow hair and gray eyes, whom Jurgen loves hopelessly and who is soon to be married to another.

### King Gogyrvan

The hook-nosed tall old King of Glathion, who seems to be schooling himself to patience under some private annoyance and revolving a private jest; Jurgen finds him queer but not meddlesome.

### Mother Sereda

Mentioned as being greatly impressed by young Duke Jurgen's erudition, along with the courtiers of Gogyrvan Gawr.

### Earl Giarmuid

Referenced as the former owner of the horse Jurgen now rides; Jurgen claims to have killed Giarmuid in a fight and given him proper interment.

## Key lines

> Analogues are all very well, and they have the unanswerable sanction of custom: none the less, when I proclaim that my adored mistress's hair reminds me of gold I am quite consciously lying. It looks like yellow hair, and nothing else: nor would I willingly venture within ten feet of any woman whose head sprouted with wires, of whatever metal.

Jurgen admits that poetic comparisons like 'hair of gold' are conventional lies, as real hair just looks like hair, not metal.

_Jurgen critiques the artificiality of romantic poetry while still participating in it._

> If only I could feel like a cold-blooded villain, now, I would at worst be classifiable. But I intend the girl no harm, I am honestly fond of her. I shall talk my best, broaden her ideas, and give her, I flatter myself, considerable pleasure: vulgar prejudices apart, I shall leave her no whit the worse.

Jurgen wishes he could be a straightforward villain, but instead he genuinely likes Guenevere and plans to seduce her without harming her, rationalizing his actions as harmless pleasure.

_Jurgen's self-justification reveals his moral ambiguity and emotional detachment._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/xiv-preliminary-tactics-of-duke-jurgen
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/jurgen_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/jurgen_se/chapters