Honor as being the most precious
The story of Yvain takes place during the time of King Arthur and as such, honor is portrayed as being the most important thing a person can have and the most precious virtue which one must protect. The characters in the story go to great lengths to protect both their honor and the honor of those around them they care about. Because of this, honor is portrayed in such a compelling way the reader has no other way but to agree with the actions taken by the character who try to protect it.
The forces of good and the forces of evil
The story presents a battle which takes place between the forces of good and evil. While many such battles are described in the story, the first one holds a great importance because it sets the events in motion. Through the description of this battle, the reader also is shown the way in which good and evil were portrayed in the past and the difference between them it is clear to notice. Good is generally described as being extremely light, wearing clothes of white color and riding white horses. The forces of evil on the other hand are portrayed as being in an advanced state of decay, wearing tattered clothes and riding sick and black horses. These descriptions makes it easier for the reader to distinguish between the bad and the good characters.
Marriage
The main characters in the story are all married and on the verge of starting a family with their wives. Marriage is seen as an honorable union and the husbands feel the need to protect the honor of their wives and of their marriages. But, despite this, the idea of being an honorable husband is less important when compared with the need to be an honorable knight. Because of this, family and spouses are portrayed here as secondary when it comes to a man’s priority while his knightly duties are described as being the most important.
Women as seductress
The antagonists in this story are all portrayed as being women who at one point in their lives were seduced by the powers of evil and became evil as well. The men who fight against them have to also fight against the temptation of being seduced by those women and thus avoid falling into their trap. The image of women as seductress transmits the commonly believed idea that sexuality, especially when it came from women, was extremely dangerous and had to be treated as a sin and as something to be avoided at all costs.
