Chretien —
Remember Geoffrey of Monmouth? More particularly, remember how he was Welsh? Originally Arthur started off as a Welsh myth, designed to serve as a statement of national identity. Chretien seems to be modifying that narrative to fit French nationalistic impulses. While Perceval is a naturally skilled knight, he is also something of a country bumpkin [...]
           If Shakespeare has a conspiracy theory, Chrétien should get one too, especially considering how much less we know about him.
           To me, “Erec and Enide†seems to be very different from the other Chrétien stories we’ve read.  Others have alluded to this in other posts, but as of yet, no one has woven the threads [...]
Going back to the issue of names, I thought names were given special significance in “The Story of the Grail.” It comes up within the first few pages of the story, when Perceval’s mother sends him off with some advice: “Never keep company with anyone for very long, whether at an inn or on the [...]
Near the end of Yvain’s story when Gawain is revealing his name he starts talking about blows inflicted in terms of interest (pg 262 in mine, roughly verse 6300).
“For if I have lent you anything of mine, you have fully paid me back, principal and interest, for you were more ready to pay back [...]
Even though throughout the whole story Yvain goes on and on about how much he loves Laudine the whole time before he marries her, he’s easily convinced to leave and go to some tournaments with Gawain after he’s married. Although she gives Yvain a whole year to be gone, he can’t make it back [...]
When did Kay the seneschal become such a jerk? In Geoffrey of Monmouth’s account he is one of the more valiant knights in Arthur’s court. For instance, when Arthur goes to kill the giant the only two knights he brings with them are Bedevere and Kay. Kay also shows exceptional bravery at the battle of [...]
This isn’t a very poignant or perceptive post, but I have been wondering throughout the two Chretien stories that I’ve read so far why Gawain is always referred to as “my lord Gawain.” He is the only one to receive this strange title, and almost every time his name is mentioned in Erec and [...]
It might have been helpful to go over these ideas a week ago or so, but we’ll be spending another week with Chrétien, and other romance narratives as well. . . [This week's notes are appended]
Reading any medieval text isn’t quite like reading modern or contemporary texts; it requires the modern reader to make a [...]
You know a guy is a smooth operator when his heroic tests are comprised of an equal mix of jousting tournaments and beds, the latter most memorably represented by Death Bed: The Bed that Burns!
It is obvious that Erec and Enide is a tale in the heroic tradition. Erec, who has been described as “the most handsome, most loved, most revered, most muscular, bravest, wisest, fastest, strongest man in the history of the human race†is very obviously intended to be heroic and larger than life. Indeed, Erec and [...]
We’ve briefly mentioned Wace, who ca. 1160 wrote Roman de Brut – a French (Romanz) translations of Geoffrey’s Latin Historia. Wace’s Brut is part translation, part expansion on Geoffrey intended for Breton-French audience who were curious about the Breton connections to the stories of Arthur of Britain. It’s important I think to remember that our [...]