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Chrétien de Troyes in Prose: The Burgundian Erec and Cligés
First English translations of later adaptions of Chrétien's romances: a vital source for the development of Arthurian romance.
In the middle of the fifteenth century two anonymous writers "translated" into prose Chrétien de Troyes's first verse romances, Erec and Cligés (dating from the twelfth century), for the circle of Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy. For a long time unfairly dismissed as trite and slavish renderings of Chrétien's masterful narratives, the prose Erec and Cligés actually merit careful study in their own right, for these Middle French reworkings adapt the earlier romances to fit the interests of the fifteenth-century public. The authors updated not only the language but also the descriptions of chivalric exploits, tourneys, and siege warfare; furthermore, they showed real ingenuity in the way they modified the story line, clarifying motivation, rescripting characters, and shortening many of the descriptions. The romances offer valuable insights into the evolution of Arthurian romance, the history of reception of Chrétien's work, and the mentality and culture of one of the most remarkable courts to flourish in the late middle ages.
This volume presents the first English prose translations of the writings, accompanied by an introduction presenting the historical, cultural, and literary context, and notes.
Joan Tasker Grimbert is Professor of French at the Catholic University of America, Washington, DC; Carol J. Chase is Professor Emerita of French at Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois.
In the middle of the fifteenth century two anonymous writers "translated" into prose Chrétien de Troyes's first verse romances, Erec and Cligés (dating from the twelfth century), for the circle of Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy. For a long time unfairly dismissed as trite and slavish renderings of Chrétien's masterful narratives, the prose Erec and Cligés actually merit careful study in their own right, for these Middle French reworkings adapt the earlier romances to fit the interests of the fifteenth-century public. The authors updated not only the language but also the descriptions of chivalric exploits, tourneys, and siege warfare; furthermore, they showed real ingenuity in the way they modified the story line, clarifying motivation, rescripting characters, and shortening many of the descriptions. The romances offer valuable insights into the evolution of Arthurian romance, the history of reception of Chrétien's work, and the mentality and culture of one of the most remarkable courts to flourish in the late middle ages.
This volume presents the first English prose translations of the writings, accompanied by an introduction presenting the historical, cultural, and literary context, and notes.
Joan Tasker Grimbert is Professor of French at the Catholic University of America, Washington, DC; Carol J. Chase is Professor Emerita of French at Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois.
176 pages, ebook
First published July 21, 2011
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December 30, 2023
A translation of two of Chrétien de Troyes's verses into mid-15th century prose. The old French of the originals had made them rather difficult reading but their subject matter was still very much of interest to a society engaged in constant warfare and looking for an ideal towards which to orientate themselves. Slight edits have therefore been made to the text to highlight the concerns of this later period.
The central moment of the Erec tale exemplifies this well: he marries the lady of his desire, Enide, but indulges his love too much and neglects his profession of arms; "[he] had become too childlike and that it did not bring him honor to neglect the exercise of knighthood in favor of the kisses and embraces he took daily from his love and lady." In order to regain his martial spirit, Erec departs on a series of adventures and proceeds to fight abusive dwarfs, two giants and a group of dangerous outlaws.
Cligés is divided neatly into two halves, the first deals with the Emperor Alixandre, how he met the lady Soredamors, and partook in some rather excellent battle sequences; the second half tells of his son Cligés of Constantinople, and the tortures endured and tricks deployed by the lady Fenice in order to preserve her virginity. One stand-out scene in particular has Cligés looking rather dashing in white armour atop a white Arabian steed as he jousts against Sir Gawain.
The central moment of the Erec tale exemplifies this well: he marries the lady of his desire, Enide, but indulges his love too much and neglects his profession of arms; "[he] had become too childlike and that it did not bring him honor to neglect the exercise of knighthood in favor of the kisses and embraces he took daily from his love and lady." In order to regain his martial spirit, Erec departs on a series of adventures and proceeds to fight abusive dwarfs, two giants and a group of dangerous outlaws.
Cligés is divided neatly into two halves, the first deals with the Emperor Alixandre, how he met the lady Soredamors, and partook in some rather excellent battle sequences; the second half tells of his son Cligés of Constantinople, and the tortures endured and tricks deployed by the lady Fenice in order to preserve her virginity. One stand-out scene in particular has Cligés looking rather dashing in white armour atop a white Arabian steed as he jousts against Sir Gawain.
Displaying 1 of 1 review