This Paperback Book item from Penguin Classics was reviewed on 13-Oct-2008.
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1) Paperback Book Arthurian Romances (Penguin Classics) by Penguin Classics. D.D.R. Owen, late professor emeritus of French in the University of St. Andrews, states of his translation that he kept "the needs of students" in mind. For that reason, Owen tells us, his "renderings...incline towards the literal." In other words Owen´s translation of Chrétien of Troyes´s "Arthurian Romances" shuns poetic and literary licence. Decide what you want. This is a scholar´s book, a dry literal translation from twelfth century French of original tales that were too long to start with. General readers may find it dull.
Near the end of his substantive Introduction (which itself makes a useful essay for students of Chrétien´s times) Owen comments that "Chrétien has bequeathed to us a brilliant portrait of the society that gave him his livelihood." That´s true, but these romances set up portraits that will seem "brilliant" only from a scholar´s perspective.
Chrétien´s productive years spanned 1170 to 1182, the very pinnacle of chivalry -- and of chivalry´s unlikely twin, courtly love. Chrétien was an eye-witness, working in the halls of noble patrons, observing and recording the highest values of the culture of his time. He wrote "Lancelot" around 1177, dedicating it to Marie of Champagne (Eleanor of Aquitaine´s eldest child), and bringing the world the first mention of Camelot. By 1182, Chrétien was introducing the Holy Grail in "Perceval: the Story of the Grail." Before he won fame under Marie´s sponsorship, one wonders if Chrétien had made his observations about the conventions of courtly love and chivalry earlier, at Eleanor´s Court of Ladies in Poitiers (1168-´73). Owen was too much the perfect scholar to speculate, but we can. "Arthurian Romances" contains much that Chrétien absorbed from an influential source, a royal hall replete with courtly traditions, poets and bards. This book is a struggle, but it can be rewarding.
By Robert Fripp, author of
"Power of a Woman. Memoirs of a turbulent life: Eleanor of Aquitaine"¤ 2) Paperback Book Arthurian Romances (Penguin Classics) by Penguin Classics. There are several examples of the French chivalrous tradition here, and all that courtly love stuff. Or, how to wear shiny armor, look pretty, do what your religion tells you, be nice to ladies but don´t knock them off their pedestals.
Try to get really, really good at killing people and beating people up, too.
¤ 3) Paperback Book Arthurian Romances (Penguin Classics) by Penguin Classics. An awful yawner. It shows all the reasons chivalry made for tiresome tales, and why the world needed Don Quixote so badly.
The Chretien de Troyes version of Lancelot is repetitious, has many loose ends, and is full of plot holes. Lancelot jumps into a cart to shame himself in pursuit of Guenivere. Before Lancelot jumps into the cart, the narrator states that "reason is the enemy of love." In the scope of the book, and the code of chivalry, reason is the enemy of this genre.
Take with Nyquil.
¤ 4) Paperback Book Arthurian Romances (Penguin Classics) by Penguin Classics. Chretien de Troyes is an early French romantic writing, who wrote the first known story about the Holy Grail. De Troyes lived in the Champagne region of France during the latter twelfth century. Peripherally attached to courts including that of the famous Eleanor of Acquitaine, de Troyes stories of the Arthurian legends provides a foundation for almost all future Arthurian stories.
Chretien´s major works include four poems included in this collection: Erec and Enide, Cliges, The Knight of the Cart (Lancelot), and The Knight of the Lion (Yvain). For Grail seekers, the story of most interest will be the unfinished Perceval: The Story of the Grail. Although the tale exists in finished form (in fact, several variations of finished forms), de Troyes in fact only wrote the first 9000 lines of the approximately 32,000 line text. (De Troyes also was embellished or supplemented by later additions to the tale of Lancelot, perhaps because de Troyes did not want to include an adulterous affair).
The story of Erec and Enide is a love story between one of Arthur´s knights, Erec, who while out with Guinevere encounters a mean-spirited knight Yder; Erec´s pursuit of Yder leads to his meeting Enide, and the two have a stormy relationship (by medieval romantic standards) but ultimately are able to reconcile their love and relationship with public duty.
The story of Cliges is one of tricky and forbidden relationships. Cliges, a native of Greece, falls in love with Fenice, his uncle´s wife (Cliges´ uncle happens to be the emperor). Their love is discovered, but with the aid of King Arthur, their relationship continues in Cliges´ home country of Greece.
Lancelot´s story is one of the oldest ideas from the Arthurian legends - the rescue of Guinevere when she is taken captive. This could be done in a chaste and honourable way, but the tale of Arthur has both virtuous and dark elements. Even though this story comes from much older antecedents, de Troyes telling (with the possible additions by a later writer) became the standard Lancelot-Guinevere tale, being the principal one incorporated into Mallory´s Le Morte d´Arthur.
The story of Yvain is one of romantic questing - Yvain is gone so long on his knightly quests that his wife refuses him to return home. However, with the aid of mystical powers (the lion is an otherworldly creature that symbolises knightly virtue - C.S. Lewis will develop similar symbolic material much later) he returns to his wife after going mad with despair at being barred from her.
Perceval´s story is that of the classic search for the Grail, which is also considered now a standard part of Arthurian legend - however, it is not clear that de Troyes was working from earlier stories here.
William Kibler provides notes, an introductory essay, and an essay tracing the history of revisions and continuations to the Grail story. This is fascinating reading, and a must for anyone interested in the Arthurian legends.
¤ 5) Paperback Book Arthurian Romances (Penguin Classics) by Penguin Classics. Got it for school, but I´m not too big on romances so maybe I´m biased. I´m trying. It´s a pretty good story...actually a set of stories written by this Troyes guy, all about everyone except noble King Arthur. Gotta buy a different book to get the sword in the stone story. Great for in depth details on the romance-period view of the barbarian Arthurian story, and even better for writing a detailed paper on it. If you´re into Arthurian stories (and already know the story lines of the main story but want more on the offshoots and the only-mentioned-once characters like Yvain) this is a great book for you! Not good for people who don´t know the story. Watch the disney movie first for some background or read the Mists of Avalon (long but good).¤ 6) Paperback Book Arthurian Romances (Penguin Classics) by Penguin Classics. Taking the legends surrounding King Arthur and weaving in new psychological elements of personal desire and courtly manner, Chretien de Troyes fashioned a new form of medieval Romance. The Knight of the Cart is the first telling of the adulterous relationship between Lancelot and Arthur´s Queen Guinevere, and in The Knight with the Lion Yvain neglects his bride in his quest for greater glory. Erec and Enide explores a knight´s conflict between love and honour, Cliges exalts the possibility of pure love outside marriage, while the haunting The Story of the Grail chronicles the legendary quest. Rich in symbolism, these evocative tales combine closely observed detail with fantastic adventure to create a compelling world that profoundly influenced Malory, and are the basis of the Arthurian legends we know today.¤ Page Updated: Robert N. Goolsby, 10-Nov-2008, 01404452189780140445213, 840-000-140-180-980-660-8 
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