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The Birth of Romance: Chrétien de Troyes and the Evolution of Vernacular Literature

This exploration delves into the intricate world of vernacular literature as shaped by Chrétien de Troyes in the 12th century. Highlighting his pivotal works, we examine the emergence of romance, the confluence of Celtic and classical influences, and the establishment of knighthood in Arthurian legend. The influence of noble patrons such as Eleanor of Aquitaine and the socio-cultural context of the Anglo-Norman world are explored, revealing how these elements fostered a rich literary tradition. The legacy of Chrétien's narratives marks a profound shift in storytelling and audience engagement.

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The Birth of Romance: Chrétien de Troyes and the Evolution of Vernacular Literature

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  1. The first quest, 1182 Situations of the text Chrétien de Troyes Structures

  2. 1182, situations of a text • The beginnings of vernacular literature • Text and performance • The Anglo-Normand world • The birth of “romance” • The Celtic material • The transmission

  3. “French” literature before Chretien de Troyes • Latin and French • Sacred and profane • Lives of Saints: Séquence Sainte-Eulalie, Xth century • Epics: Chanson de Roland, XIth • Lyrical poetry: Guillaume of Aquitaine

  4. A “writer”? • Troubadours and trouvères • A new culture: the castle, the nobility, the audience • Beginnings of the written secular literature • The “protectors”

  5. The Anglo-Norman kingdom • Eleanor of Aquitaine • Marie de Champagne • Philippe d’Alsace, count of Flaunders • A lay literature, both vernacular and noble • The building of new canons

  6. Eleanor of Aquitaine • 1122-1204 • Queen consort of France and England • Marriage to Louis VII of France 1137 • The second crusade • Annulment of first marriage 1152 • Marriage to Henry II of England 1152 • Revolt and Capture 1173-1174 • Years of imprisonment 1173 - 1189 • Regent of England 1189 1199 • Retreat in Fontevraud Abbey

  7. Louis VII of France Henri II Plantagenest

  8. The kingdom of France • In the XIIth c, the Kingdom of France was • small • centered on Paris and the surrounding area • Its kings : overlords of all the feudal lords • One of the most powerful of these the Duke of Aquitaine, who was also Duke of Gascony and Count of Poitiers.

  9. French literature at ... Camelot • The invention of a new audience • The use of vernacular language • The new genres: the “romance” matière antique matière réaliste matière de Bretagne

  10. The matter of “Bretagne” • Lais by Marie de France • Chrétien de Troyes • XIIIth century novels, in verse and in prose (The Vulgate Cycle) • The mingling of several cultures Celtic, classical, historical • A federating myth: Arthur

  11. The Arthurian legend • a dynastic and new myth in the XIIth c • a construction, on several centuries • the mingling of several cultures • a living myth

  12. The “arthurian cycle” • corpus of works, IXth to XVth century • Several generations, several languages • Both novels and histories • A King: Arthur; the Round Table; the founding of England

  13. Sources for the Arthurian cycle • Gildas, VIth c, De excidio et conquestu Britanniae (Vth, but no name) • Annales Cambriae • 1137 Geoffrey of Monmouth, Historia Regum Britanniae : Merlin, Arthur, Round Table • 2 writers: Wace, Chrétien

  14. Wace • Brut ; the bridge between the “historical matter” and the mythical one. His source: the Historia • Love stories: Uther is in love with Igraine... • Twelve years of peace • Mentions the round Table

  15. Chrétien • “Confluence” of cultures • Starting points of the novels: Arthur’s court • BUT Arthur is not the main character • He is even depicted as a “recreant”, a lazy King, an erratic judge... • Novels upon the Knights, not their King... • First mention of Lancelot, of the Grail

  16. Chrétien de Troyes • Known by his works • Connected with Troyes c. 1160-1181 (patronage of Marie de Champagne) • 5 major works and lost poems

  17. ･Erec and Enide, c. 1170 • ･Cligès, c. 1176 • ･Yvain, the Knight of the Lion, and･Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart, both written simultaneously between 1177 and 1181. • ･Perceval, the Story of the Grail, written between 1181 and 1190, left unfinished.

  18. Other works? • Guillaume d'Angleterre (an attribution that is no longer believed) • Philomena, the only one of his four poems based on Ovid’s Metamorphoses that has survived ( introduction to Cliges) • King Mark and Iseut

  19. Chretien’s legacy • the “conjointure” • the beginning of a cultural tradition, brought to the written world • the Grail (four continuations at least)

  20. Celtic influence • Fairies, spells, enchanters • Names (Peredur, Geraint and Enid,Olwen, the Welsh Mabinogion) • Geography

  21. Our Tale • 9000 lines and 4 continuations at least • 9500-19500 l. “Wauchier de Danain”: Gawain • 13000 l. Wauchier de Danain: Perceval returns to the castle of the Grail, repairs the sword of Trebuchet but a flaw remains... • 17000 l. Gerbert: Tristan • 10000l. Manessier, “joie de la Cour”, Calogrenant, Perceval ascends the throne of the Fisher King

  22. The Grail: Chrétien’s creation? • The caldron of Dagda (Daga Devos) • A gem (Wolfram of Eschenbach) • Robert of Boron, L’estoire dou Graal” • La queste del saint Graal, 1220

  23. Christianization of a Celtic myth: the perilous seat

  24. Structures A first part • The forests of Wales • King Arthur’s court, knighthood • Gornemant • Blanchefleur • Fisher King • Return to Arthur’s court

  25. A second part • The loathly lady (Celtic type) • Quests for the Knights of the Round Table • Gawain and his adventures • The castle of the women (Gawain’s mother, grandmother and sister) • Perceval meets a hermit, his uncle. • The narrative returns to Gawain and ends

  26. Implications of a title • Title and incipit • The reading pact • Initiations, mystic or courtly guides • DISCUSSION TOPIC

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