The Mabinogion is a collection of eleven tales from the Welsh myths, preserved in two manuscripts, the White Book of Rhydderch and Red Book of Hergest. The tales from the Mabinogion are divided into three categories: the first four tales belong to the Four Branches; the next four are the Independent tales; and the last three are called the Three Romances, which show strong association to the French romances written by Chretien de Troyes. Historia Peredur ab Efrawg shares significant material in common with Chretien’s Perceval or Le Conte du Graal; the Welsh romance of Owain, subtitled Chwedl Iarlles Y Fynawn is clearly related to Yvain, Le Chevalier du Lion; and the chwedl (Welsh tale) Geraint ab Erbin follows the plot-line of Chretien’s Erec et Enid perfectly. These similarities immediately call into question the origin, history, and influences of the tales – or so called mabinogionfrage. Through examining the work of Chretien de Troyes and historical and thematic evidence, we will elucidate the relationship between these parallel stories and attempt to explain the mabinogionfrage.
When Chretien de Troyes began his first Arthurian Romance, Erec et Enid, around 1170, the Arthurian legend had already spread throughout Western Europe, told by crusading armies in the Middle East. It is important to note that not only was the popularity of the Arthurian complex already a pan-European phenomenon, but the lines of communication between its courtly Franco-Norman audiences and its native Welsh sources were already well-established (Parker). Chretien is described as a poet, with an inferred clerical background, whose Arthurian projects were sponsored by the Houses of Champagne and Flanders, nominal vassals of the king of France. Hi...
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"Mabinogion." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 26 Sept. 2013. Web. .
"The Mabinogion." Index. Trans. Charlotte Guest, Lady. N.p., n.d. Web. Apr. 2014. .
McGoodwin, Michael. "Chrétien De Troyes (Chretien) Perceval Summary." Chrétien De Troyes (Chretien) Perceval Summary. N.p., 2002. Web. Apr. 2014. .
Parker, Will. "The Three Romances." Three Romances. N.p., Aug. 2009. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. .
Ralls, Karen. "Legends of the Grail: The Chivalric Vision." Http://www.theosophical.org/publications/1506. Quest Magazine, Nov.-Dec. 2003. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. .
The hostile and boisterous nature of Celtic warriors is depicted in tales of the Ulster Cycle, and hence explains common practices between characters and Celtic warriors. The Celt’s temper is illustrated in the tales of the Ulster Cycle: “the love of feasting and drinking, the boastful and quarrelsome nature of Celtic warriors and their love of spectacle and feats are daring and amply illustrated in these hero tales . . . these customs closely mirror the tales of the Ulster Cycle . . . in which the champion’s portion are central themes” (403-404). Cu Chulainn exemplifies the Celtic warrios’ loud and rambunctious behavior. The Tain is the most notorious mythology in the Ulster Cycle and illustrates through Cu Chulainn the ideal warrior and the champion’s portion that is so valued in the ancient Celtic warrior society. Simon Young in “Celtic Myths: Celtic History” argues that “recent research on early Celtic culture suggests that legends might be able to offer us a privi...
...s an Vortigern, probably the same one who exists in Geoffrey of Monmouth's account of Britain. According to Alcock, Vortigern "ruled with a group of consiliarii like a Roman -- or for that matter, a Visigothic -- provincial governor" (357). If there was a Vortigern, it is possible to imagine that there may be a chance that Arthur was a king --- after all, he was related to Vortigern, and Vortigern was, by Alcock's definition, royalty.
De France, Marie. Lanval. Trans. Judith P. Shoaf. N.p.: n.p., 2005. Web. 4 Dec. 2013.
Froissart’s Chronicles, simply known as the Chroniques, is considered by historians as the one of the important entities that recounts the events which happened during the Hundred Years’ War period. It was an extensive literary work with approximately 1.5 million words in length, written in Middle French prose by Jean Froissart. The Chronicles start by narrating the deposition of King Edward II in year 1326 and covering events from this time onward up to year 1400, hence can be significant in the study of the first part of the Hundred Years’ War. This source is also of vital importance in the study as well as the understanding of the chivalric culture of the 14th century England and French as chivalry and knighthood are the central ideal of
Though often extensive detail may be condemned as mere flowery language, in understanding Sir Gawain and the Green Knight one must make special emphasis on it. In color and imagery itself, the unknown author paints the very fibers of this work, allowing Sir Gawain to discern the nuances of ritualistic chivalry and truth. His quest after the Green Knight is as simple as ones quest toward himself. Through acute awareness of the physical world he encounters Gawain comes to an understanding of the world beyond chivalry, a connection to G-d, the source of truth. He learns, chivalry, like a machine, will always function properly, but in order to derive meaning from its product he must allow nature to affect him.
The greatest part of these studies have involved the middle-English text Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Extensive work has been done on this alliterative four-part poem written by an anonymous contemporary of Chaucer: feminists have attacked his diatribe against women at the end, or analyzed the interaction between Gawain and the women of Bercilak’s court; those of the D. W. Robertson school seek the inevitable biblical allusions and allegory concealed within the medieval text; Formalists and philologists find endless enjoyment in discovering the exact meaning of certain ambiguous and archaic words within the story. Another approach that yields interesting, if somewhat dated, results, is a Psychological or Archetypal analysis of the poem. By casting the Green Knight in the role of the Jungian Shadow, Sir Gawain’s adventure to the Green Chapel becomes a journey of self-discovery and a quest - a not entirely successful one - for personal individuation.
When all the courtly love elements that flow through The Knight of the Cart are composed, in addition to a tale of love affair between Queen Guinevere and Lancelot of the Lake, a document revealing the enchanting history of the Twelfth Century Renaissance is created. Troyes, our powerful storyteller, was able to do this by taking us on a journey with Lancelot, not only though his exciting battles to Guinevere but, through his passionate and enamored thoughts and behaviors that yearns for his beloved.
When comparing the epic poem of The Song of Roland to the romantic literature of Ywain, the differences between the early medieval period and the high medieval period become evident. Both The Song of Roland and Ywain depicts the societies from which each story derives its fundamental characteristics. Through close observation, one is able to see the shifts in customs and mentality that make the move from the epic to the romance possible. In his chapter 'From Epic to Romance', R.W. Southern shows how this transformation manifests itself through changing ecclesiastical and secular thoughts and feelings.
Abstract: This is an analysis of celtic mythological motifs or themes (usually found Arthurian romances) in the medieval romance Yvain and the victorian classic, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland .}
The ancient mythology of Ireland is one of its’ greatest assets. The glorious, poetic tales of battles, super humans, demigods and heroes ranks among the best of ancient literature. The book of the Dun Cow, (Lebor na huidre), was written around 1100 and contains stories from the eighth and ninth centuries. The Book of Invasions, (Lebor Gabala), tells how the mythical ancestors of the Irish, the God-like Tuatha Dé Danann, wrestled Ireland (or Erin) from misshapen Fir Bolg in fantastic battles. The Fir Bolg were traditionally linked to Gaul and Britain so the analogy between them and the invading English was complete.
Seafaring, paganism, and the hero’s code were all imperative traditions of the ancient Anglo Saxon English culture. Bede's fictional work A History of the English Church and People clearly doesn't help in the audiences’ understanding of these traditions although it expresses the general idea of the culture. Ultimately, the epic poem Beowulf reveals and ties these traditions together to make it easier to understand, while enjoying the tale of the epic hero Beowulf. This fictional piece is best suited in understanding the culture of the Ancient Anglo-Saxon English, because overall, the epic poem Beowulf sheds more light on the Ancient Anglo Saxons.
One of the first literary work studied by our class was “Beowulf,” the longest and greatest surviving Anglo-Saxon poem. The poem is packed full of Christian and Pagan elements that are constantly fighting for the dominant position. In order to understand these thematic elements portrayed throughout “Beowulf,” we must first discover
Marie de France’s “Lanval” is a Breton lai dominated by themes common to 12th century literature, which through its exploration of love, erotic desire, wealth, gender and community, tells the story of a young knight who finds himself caught between two worlds: his lover’s and his own. Forced to separate these societies by a warning in which his lover states, “do not let any man know about this…you would lose me for good if this love were known” (Lines 145-148), Lanval must keep his love a secret and exist apart from the Arthurian world into which he was born. Consequently, romantic love between Lanval and his fairie queen exists conditionally, that is upon Lanval’s physical and emotional isolation. This restriction suggests that romantic love, as described in terms of erotic desire and physical/emotional devotion throughout “Lanval,” is unsuited for existence in the mundanity of Arthurian society. Therefore, Lanval’s solitude is necessary for his maintaining his relationship with the fairie queen, a fact that suggests the incompatibility of romantic love with Arthurian society, as Marie depicts it.
"I recognize in thieves, traitors and murderers, in the ruthless and the cunning, a deep beauty-a sunken beauty." (Jean Genet)
The Quest of the Holy Grail is an exciting tale that follows the adventures of King Arthur's knights as they scour the countryside for the legendary Holy Grail. Throughout their journeys, the knights engage in many exciting jousts and sword fights with a variety of enemies. The author of The Quest of the Holy Grail intends for the story to be more than just entertainment: the knights' search for the Holy Grail is analogous to the pursuit of morality and spiritual chivalry, showing success through asceticism, confession, chastity, and faith.