Cliges's Identity In Chretien De Troyes

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In Chretien de Troyes, names play a very big role in the self-discovery of the knights. The knights in the stories conceal their identity, stripping away all of the glory that comes with their reputation and do battle under an alias. For example in Cliges, Cliges conceals his identity by changing the color of his armor each day he goes out to fight. He does this because he does not want the knights to recognize him on the battlefield. Cliges is a good fighter, being very strong and skilled in combat, but he wants to prove himself to the knights he is fighting rather than have them be intimidated by his reputation. In a way, he proved his identity by concealing it; reputation is a trait that must be hidden to sustain the knightly order of

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