ENGL 203 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Mark Of Cornwall
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
English 203 Required Background Reading 2
The Romance of Tristan and Isolde
-the “best-seller” of the 12 century
-with a large number of version preserved it is deduced that the story was
very popular
-Stories about King Mark of Cornwall, his nephew Tristan and Mark’s wife, who is
also Tristan’s lover Isolde the Blonde
-there is some form of these stories in almost every vernacular literature from the
Europe Middle Ages
-The Tristan tradition was not one unified story
-instead, there was multiple versions by different authors
-main theory: Tristan and Isolde fall in love after Tristan accidentally drank love
potion meant for King Mark
-end: Tristan and Isolde die of love
-Berouls poem is a fragmentary text in a single incomplete manuscript
-considered the “common” tradition
-in this tradition the love potion wears off after 3 years and reconcile with the King
-Thomas’ text is even more fragmented in 5 manuscripts
-recounts Tristan’s marriage with another Isolde until his death
-most of Thomas’ accounts were lost but translations were not
-considered the “courtly” tradition
-in this tradition the love potion is permanent
-these stories are episodic not continuous
-different text recount plots against the lovers and then the lovers try to escape
punishment or blame
-use deception and ruses
!1
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Document Summary
With a large number of version preserved it is deduced that the story was very popular. Stories about king mark of cornwall, his nephew tristan and mark"s wife, who is also tristan"s lover isolde the blonde. There is some form of these stories in almost every vernacular literature from the. The tristan tradition was not one uni ed story. Instead, there was multiple versions by different authors. Main theory: tristan and isolde fall in love after tristan accidentally drank love potion meant for king mark. Berouls poem is a fragmentary text in a single incomplete manuscript. In this tradition the love potion wears off after 3 years and reconcile with the king. Thomas" text is even more fragmented in 5 manuscripts. Recounts tristan"s marriage with another isolde until his death. Most of thomas" accounts were lost but translations were not. In this tradition the love potion is permanent.
