Erec and Enide marry in the first third of the story though, and the rest is the navigation of masculinity and femininity and knowledge of partner in this married space. The damsel thinks she knows Enide and asks who Enide is. Obviously, voice and silence are key parts of this storyThe most interesting thing about this story is the situation itself: precedent for stories including romance is that the story is prior to union, and it ends in marriage. Arthur then gives to Erec a magnificent sceptre, carved from a single emerald. When the lovers become estranged because Erec neglects his knightly obligations, they subsequently ride off together … But without knowing the versions of the tale which Chrétien disparages, one cannot know how Chrétien considers his tale to be superior. The opposite is true in the French prose romances. A knight armed in crimson armour appears, a foot taller than any other knight known who challenges Erec for daring to approach the damsel.
King Evrain explains that the heads or those of knights who have previously undertaken the adventure, that the stake with the horn is destined for Erec’s head, and that when Erec’s head is set on the stake, a new stake will be set up with the horn placed on it for the head of whoever next undertakes the adventure. He was already in love with the damsel seated on the silver bed and had promised her a boon not then described. On hearing this the damsel realizes that Enide is her cousin, for Enide’s father’s brother was her own father. It took me 4 months to read a bit more than 100 pages (This edition isn't 84 pages long btw, that's a nefarious lie). The Bishop of Nantes annoints Erec and places the crown on his head. He is very handsome, not yet 25 years old, and never has any man this young been so accomplished in knighthood. [The first quarter of the story, he meets her, fights for her attentions, marries her. In some cases, Erec is closer to the Welsh Geraint ac Enid, which suggests that Hartmann may also have drawn on an oral tradition independent of Chrétien. Erec's kind of a jerk for the majority of the text, and there's a lot of misogyny at play which isn't all that fun. Again, Enide, despite Erec’s commands to keep silent, warns him. Chrétien lists many of the nobles who attend. He write these four lyrical poems in the late twelfth century for the Countess Marie, daughter of Louis VII and that fabulous hoyden, Eleanor of Aquitaine. The vavasour has good arms in the house which he will lend to Erec. The vavasour has been impoverished in a war. Their names are now given as That Erec and Enide are crowned at Nantes in Little Britain suggests an older localization there. Although I read this book for a class, and probably wouldn't have picked it up otherwise, it was an interesting novel.I like Chrétien de Troyes' style, something about how he can clash very vibrant descriptions with blunt and witty asides and psychological musings. Kay, not recognizing Erec, but seeing that he is wounded, somewhat rudely attempts to take him to Arthur. The vavasour explains that there is an annual festival on the morrow in which a sparrowhawk will be awarded to the most beautiful maiden, who may take it. Interesting how there are constant Classical references and allusions though, to an extent that there aren't in the others. Erec and Enide seem to be the younger versions of Guinevere and King Arthur. At the banquet Erec brings up the matter of the “Joy of the Court” and King Evrain advises him not to seek it, for many have died in that adventure. The knights fight for six hours until at last the sword of the small knight breaks and he is forced to yield. Erec, Enide, and Guivret agree to dwell in Arthur’s court for three or four years. I can truly see this being one of the founding stories of valiant knights. by University of Georgia Press This June, as we observe LGBTQ Pride—the annual celebration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning communities—we wa...De Troyes is little known unless one is a French medieval student. But the vavasour is awaiting for a better opportunity for his daughter who he claims is even more intelligent than she is beautiful. The author seemed to go off on tangents, he always brought it back to the storyline. Then Erec admits that those who blame him are right and Enide is right and orders her to accompanying him wearing her best dress on her best palfrey. The following day Erec defeats the knight in battle and wins the sparrowhawk. The wedding between Erec and his betrothed is held at court at Pentecost. Erec then crowns Enide. That night Erec and Enide sleep in the wild, Enide by her will holding reins of the nine horses and her palfrey and keeping watch while Erec sleeps. Since they are out of copyright, these translations are now being reprinted, complete or one at a time.
King Arthur's presence is remindRepetitive at times but I really enjoyed the story. The rhythm makes it a very quick and pleasant read. The introduction here is fascinating, especially the information about how British and Celtic tales were 'trending' in the French courts of the period, leading to a spate of literature on these characters. Possibly a native of Troyes, he enjoyed patronage there from the Countess Marie of Champagne before dedicating his last romance to Count Philip of Flanders, perhaps about 1182.