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Medieval Romance

Medieval Romance. THE ROMANCE AND ITS ORIGINS

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Medieval Romance

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  1. Medieval Romance

  2. THE ROMANCE AND ITS ORIGINS Medieval romance was a popular genre mainly translated from French models (see, for example, the tales of Chrétien de Troyes: “Lancelot, ou le chevalier à la charrette” - in English “Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart”, dealing with Sir Lancelot’s love for Guinevere or “Perceval ou Le Conte du Graal – in English “Perceval, the Story of the Grail”). The word “romance” literally means “written in a language derived from the language of the ancient Romans (Latin)” – in this case, French. Medieval romances developed during the 12th and early 13th centuries and it was the expression of the cultivated French aristocracy.

  3. CHARACTERISTICS The mainthemeofmedievalromances are the KNIGHTS’ DEEDS. Medieval romance consistsoftales in verseabout CHIVALRY, FIGHTING, LOVE and ALL SORTS OF WONDERS and SUPERNATURAL ELEMENTS too: FAIRIES, DRAGONS, GIANTS and WIZARDS. Itis a descriptionof FEUDAL KNIGHTHOOD in itsexterior and moralaspects (clothing, hunting,feasting; ethically, itpraises the knights’ loyaltytotheirGod, king and lady). The narrative frameworkintowhich the stories are set couldbe: • a religiouscrusade; • a conquestfor the knight’s lord; • the rescue of a captive lady.

  4. THE SUBJECT MATTER OF ROMANCE The stories, traditionallycalled “MATTERS”, are dividedintothreegroups: • the MATTER OF FRANCE (Charlemagne, Roland, Roncesvalles); • the MATTER OF BRITAIN (Brittanywas a region in northern France → King Arthur and the knightsof the Round Table); • the MATTER OF ROME (classicalmythology and history: Troy, Alexander the Great). MORTE D’ARTHUR by Thomas Maloryis the best example of an English medieval romance whichtalksabout King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table.

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