The Cambridge History of Arthurian Literature and Culture Medieval Arthurian Literatures and Cultures
Book contents
- The Cambridge History of Arthurian Literature and Culture
- The Cambridge History of Arthurian Literature and Culture
- The Cambridge History of Arthurian Literature and Culture
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I The Early Arthur
- Part II Arthurian Literary Developments
- 5 Chrétien de Troyes
- 6 Arthur in Latin, Anglo-Norman and English Chronicles Prior to 1500
- 7 French Arthurian Verse Romance after Chrétien de Troyes
- 8 The Old French Vulgate and Post-Vulgate Cycles
- 9 Non-Cyclical French Arthurian Prose Romances
- 10 Arthurian Alliterative Poetry in English, 1250–1550
- 11 Middle English Arthurian Verse Romances
- 12 Sir Thomas Malory
- 13 Arthur in the Prose Brut Chronicle Tradition
- 14 Arthur in the Northern Lands
- 15 Arthur in the Medieval Low Countries
- 16 Arthur in Medieval Germany
- 17 Arthurian Literature in Medieval Central and Eastern Europe
- 18 Arthur in Irish, Scots, Cornish and Breton
- 19 The Iberian Arthur in the Middle Ages
- 20 Arthur in Medieval Italy
- Part III Cross-Cultural Medieval Arthur
- Part IV Imaging the Medieval Arthur
- Index
- References
5 - Chrétien de Troyes
The Start of Arthurian Romance
from Part II - Arthurian Literary Developments
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 January 2026
Book contents
- The Cambridge History of Arthurian Literature and Culture
- The Cambridge History of Arthurian Literature and Culture
- The Cambridge History of Arthurian Literature and Culture
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I The Early Arthur
- Part II Arthurian Literary Developments
- 5 Chrétien de Troyes
- 6 Arthur in Latin, Anglo-Norman and English Chronicles Prior to 1500
- 7 French Arthurian Verse Romance after Chrétien de Troyes
- 8 The Old French Vulgate and Post-Vulgate Cycles
- 9 Non-Cyclical French Arthurian Prose Romances
- 10 Arthurian Alliterative Poetry in English, 1250–1550
- 11 Middle English Arthurian Verse Romances
- 12 Sir Thomas Malory
- 13 Arthur in the Prose Brut Chronicle Tradition
- 14 Arthur in the Northern Lands
- 15 Arthur in the Medieval Low Countries
- 16 Arthur in Medieval Germany
- 17 Arthurian Literature in Medieval Central and Eastern Europe
- 18 Arthur in Irish, Scots, Cornish and Breton
- 19 The Iberian Arthur in the Middle Ages
- 20 Arthur in Medieval Italy
- Part III Cross-Cultural Medieval Arthur
- Part IV Imaging the Medieval Arthur
- Index
- References
Summary
This chapter explores Chrétien’s foundational role in the creation and dissemination of Arthurian literature. It begins with a description of the sociohistorical context in which he wrote and a review of the diverse sources on which he drew. He chose as the protagonists of his romances five of Arthur’s knights and created a gallery of attractive and enterprising women to complement their adventures. An examination of the emotions of these female characters, which are tempered by political concerns, informs this essay. The main focus is on Chrétien’s originality – the skill and sophistication of his poetic art, including a masterly use of intertextuality and interlacing. Chrétien delighted in keeping his audience at a distance, inviting critical reflection. The chapter concludes with a brief consideration of the myriad translations and adaptations his romances inspired in Francophone and other language areas, extending his influence across a wide geographical area and across the ages.
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- The Cambridge History of Arthurian Literature and CultureMedieval Arthurian Literatures and Cultures, pp. 125 - 144Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
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