Four Arthurian Romances by active 12th century

by Chrétien de Troyes

Chrétien de Troyes' Four Arthurian Romances continued and expanded on existing Arthurian legends, but began the Arthurian Romance genre, so popular in Medieval literature. His tales often diverge from Arthur himself, focussing instead on the characters of his court. Chretien introduced Sir Lancelot and also the Holy Grail to the Arthurian legends. He is considered the first major French novelist.

453 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 21, 2017

About the author

Chrétien de Troyes, commonly regarded as the father of Arthurian romance and a key figure in Western literature, composed in French in the latter part of the twelfth century. Virtually nothing is known of his life. 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. His poetry is marked by a learning and a taste for dialectic acquired in Latin schools; but at the same time it reveals a warm human sympathy which breathes life into characters and situations. Whilst much of his matter is inherited from the world of Celtic myth and the events notionally unfold in the timeless reign of King Arthur, the society and customs are those of Chrétien's own day. In his last, unfinished work, Perceval, the mysterious Grail makes its first appearance in literature.