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Beroul's The Romance of Tristan

Beroul’s Text

The tale of Sir Tristran by Beroul is incomplete. The first portion of the text is not legible and the text ends unfinished. It is unknown exactly where and when Beroul lived and produced his writings. However, “it is highly likely that he wrote in the late 12 th century, and 1191 AD is a probable date.” (Lacy xi) “Beroul writes in octosyllabic rhymed couplets characteristic of Old French Romance.” (Lacy xiii) The manuscript is very problematic, not only because some of the text is destroyed but because “the scribe who copied the poem made many mistakes.” (Lacy xvii) T.B.W Reid, in his commentary, asserts “that the manuscript is so corrupt that it cannot be taken as the original.” (Reid 3) Beroul’s text requires careful reconstruction. Another problematic point made by Norris J. Lacy is that “the poem may be written by more than one person. This theory is based off of textual inaccuracies.” (Lacy ix) For example, some characters die only to reappear in the poem later.

The assumed beginning of Beroul’s text starts with the story of Tristran, a knight in King Mark’s court, kills a giant that has tormented the land and until Tristran defeats him, had gone undefeated. A piece of Tristran’s sword remains in the giant’s body. Tristran later goes to Ireland where he becomes poisoned by a dragon. Iseut, a beautiful maiden and incidentally the giant’s niece, nurses Tristran unknowing he has defeated her uncle. She eventually finds out that Tristran has slain the giant when she discovers his sword. Nevertheless, she travels with him to become King Mark’s bride. On route, Iseut and Tristran unintentionally take a love potion and fall in love with one another. Iseut’s servant, Brangain, sleeps with Mark on the wedding night to hide Iseut’s loss of virginity. Tristran and Iseut have an affair behind King Mark’s back. Barons and a dwarf tell King Mark about the adultery. King Mark goes to spy on the lovers, they, however, are aware of his presence.

This beginning is drawn from affiliated works and may not be precisely accurate. However, the beginning being totally lost, some translators assume this beginning is probable. Beroul’s text starts with the lovers conversing with each other, aware of King Mark’s presence they put on a show for him.

The lovers profess their innocence amidst rumors of their adulterous affair. King Mark believes himself foolish for presuming the rumors to be true. He, Tristran and Iseut are reconciled until three barons plot against Tristran. They go to the king and convince him; once again, that Iseut and Tristran are having an affair and will leave his court if Tristran is not cast out of court. They further persuade him to summon the dwarf back to court so he can prove the lover’s guilt. The dwarf makes a plan to catch Tristran and Iseut by powdering the floor between Tristran’s bed and Iseut’s with flour. Tristran observes the dwarf but the lovers are nevertheless discovered to have crossed beds with other evidence. Tristran and Iseut are at once sentenced to death without a trial. Tristran escapes on the way to his execution and flees into the forest but with the help of his servant, Govenal, prepares to rescue Iseut. Before Iseut can be burned a leper speaks to King Mark and suggests he throw Iseut to his band of lepers to satisfy their sexual hunger. Mark agrees to this new punishment and Iseut is led away by the band of lepers. However, Tristran rescues Iseut from the lepers and they flee into the forest. The couple lives in exile in the forest until the effects of the potion wear off. They are seen by King Mark once during their exile, he sees them sleeping with a sword between them and believes they are innocent of adultery. When the love potion wears off, the lovers suddenly feel remorse for their love and agree to seek council from a hermit monk to right their wrongs. The hermit, Brother Ogrin, suggests that the lovers repent and return Iseut to Mark, lie about their love and agree to prove their innocence in trial. That is, Tristran would fight anyone wishing to assert the couple’s guilt. Knowing Tristran is stronger than any other and knowing no one will challenge him the couple agrees to go back to court and return Iseut to Mark. Tristran sends word to King Mark of his intentions of returning Iseut and offers to leave his court if the king desires. King Mark seeks council and is advised to receive Iseut back and send Tristran to another court. Before the meeting takes place, Iseut makes Tristran promise to hide nearby to protect her if need be instead of going to another court should King Mark desire this. Tristran agrees and the couple meets with Mark. Iseut is received and Tristran is told to leave King Mark’s court for a year. As agreed, Tristran stays nearby to watch over the queen. The people rejoice at Iseut’s return and lament Tristran’s departure.

It is not long before the barons once again convince the king of Iseut’s infidelity. The barons convince King Mark to make Iseut swear an oath that she has been faithful to the king. Iseut sends word of this to King Arthur and asks that he be present for this oath and defend her honor should anyone accuse her after her innocence has been established. Arthur agrees and prepares his entourage to be present at the trial. Meanwhile, Iseut has also sent word to Tristran. She asks that he be present as well, wearing leper’s attire.

On the day of the trial, Tristran, disguised as a leper, comically collects alms from the crowd, including stockings from King Arthur and a hat from King Mark. He tricks the barons (the barons accusing Iseut of infidelity) into taking another route to the trial. The trail he has advised is muddy and the barons fall into the mud. Iseut arrives and implores the leper, who she knows is Tristran, to help her cross the mud. She rides him like a horse across the mud and then proceeds to comment on his appearance using sexual innuendos.

During her oath she swears that only King Mark and the leper have been between her thighs, asserting of course the truth but presenting it in such a way that everyone believes she is innocent of infidelity to the king.

After the oath, the barons still seek to prove Tristran and Iseut are adulterous. A spy informs them that Tristran is visiting Iseut, the barons set out to spy on them. Tristran kills two of them.

The text ends at this point. This summary is based from Norris Lacy’s translation of Beroul’s manuscript. Although the poem is written in the style of romance, Lacy suggests Beroul may have intended this piece to be recited orally. Beroul uses some devices that suggest that the story was meant for a live audience. For instance, Beroul addresses the audience as if he is speaking to them. (Lacy xiii) Lacy also points out that “the poem has much in common with the French fabliaux *.” (Lacy xiii) In fact, compared to other romantic tales this poem of Tristran and Iseut is very bawdy. The sexual openness and insinuations do not exist in later tales of Tristan, such as Malory’s; nor is the extensive description of courtly life, dress and possessions present in Beroul’s poem. The later tales of Tristan are “considered part of the courtly tradition of the legend,” because the tone of these tales focuses more on issues of emotion. (Lacy x) “Beroul’s tale is part of the common version of the legend” and does not emphasize the lovers emotion as much as the courtly version. (Lacy xi)

In this line of thought, Beroul’s version does not hold the lovers accountable for their actions. The courtly version typically does hold the lovers responsible for their adultery and spends a great deal of time accentuating their inward battle between what they want and what is courtly. Beroul relinquishes the lovers of responsibility with the love potion. (Lacy xi) Furthermore, Beroul draws a lot of sympathy for the lovers by not only holding them responsible but also demonizing those who wish to expose them. He often describes the barons as wicked and jealous. Beroul manipulates the text so that the story reflects a favorable, comical view of Tristran and Iseut.

Lacy, Norris J. ed. The Romance of Tristran. New York : Garland Publishing Inc., 1989.

Reid, T.B.W. The Tristran of Beroul: A Textual Commentary. Oxford : Blackwell, 1972.

References

Lacy, Norris J. “Deception and Distance in Beroul’s Tristan.” Journal of the Rocky Mountain Medieval and Renaissance Association, 6 (1985), 33-39.

Shows how Beroul manipulates his audience to react to Tristan and Iseut.

Schoepperle, Gertrude. Tristan and Isolt: A Study of the Sources of Romance. New York : Ben Franklin, 1960.

Author explores possible origins of the Tristan legend and how it developed.

Webliography

“Tristan.” Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristan_and_Isolde 11 October 2005 .

This encyclopedia website offers information on the Tristran and Iseut stories. Historical background of the time period the stories were written in and possible theories of their origin. There are helpful links to other information within Wikipedia, which provides useful background on Beroul and other topics surrounding the story of Tristran.

This site offers background on the Tristan story and gives information on the common version of the tale and the courtly version.

“Medieval Works” http://www.uidaho.edu/student_orgs/arthurian_legend/knights/tristan/

Site gives information on the development of the Tristan legend.

* The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines fabliaux as “a short, usually comic, frankly course, and often cynical tale in verse” fabliaux is Old French for fable.