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Introduction:
I. As we have noted (Week 5.2), the medieval story of Tristan and Isolde (with their names variously spelled) was widespread in a variety of versions and vernaculars: French, Anglo-Norman, English, German, Scandinavian, Catalan, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.
II. The story has informs and infuses many Arthurian texts. It was a veritable obsession for Chrétien: Tristan is the subtext and anti-model for Erec, Cligés (cf. Fénice's, "I would not want to be compared to Isolde"), Yvain; but Lancelot is a "twin" of Tristan, who falls in love with a queen and never becomes husband-lord.

A. Legend brought to Northern France, from Celtic sources: Indicated by
1. The Setting. Geographical locale---Wales, Cornwall, Ireland, Brittany
2. The Names. Celtic : Tristan = Drystan of the Welsh Triads
3. The Matrix: Attached to Arthurian tradition

B. Textual History
Estoire/Ur-Tristan (ca. 1150) spawned

1. Branch Y: primitive/common/jongleur poetic version:
a. Béroul (ca. 1190-95
b. Eilhart von Oberge, Tristrant, in Middle High German (ca. 1170)
c. Folie Tristran, Bern (572 lines), derived from a. Béroul
2. Branch T: courtly poetic version:
a. Thomas of Britain (ca. 1155-1185), surviving in nine fragments, of which our text only provides the last section.
b. Folie Tristran, Oxford (13th c.) (898 lines)
c. Gottfried von Strassburg, Tristran und Isolt (ca. 1210)
3. Other verse derivatives:
a. Marie de France, Lai de Chievrefeuil (ca. 1160)
b. Donnei des Amanz (12th c.)
c. Luite Tristran (ca. 1220), showing Tristran disguised as musician visiting King Mark's court
d. Cantari 1250-1500) etc.
4. Branch R: prose romance (ca. 1215-1230). Composite text, many mss.
a. Adaptations in English, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian.
b. Source of Thomas Malory's Tristram de Lyonesse

Malory's Tristram
1. Emphasizes chivalric feats; love triangle less central
Tristram hunter-harper but more the rival knight
2. Emphasizes parallels between Tristram and Lancelot
Reprise of events and juxtaposition of narrative
3. Incorporates motifs and scenes from other romances
E.g., cruel stepmother, bloody sheets, the horn test

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