Tristan and Iseult
'Tristan and Iseult' Summary
Tristan and Iseult by Joseph Bedier is a retelling of an ancient legend which has been popular for nearly eight hundred years! The origins of the story are lost in the mists of time, but scholars reckon that it is based on a Persian epic poem called Vis O Ramin, composed by the Persian poet Asad Gorgani in the 11th century. This itself was based on oral traditions which existed since the first century. Whatever the origin, the poignant story of doomed lovers captured the imagination of writers, musicians, playwrights, poets and artists all over the world and gave rise to wonderful works of literature and art.
Joseph Bedier was a classical scholar and professor of Medieval Literature at the University de Faubourg, Switzerland. Due to his concerted efforts, interest was revived in ancient French texts and legends. Tristan and Iseult was published in 1909 and it firmly established his great reputation as a writer and a scholar. It was translated into English by Hilaire Belloc and Paul Rosenfeld. Other translations included Cornish, German, Italian and many other languages.
Tristan and Iseult tells the story of a Cornish knight, Tristan, who travels to Ireland to bring back the lovely princess Iseult for his uncle Mark to marry. En route, the two young people fall in love. Some legends have it that the lovers mistakenly ingested a love potion that made them fall eternally and irrevocably in love. When they reach their destination, Iseult marries King Mark but continues her affair. When the secret is discovered, the lovers are condemned for adultery. They are sentenced to death, but conspire to escape. There are various versions of the end of this story – Some end in tragedy with both dying, while others have them escaping, begging the king for forgiveness and living happily ever after. Whatever the outcome, the story has had an indelible impact on Western romantic and tragic traditions. It was also incorporated into Arthurian legends.
Widely adapted on stage, screen and television, Tristan and Iseult is a timeless classic which would be a great addition to your bookshelf.
Book Details
Author
Joseph Bédier
France
Joseph Bedier was a French writer and scholar and historian of medieval France. Bédier was born in Paris , France to Adolphe Bédier, a lawyer of Breton origin, and spent his childhood i...
More on Joseph BédierDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
Days With Sir Roger de Coverley by Richard Steele
This is a charming book that takes readers on a delightful journey through the life and adventures of the beloved character, Sir Roger de Coverley. Wr...
The Crystal Cup by Gertrude Atherton
It tells the story of a beautiful young woman named Margot. Margot is the daughter of a wealthy French nobleman and is known for her exquisite beauty...
Hernani by Victor Hugo
It tells the story of the love triangle between the titular character, Hernani, the noble Don Carlos, and the beautiful Doña Sol. The play takes place...
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy’s psychological novel Anna Karenina follows the life of the enchanting and rebellious Anna who seeks to break free from the shackles of so...
The Priceless Pearl by Alice Duer Miller
It follows the life of a young girl named Heloise, who is the daughter of a wealthy merchant in Venice. Written in 1924, "The Priceless Pearl" is a c...
Adrienne Lecouvreur by Ernest Legouve
Adrienne Lecouvreur is a French tragic play written by Ernest Legouvé and Eugène Scribe. It portrays the life of the leading French actress of the eig...
The Fatal Three by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
A woman torn between two men, a dark secret, and the fatal consequences of her choices. In Mary Elizabeth Braddon's sensational novel, The Fatal Thre...
Wyllard's Weird by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
When young and enigmatic Edward Wyllard inherits his family's ancestral home, he is met with a chilling discovery - a cold case that has haunted the W...
Henrietta Temple by Benjamin Disraeli
Henrietta Temple is a semi-autobiographical novel and the author's first true success. Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield and later British Prime...
Witch of the Demon Seas by Poul William Anderson
"Guide a black galleon to the lost, fear-hauntedCitadel of the Xanthi wizards—into the very jaws of Doom? Corun, condemned pirate of Conahur, laughed....
Reviews for Tristan and Iseult
No reviews posted or approved, yet...