Joseph Bédier (1864–1938)

This is one of those stories that as described as a classic romance. And, I get it. Unrequited love, two people who got sucked into a relationship, etc etc.

This is a story that is important. You find versions of in cultures across Europe. This is a story that has inspired whole genres.

I suspect this is a story that dreamy eyed youth absolutely love- but as an older person, I couldn't help but roll my eyes. On top of it all, they are in love due to a potion mistakenly drank.

Its a story I am glad to have read, but its not one I enjoyed.… (more)

This immortal tale from the Age of Chivalry concerns the doomed love between a knight and a princess — one of the great romances of medieval literature, along with that of Lancelot and Guinevere. The heroic Tristan, nephew and champion of King Mark of Cornwall, journeys to Ireland to bring home his uncle's betrothed, the fair Iseult. Their shipboard voyage takes a tumultuous turn with a misunderstanding and a magic potion, and the lovers quickly find that there's no turning back.
An enduring theme in Western art, literature, and music, Tristan and Iseult's tragic tale was most famously interpreted by Richard Wagner in his popular opera.… (more)

What a fantastic thing Joseph Bédier did here, reconstructing this story in 1900 from ancient French poems and other sources. The tale is of the brave young knight Tristan, and the fair lady with the ‘hair of gold’ Iseult, and it’s complete with honor and romance, battles with dragons, magic philters, court intrigues, and daring escapes. Tristan is bearing Iseult across the sea to wed his King, when the two inadvertently drink a love potion that binds them forever, and leads them into adultery. Bédier’s language is enchanting, and adds to his storytelling. What a beautiful image Tristan conjures of a crystal chamber, between the clouds and heaven, filled with roses and the morning, where he would like to take Iseult. How well he describes everyone seeing the “Love terrible, that rode them”, as they simply can’t be apart. There are moments that are far from PG, such as Iseult’s loyal maid pretending to be her and slipping into the King’s bed to sacrifice her ‘purity’ to him, in order to conceal Iseult having lost hers to Tristan, as well as Iseult being turned over to a mob of lepers who want to “have her in common”, but in general the story is told with great restraint, despite a plot containing such passion and violence. If you’re looking for a classic medieval tale, this one’s for you.… (more)