“Erec and Enide” — Chrétien de Troyes

The court of King Arthur gathers the finest knights around his Round Table and its royal couple. But how can harmony and mutual understanding be maintained among warriors who all claim to be the best and beloved by the fairest lady? Rather than setting himself up as a rival to the king, Erec, son of King Lac, places the young woman he has won through his bravery within the symbolic sphere of Arthur and Guinevere. Yet the story does not end with the marriage of the two young people, and together Erec and Enide will discover the Joy of the Court.

Erec and Enide, which Chrétien de Troyes proudly signs in his prologue, is in many ways an inaugural work. Probably written around 1170, it marks the development of the Arthurian world into romance literature, perfects the techniques of the adventure novel, and carefully distinguishes itself from contemporary works in order to highlight the subtlety of its writing.

Today’s reader will recognize the elements of Arthurian legend that have become familiar over time, while also appreciating its uniqueness. Even though Chrétien’s irony sometimes invites a certain discreet distance, everything still seems possible in the enthusiasm of shaping a world rich with stories yet to come: a marriage that finds happiness enduring through time, a garden where the word “joy” regains its meaning, a court where kings, knights, but also artists and poets can all find their place in the celebration of festivities that unite the community.

The publisher’s website: https://www.honorechampion.com/fr/editions-honore-champion/12706-book-08096042-9782380960426.html