Perceforest
Encyclopedia
The prose romance
of Perceforest with lyrical interludes of poetry, in six books, appears to have been composed in French
in the Low Countries
between 1330 and 1344. It forms a late addition to the cycle of narratives with loose connections both to the Arthurian cycle and to the feats of Alexander the Great.
. "Thus the romance would trace back the model of ideal civilization that it proposes, a model also for the orders of chivalry
created from the 14th century onwards, to a legendary origin where the glory of Alexander is united with the fame of Arthur." (Voicu 2003)
Perceforest, concerning the hardy king errant who dared "pierce" the evil forest, was first printed in Paris in 1528, as La Tres Elegante Delicieux Melliflue et Tres Plaisante Hystoire du Tres Noble Roy Perceforest in four volumes and soon (1531) printed in Italian. A Spanish translation is also known.
theme, though here Troilus rapes Zellandine in her deep coma, and she delivers the child without waking. According to the Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales, "it was read in France, and in northern Germany was performed as a pre-Lenten Shrove Tuesday
drama in the mid-1400s." Charles IX of France
was especially fond of this romance: four volumes of Perceforest were added to the Royal library at Blois sometime between 1518 and 1544, and were shelved with the Arthurian romances http://www.luc.edu/publications/medieval/vol8/8ch3.html. (The royal library was later removed to Fontainebleau and thence to Paris, where it became the core of the Bibliothèque Nationale.)
An elaborate frame story
tells how the "Greek" manuscript was discovered by count William of Hainault in a cabinet at “Burtimer” Abbey; in the same cabinet was deposited a crown, which the count sent to king Edward. The romance was known and referred to in 14th-century England.
Perceforest, like other late Gothic romances, was vaguely remembered but largely unread until the late 20th century: earlier and High Medieval literature have previously taken center stage. Readers of the Age of Enlightenment
were not always delighted with Perceforest when they came upon it:
confesses Matthew Lewis's hero of The Monk
(1796), an early example of the Gothic novel. Gérard de Nerval
, in a fictional letter published as part of his Angélique (1850), tells of an antiquary who fears for the safety of the valuable first printed edition of Perceforest at the hands of a rioting mob, using Perceforest to suggest the antiquary's arcane concerns.
Romance (genre)
As a literary genre of high culture, romance or chivalric romance is a style of heroic prose and verse narrative that was popular in the aristocratic circles of High Medieval and Early Modern Europe. They were fantastic stories about marvel-filled adventures, often of a knight errant portrayed as...
of Perceforest with lyrical interludes of poetry, in six books, appears to have been composed in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
between 1330 and 1344. It forms a late addition to the cycle of narratives with loose connections both to the Arthurian cycle and to the feats of Alexander the Great.
Plot
Alexander, having conquered Britain according to this accounting of origins, departs for Babylon, leaving Perceforest in charge. Perceforest, king of Britain, introduces Christian faith and establishes his Franc Palais of free equals, the best knights, with clear parallels to the Round TableRound Table (Camelot)
The Round Table is King Arthur's famed table in the Arthurian legend, around which he and his Knights congregate. As its name suggests, it has no head, implying that everyone who sits there has equal status. The table was first described in 1155 by Wace, who relied on previous depictions of...
. "Thus the romance would trace back the model of ideal civilization that it proposes, a model also for the orders of chivalry
Chivalric order
Chivalric orders are societies and fellowships of knights that have been created by European monarchs in imitation of the military orders of the Crusades...
created from the 14th century onwards, to a legendary origin where the glory of Alexander is united with the fame of Arthur." (Voicu 2003)
Perceforest, concerning the hardy king errant who dared "pierce" the evil forest, was first printed in Paris in 1528, as La Tres Elegante Delicieux Melliflue et Tres Plaisante Hystoire du Tres Noble Roy Perceforest in four volumes and soon (1531) printed in Italian. A Spanish translation is also known.
Sleeping Beauty theme
An episode contained in Perceforest, the “Histoire de Troïlus et de Zellandine,” (Book III, chapter lii) is the earliest known version of the Sleeping BeautySleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault or Little Briar Rose by the Brothers Grimm is a classic fairytale involving a beautiful princess, enchantment, and a handsome prince...
theme, though here Troilus rapes Zellandine in her deep coma, and she delivers the child without waking. According to the Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales, "it was read in France, and in northern Germany was performed as a pre-Lenten Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday is a term used in English-speaking countries, especially in Ireland, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Germany, and parts of the United States for the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of fasting and prayer called Lent.The...
drama in the mid-1400s." Charles IX of France
Charles IX of France
Charles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
was especially fond of this romance: four volumes of Perceforest were added to the Royal library at Blois sometime between 1518 and 1544, and were shelved with the Arthurian romances http://www.luc.edu/publications/medieval/vol8/8ch3.html. (The royal library was later removed to Fontainebleau and thence to Paris, where it became the core of the Bibliothèque Nationale.)
An elaborate frame story
Frame story
A frame story is a literary technique that sometimes serves as a companion piece to a story within a story, whereby an introductory or main narrative is presented, at least in part, for the purpose of setting the stage either for a more emphasized second narrative or for a set of shorter stories...
tells how the "Greek" manuscript was discovered by count William of Hainault in a cabinet at “Burtimer” Abbey; in the same cabinet was deposited a crown, which the count sent to king Edward. The romance was known and referred to in 14th-century England.
Perceforest, like other late Gothic romances, was vaguely remembered but largely unread until the late 20th century: earlier and High Medieval literature have previously taken center stage. Readers of the Age of Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
were not always delighted with Perceforest when they came upon it:
- "Donna Rodolpha's Library was principally composed of old Spanish Romances: These were her favourite studies, and once a day one of these unmerciful Volumes was put regularly into my hands. I read the wearisome adventures of 'Perceforest,' 'Tirante the White,' 'Palmerin of EnglandFrancisco de MoraesFrancisco de Moraes Cabral was a Portuguese writer. Born in Braganza, he served as personal secretary to the Portuguese ambassador in France, and composed, during two voyages to Paris , a chivalric romance called Palmerin d’Angleterre , a "spin-off" of...
,' and 'the Knight of the Sun,' till the Book was on the point of falling from my hands through Ennui."
confesses Matthew Lewis's hero of The Monk
The Monk
The Monk: A Romance is a Gothic novel by Matthew Gregory Lewis, published in 1796. It was written before the author turned 20, in the space of 10 weeks.-Characters:...
(1796), an early example of the Gothic novel. Gérard de Nerval
Gérard de Nerval
Gérard de Nerval was the nom-de-plume of the French poet, essayist and translator Gérard Labrunie, one of the most essentially Romantic French poets.- Biography :...
, in a fictional letter published as part of his Angélique (1850), tells of an antiquary who fears for the safety of the valuable first printed edition of Perceforest at the hands of a rioting mob, using Perceforest to suggest the antiquary's arcane concerns.
Further Reading
- Bryant, Nigel trans. Perceforest: The Prehistory of King Arthur's Britain. Woodbridge, Suffolk: D.S. Brewer, 2011. ISBN 9781843842620.