MCT 3312 King Arthur in Europe II: Lancelot: Profane Lover, Secular Saint

Fall 2008 Thur 7:00-9:50pm

Instructor: Stephen Maddux

Lancelot crossing the Sword Bridge, Lancelot in the Land of Gorre

This course will introduce you to the great medieval tradition of Arthurian literature, beginning with Chrétien de Troyes’s 12th-century verse romances, continuing with the anonymous French prose cycles of the 13th century, and at length arriving at Malory’s magnificent “reduction” of the French prose romances in the 15th century.

At the same time it will focus on the person of Lancelot, best of lovers, best of knights, who nevertheless helps bring about the downfall of King Arthur’s realm. In following the evolution of his story, it will explore the contradictions of the medieval conception of the hero.

The course will also devote some time to the lyric poetry of the troubadours, in which the ideal of fin’ amors (“courtly love”) was first expressed, and the medieval legend of Tristan and Iseut. For purposes of contrast, we shall also consider the medieval Islamic legend of Layla and Majnun.

Works studied will include:

• Chrétien de Troyes’s Lancelot, or the Knight of the Cart (12th c.)

• Ulrich von Zatzikhoven, Lanzelet (12th)

• Tristan romances

• the Vulgate Cycle’s The Quest of the Holy Grail (13th)

• the Vulgate Cycle’s The Death of King Arthur (13th)

• Sir Thomas Malory, Works (Le Morte Darthur) (15th c)

(Students unaware of the fact should be advised that the story of Lancelot deals with an adulterous relationship, which plays consequently a prominent, not to say pivotal, role in all the texts we will be reading. They should also understand that not all the texts listed above univocally condemn their heroes' loves, in spite of their authors' having been, almost certainly, practicing Christians.)

Rossetti, "The Last Meeting"