Arthurian Legend Books

The Romance of Tristan and Iseult is one of the oldest romantic tales of Western literature. It first appeared in the 12th Century, sung by wandering poets in the courts of Europe. On the back cover of this book, which was retold by the French writer Joseph Bedier in 1900, it says: "Much of our modern literature, as well as many of our modern attitudes toward love, owes its inspiration to this challenging story." This suggests what an important influence Tristan and Iseult has been.

Apart from its importance as a literary and cultural influence, it is also a compelling tale of tragic romance. The tragic element is an essential aspect of the story. Tristan and Iseult are lovers who are brought together by fate, against the wishes of everyone else around them. Tristan is a brave knight who loyally serves King Mark of Cornwall. Iseult is the beautiful niece of the Morholt, an Irish giant who forces the people of Cornwall to pay tribute. When Tristan defeats the Morholt in combat, he wins Iseult, not for himself but for King Mark. By accident, Tristan swallows a love potion meant for Mark, and the two are forever bound. The rest of their lives are filled with anguish, as they cannot live together or apart.

Bedier relates in the introduction that this book is compiled from various poems and stories. So this version of The Romance of Tristan and Iseult is actually an original work, based on a classic tale that was told many different ways. In places, I was aware of a certain choppiness to the story, which is probably due to the fact that it was put together rather than written as a single, seamless novel. Overall it is a ruthless and unsentimental look at a passionate and all-consuming but doomed love affair. It suggests some rather deep questions about the nature of love and fate. It also forces the reader to ponder whether a love like that which Tristan and Iseult shared could be worth all of the pain. What the tale conveys to me is the message that such love is indeed worth the price.