Medieval Metrical Romance Essays - Romance, Chivalric Romance

Of the three principal and popular forms of verse-narratives, Metrical Romance is one, the other two being the ballad and the epic. The metrical romance is, therefore (in other words), a romantic tale in verse. The term (Metrical Romance) is applied both to medieval verse romances and to the type of verse romances produced by Sir Walter Scott (e.g. The Lady of The Lake and Marmion) and Lord Byron (e.g. Bride of Abydos). The latters, type has such romantic characteristics as the freedom of technique, sentimental qualities and remote settings. The Medieval romances are stories of adventure in which chivalry; gallantry and religion, faith were the usual themes. The curliest medieval romances were in verse; they were written in prose too. To the moderns, the Middle Ages were the home of the romances. When we read the romances today, we enter, in Compton Rickett?s word ?A new world?, where damsels were always beautiful and even learned ; where men were prodigies of valour and masculas strength, where disappointed ladies find consolation in ministering to the poor and the afflicted ; where true lovers overcome (insuperable) obstacles and are eventually waited to live or die together. To us, today, this is a strange, remote and by-one world, but to the contemporary readers of these romances it was the actual world, although somewhat idealise. Thus the romances give us a glimpse of the medieval life in castles and cottages. The Medieval Romance first appears in Old French Literature of the twelfth century. The works of Chretien de Troyes are among the earliest and greatest of the French Medieval Romances. Middle English Romances were of French origin and were influenced by the poetry of troubadours and the trouveres of France. The ideal of courtly love was the legacy of the former, while heroic adventure came from the later. These romances in verse were little and sung by the minstrels by the 13th century. Middle English Romances may be grouped under four heads on the basis of their subject-matter : i) The Matter of England, ii) The Matter of France, iii) The Matter of Antiquity or The Matter of Rome, iv) The Matter of Britain. [Jean Bodel, however, classifies the medieval romances into three categories, leaving out The Matter of England.] The ?Matter of England? includes stories based upon Germanic (including English) tradition. Some of the best ones in this cycle are: Richard Lionheart (before 1300), The Lay of Havelok the Dane (ca 1300), Athelstan (ca 1350), King Horn, Guy of Warwick and Bevis of Hampton. These romances dealing with the English history and its heroes appear in English either as translation, or as renderings of their French versions written earlier. King Horn relates the adventures of a prince, driven out of his country by Pagan invaders, but eventually recovering his fortune and the throne. Havelok the Dane narrates the story of Havelok?s loss and subsequent recovery of his kingdom, and also of his marriage with the English princess name Goldsborough. Guy of Warwick is typical romance in which everything is subordinated to adventure. It presents an endless succession of encounters with adversaries. The ?Matter of France? deals with the heroic exploits of Charlemagne, the French National Hero, and William of Orange. The chief of these romances is the La Chanson de Roland (late 14th century) which tells the Story of Roland?s valiant fights against odds, ending with the hero?s death. Huon de Bordeaux is another important work of this group. Other romances of less importance in this group are: Rauf Coilyear, an alliterative romance, Sir Ferumbras, The Siege of Milan. The ?Matter of Antiquety? (or the ?Matter of Rome?) includes legends of Alexander the Great, the Trojan War, the Siege of Thebes, the Siege of Troy and the Adventures of Aeneus etc. In these, there is a picture of ancient classical culture, as seen through medieval eyes. As David Daiches has put it, ?This is not the world of Homer or of Pericles or of Vergil, but a curiously medievalized ancient world......? of the ?Matter of Rome? King Alisaunder and The Destruction of Troy are of more than average merit. The ?Matter of Britain? deals with stories of King Arthur and his Round Table. Some of the notable of these romances are: