Tristan de Béroul

Béroul | 12th century
Béroul (also Beroul, Berox), was the author of a late twelfth-century romance Tristran (sometimes called Tristan) written in Anglo-Norman French. This work is part of what is commonly referred to as the version commune or version primitive of the Tristan legend. The term suggests that Béroul’s text represents an earlier, less courtly stage of the legend compared to later adaptions, such as that of Tomas d’Angleterre, which integrates the story more thoroughly into the courtly love tradition. Béroul’s text, although fragmentary, provides a significant glimpse into this version of the Tristan and Isolde narrative. Key elements and episodes in Béroul’s Tristan romance include:
Encounter under the Tree Béroul’s narrative includes the iconic scene of Tristan and Isolde’s encounter under a tree, during which her husband, Mark, is hiding.
Dwarf’s Flour Test The episode involving a dwarf spreading flour on Isolde’s chamber floor to detect Tristan’s footprints is part of the narrative. This is done to uncover Tristan’s nocturnal visits to Isolde.
Tristan’s Escape from Captivity In another scene, Tristan, having been taken prisoner, seeks permission to enter a chapel and pray, only to escape through a window.
Isolde Delivered to Leper Colony Mark delivers Isolde to a colony of lepers, both for their pleasure and as a form of punishment for her perceived transgressions.
Lovers’ Life in the Forest The narrative explores the lovers’ life in the forest, including Mark’s discovery of them and his initial misunderstanding that they are innocent.
Repentance and Love Potion Tristan and Isolde eventually repent, influenced by the waning effect of the love potion they had consumed earlier. The lovers’ attempt at reform are cyclical, marked by repeated relapses into sinful behavior.
Cyclical Structure and Irony The structure of Béroul’s work is cyclical, portraying the lovers’ repeated struggles with sin, intermittent periods of abstinence, and their resolution to reform. The narrative is highly ironic and ambiguous, emphasizing the deceptive nature of appearances. Even when the lovers seem innocent, they are often the most guilty. Mark’s suspicions and beliefs are constantly manipulated or misinterpreted.
Motivations for Reform The lover’s desire to reform is portrayed as less than noble, driven by a willingness to embrace Christian purity and virtue only if it leads to a return to a life of luxury at the court.