NOTES

 

 

ARTHUR'S CHARACTER AND REPUTATION IN YDER

 

 

* Cet article a été initialement publié dans Cahiers de recherche médiévales et humanistes, n°14 (2007), p. 41-48.

 

(1) The Romance of Yder, (éd. et trad. ) A. Adams, Cambridge, Brewer, 1983, p. 29.

 

(2) The former was published in Reading Medieval Studies,n° 6 (1980), p. 31-43 ; the latter, titled "The Roman d’Yder : The Individual and Society", is in The Legacy of Chrétien de Troyes, (dir.) N. J. Lacy, D. Kelly, and K. Busby, Amsterdam, Rodopi, 1988, vol. 2, p. 71-77.

 

(3) « Yder », in New Arthurian Encyclopedia, (dir.) N. J. Lacy, New York, Garland, 1991, p. 529.

 

(4) Though in French, the romance may reflect English attitudes more than French ones. B. Schmolke-Hasselmann has suggested that the hostile representation of King Arthur may reflect the political situation in England under King John. See Der arthurische Versroman von Chrestien bis Froissart, Tübingen, Niemeyer, 1980, p. 2042-05. A. Adams concludes that the romance was written "[…] either in the Western part of France which was subject to the English crown or else, perhaps more probably, by a poet of continental origin living in England during the reign of King John, 1199-1216" (p. 13).

 

(5) In one of these lines the narrator argues that : "Il n’i a tel mal en tot le monde" (v. 5157). Adams translates "mal" as "evil", and although that is certainly not a mistranslation, one wonders if her choice may not have been dictated by the traditional view that Arthur himself is evil. "Mal" can as easily mean "illness", which fits the characterization of jealousy throughout this passage.

 

(6) Soon afterward, Arthur asks Gauvain about Yder but curiously does not mention the latter’s name. He first characterizes him as the knight whom the ladies find so attractive, then as the handsome one who wins ladies’ hearts. Gauvain does not know whom Arthur is referring to until the king simply calls Yder "the good knight" at which time Gauvain understands the reference. Yder is most clearly identified – other than by Arthur – by his chivalric qualities rather than by amorous reputation. See v. 5260-5272. In Adams’s translation, Gauvain says of Yder that :"[…] in love I know no better than him"(v. 5271-5272), but the manuscript reading is not "en amor" but "en demuor" and in her note to that line Adams suggests that another acceptable emendation is "sans demuor", without delay. She considers that her choice better fits the context, but in fact I find the alternative preferable : Gauvain does not recognize the description of Yder as ladies’ man, but when he is described as a good knight, Gauvain immediately ( "sans demuor") knows who it is.

 

(7) In her summary of the romance, Adams says that Kei poisons Yder out of hatred but also because he "know[s] Arthur’s wishes" (p. 17), but I find no such indication in the text.

 

(8) The beginning of the romance is lacking in the unique manuscript (Cambridge University Library, Ee.4.26), but retrospective reference to events makes it simple enough to reconstruct the major narrative lines that open the work. Yder’s mother’s lover had abandoned her, leaving her with half of a ring. Eventually, Yder sets out to find his father. During his travels, he falls in love with Queen Guenloie, but she demands that he earn her love by his exploits. Leaving her, he meets a knight who has become lost while hunting. He serves the man, killing two attackers. There upon, the extant text begins. A slightly more detailed summary is offered by Adams, p. 13. The passages in Yder that enable us to make this reconstruction are v. 909 ff. and 1754-1832.

 

(9) The messenger angrily responds, "Si de cel estes desdisanz, / Li desdiz est de ça plus granz / Ke de premiers diz vos desdites" ( v. 111-113).

 

(10) That we are meant to compare and contrast these two sequences cannot be in doubt. And there is even more. The first episode immediately followed Yder’s disappointment and bitterness at being forgotten by Arthur. The second sequence is followed by another scene in which Yder considers himself mistreated and abandoned. In that one, Gauvain and Yvain, who are now Yder’s friends, decide to join Talac but to leave Yder behind, because he was recently wounded, and they think him unable to ride and do battle. Yder, who considers himself entirely healed, is distraught and angry. Feeling more than a little self-pity, he laments his lot, considering himself dishonored and doubting the loyalty and friendship of the two other knights (v. 3521-3543). And, as he had done when he thought himself mistreated by Arthur, he leaves court. These sequences, though separated by over 3000 lines, are connected by symmetrical form, commonality of theme, and the reactions of both Arthur and Yder, the former appearing to value personal honor or fame over feudal obligations, the latter concerned with his status and easily offended when he thinks himself slighted. Yder laments, concerning Gauvain in particular, that "Es granz bosoins vait sanz moi" (v. 3527). He adds (in quite an impressive diatribe) :

 

Deus, o trovera l’om mes foi ?

Il n’en est mes point com mei semble ;

Il e sire Ywain ensemble,

Compaignons estions ensemble,

Il e sire Ywains e joen ;

Itant avoie de mon boen,

Non de mon boen, mes de confort.

Mult one eu vers moi grant tort.

Ore en vont mi dui compaignon,

Ne me dient ou ne non ;

Vis m’est que nostre compaignie

Que prise estoit par foi plevie

Define en vilanie parclose.

Ne me prisent guers de chose,

N’ont de ma compaignie cure » (v. 3528-42).

 

The narrator then explains that Gauvain, "out of loyal love" ("od feel amor", v. 3548) wanted Yder to be able to rest and recover from his wound.

 

(11) As noted, even if we choose to assume that Arthur’s jealousy led him to wish for Yder’s death – and I do not think it goes quite so far – at other times Arthur is fond of the hero and delighted at his successes. We cannot therefore make the argument that Arthur tolerates Kei’s treachery merely because Kei wascarrying out the king’s wishes.  Instead, Arthur seems almost indifferent to what is occurring around him.