Cliges: A Romance

Chrétien, de Troyes, active 12th centuryProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.1

Word count: 242K words
Chapters: 25

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Cliges: A Romance by active 12th century de Troyes ChrétienAuthor: Chrétien, de Troyes, active 12th century,Language: English, Class: PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Release Date: Nov 1, 2000

Editor's review

Cligès is a romance by the twelfth-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes and belongs to the Arthurian verse romance tradition. The story centers on the marriage and trials of love between Cligès and Fenice, touching on themes of loyalty, marital ethics, and knightly honor; it is an important text for understanding medieval courtly literature and the chivalric romance tradition. This edition is an English translation with relatively accessible language, suitable as an introduction to medieval literature. The Project Gutenberg public-domain edition is free and easy to obtain, convenient for classroom selections or personal extensive reading. Readers should note the differences between medieval views of marriage and chivalric ethics and those of today, and need not judge the characters by modern standards. It is best read alongside the broader Arthurian tradition, with attention to how the author handles the tension between love and duty. Suitable for literature students, enthusiasts of medieval culture, and readers looking to broaden their English reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literature students studying medieval European literature who need English translations of primary texts
General readers interested in Arthurian legend and chivalric literature
Self-learners who want to broaden their English reading and prefer classical narrative
Teachers of Western literary history who need short selections for class reading

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting the pace of modern fiction and realistic psychological portrayal
Those unfamiliar with the verse romance genre who only want plot summaries
Medieval literature researchers who need scholarly editions with detailed annotation

Reading tips

First learn the basic character relationships in Arthurian legend before starting the text to reduce obstacles
Pay attention to how the three threads of love, marriage, and knightly honor interweave and advance
After finishing, compare with other Arthurian romances to see similarities and differences in thematic treatment
Read the English original slowly in segments; note allusive expressions first and look them up together later

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What is the connection between this book and King Arthur?

Cligès is one of Chrétien de Troyes's Arthurian romances. The story is set against the background of Arthur's court, but the protagonists are Cligès and Fenice. It belongs to the twelfth-century French verse romance tradition and is an important work for understanding Arthurian literature.

Is the English translation difficult to read?

As a public-domain English translation, the language is generally accessible, though it retains medieval narrative conventions and some proper names. Readers with university-level English can read it through; if unfamiliar with chivalric literature, it is advisable to read a relevant Chinese introduction first.

Is this book suitable for classroom selections?

It is moderate in length and focused in theme, dealing with marriage, loyalty, and chivalric ethics, making it suitable for selections in Western literary history or medieval literature courses. Teachers can select key passages and use them with background explanation.

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About the author

Chrétien, de Troyes, active 12th century Author · French

Chrétien de Troyes was a twelfth-century French poet known for his Arthurian romances. His works revolve around the adventures, love, and honor of the knights of the Round Table, with notable titles including Lancelot and Perceval; the library also holds Cligès: A Romance and Four Arthurian Romances. Because public information about his birth and death dates and the details of his life is limited, his exact biography is difficult to set out. Judging from the surviving works, however, he wove plots between courtly taste and knightly ethics, with careful attention to character psychology and dialogue and a measured narrative pace. His influence on later French narrative poetry and the wider European Arthurian literary tradition has been profound.