Béroul
Béroul is a juggler and storyteller of Norman trade of the 12th century.
Béroul wrote a version of the legend of Tristan and Iseut in a dialect Normand which one preserved a certain number of fragments (approximately: 3000 worms).
The Celtic legend of Tristan and Iseut formed already part of the popular folklore before she is consigned in writing. One has still another written French version today, that of Thomas of England from which only the quarter of the original history reached us and who reports especially the end of the adventures of the two lovers. There exists also another version: the “saga norroise”, version inspired of Thomas and written for the courses royal of Norway. It is the most complete version which reached us.
The two versions (that of Thomas and that of Béroul) rather largely differ one from the other. Indeed, the legend forming part of the popular tradition for a long time, it was known differently by some, and the jugglers did not hesitate to adapt it to their taste. The version of Béroul is harder, more brutal, perhaps more faithful to the original spirit of the legend, than that of Thomas. The lovers carry out, at Béroul, a precarious life, constantly tracked and in prey with fear. Seul Béroul tells certain rather brutal episodes of the life of the lovers.
We do not know almost anything about the life Béroul: with the author is become acquainted by a car-quotation, process that one finds with. It is impossible to date its work precisely. One can thus only devote oneself to comparisons, in particular with Chrétien of Troyes, which is contemporary in Béroul (in Lancelot , CH. of Troyes refers to the version of Béroul).
One published his work under various titles, because the work of Béroul did not have any: the Novel of Tristan , Tristan , Tristan and Iseut , Tristan and Yseult …
This text was undoubtedly ordered by Aliénor of Aquitaine, a kind of homage, because Aliénor had married a man whom she did not love and had had thereafter a connection.
Béroul is also the author of the Purgatoire of Saint Patrice , account of voyage where a knight will meet the heart of dead…
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