Tristan

Tristan and Iseult as depicted by Herbert Draper (1864 -1920).

For other uses, see Tristan (disambiguation)}}}.

Tristan (Latin/Brythonic: Drustanus; Welsh: Drystan; also known as Tristran, Tristram, etc.) is one of the main characters of the Tristan and Iseult story, a Cornish hero and one of the Knights of the Round Table whose story is told in the Matter of Britain. He was the son of Blancheflor and Rivalen (in later versions Isabelle and Meliodas), and the nephew of King Mark of Cornwall, sent to fetch Isolde back from Ireland to wed the king. However, they fall in love en route (often ascribed to a love potion meant for Isolde and Mark). Tristan and Isolde undergo numerous trials that test their secret love.

Contents

1 The Tristan legend cycle
2 Brythonic roots
3 A Pictish connection?
4 The Tristan and Iseult romance
5 Wagner and other modern adaptations
6 See also
7 External links

The Tristan legend cycle

Tristan makes his first medieval appearance in 1120 in Celtic folklore circulating in the north of France. Although the oldest stories concerning Tristan are lost, some of the derivatives still exist. The two most famous are the retellings of the Anglo-Norman poet Thomas of Britain, whose poem was followed by the German poet Gottfried von Strassburg, and of the French poet Béroul. Arthurian romancier Chrétien de Troyes mentions in his poem Cligés that he wrote a version of the tale, but, if so, there are no known physical remains.

Brythonic roots

Tristan's name was originally written as Drustanus in Brittonic. The Welsh recorded his name as 'Trystan', and this became Tristan in English ears.

A standing gravestone called the "Tristan Stone" near Fowey in Cornwall says simply enough in Latin 'Drustanus Hic Iacit Cunomori Filius' (Drustanus lies here, the son of Cunomorus). Cunomorus is the Latin name of King Mark of Cornwall, who in legend was Tristan's uncle and Iseult's husband.

A Pictish connection?

There are very strange aspects to Tristan, such as the fact that he has a Pictish name. Drust is a very common name of Pictish kings, and Drustanus is merely Drust rendered into Romano-Brittonic. It may have originated from an ancient legend regarding a Pictish king who slew a giant in the distant past, which had spread throughout the isles. This could reflect a common linguistic heritage of Pictish and Cornish.

Another strange aspect is his kingdom, Lyonesse, for whose existence there is no evidence. However there were two places called Leonais: one in Brittany, the other the Old French transcription of Lothian. However, the Islands of Scilly have also been proposed to be this place, since they were possibly one island until Roman times and several islands are interconnected at low tide. Regardless, Tristan being a prince of Lothian would make his name more sensible, Lothian being on the borderlands of the Pictish High-Kingship (and once was a part of Pictish territory; Tristan may in fact have been a Pictish prince under a British King).

Under this explanation, the question arises of how the gravestone can be explained. One suggestion is that he could have been adopted into the family of Mark of Cornwall, historically a practice attested in Roman law.

The Tristan and Iseult romance

The romantic narrative of the Tristan and Iseult love affair predated and most likely influenced the Arthurian romance of Lancelot and Guinevere. The legend tells of the love affair between Tristan and Iseult of Ireland (the promised bride of Tristan's uncle), and the events and trials that the lovers go through to cover up their secret affair.

Wagner and other modern adaptations

In the 19th century, Richard Wagner composed the opera Tristan and Isolde, now considered one of the most influential pieces of music from the century. In his work, Tristan is portrayed as a doomed romantic figure.

Algernon Charles Swinburne wrote an epic poem Tristram of Lyonesse.

The story has also been adapted into film [many times]. The most recent American film version was produced by Tony Scott and Ridley Scott, written by Dean Georgaris, directed by Kevin Reynolds, and stars James Franco and Sophia Myles. (See Tristan and Isolde (film).)

The story of Tristan has also been represented through the song of the same name by the artist Patrick Wolf.

External links

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