Chretien de Troyes

Francoise Le Saux (University of Reading)

Ed. by Marianne Ailes, University of Bristol
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.5.2.01: French Writing and Culture: Old French to the Middle Ages , 500-1400.
Vol. editors: Marianne Ailes (University of Bristol), Matthew Siôn Lampitt (University of Cambridge), Tim Unwin (University of Bristol), David Williams (University of Sheffield)

Dates

Born c. 1130
Died c. 1195
Activity 1150-1185

Places

Born in France
Active in France

Activities

Primary

Poet

Resources

Chrétien de Troyes, active from the late 1160s, is generally considered one of the most influential writers in French literary history and a forefather of the novel. The surviving work by Chrétien de Troyes comprises five Arthurian romances: Erec et Enide (Erec and Enide), Cligès, Lancelot (also Chevalier de la Charrette, Knight of the Cart), Yvain (also Chevalier au lion, Knight of the Lion ) and Perceval (also Conte du Graal, The Grail romance). Two of these are unfinished: the Lancelot - apparently handed over by Chrétien to a continuator - and the Perceval, thought to have been interrupted b…

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3533 words

Citation: Le Saux, Francoise. "Chretien de Troyes". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 18 November 2019 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5472, accessed 24 April 2024.]

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