The Romance of Tristan and Iseult [Paperback]

Joseph Bedier (Author), Hilaire Belloc (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 1994

The story of the Cornish knight and the Irish princess who meet by deception, fall in love by magic, and pursue that love in defiance of heavenly and earthly laws has inspired artists through the centuries. But nowhere has it been retold with greater eloquence and dignity than this edition, which weaves several medieval sources into a seamless whole.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The first complete English edition, brilliantly translated....Throughout it retains the beauty and sense of fatality that have made it one of legendary literature's most fascinating tales." -- Time

A tale of chivalry and doomed, transcendent love. The Romance of Tristan and Iseult is one of the most resonant works of Western literature, as well as the basis for our enduring idea of romance. The story of the Cornish knight and the Irish princess who meet by deception, fall in love by magic, and pursue that love in defiance of heavenly and earthly law has inspired artists from Matthew Arnold to Richard Wagner. But nowhere has it been retold with greater eloquence and dignity than in Joseph Bedier's edition, which weaves several medieval sources into a seamless whole, elegantly translated by Hilaire Belloc and Paul Rosenfeld.

"A powerful rendition, an incomparable tale."

-- The New York Times

"Definitely a book to preserve and cherish." -- Chicago Sun

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (May 31, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679750169
• ISBN-13: 978-0679750161
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #223,314 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Magic Of True Love, August 22, 2001

By 

K. Jump (Corbin, KY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Romance of Tristan and Iseult (Paperback)

"The Romance of Tristan & Iseult" is one of the foremost chivalric myths of all time. A rich mosaic of the human experience, embroidered with colorful gothic elements like spell-weaving dwarves, love potions, magical bells and even a particularly monstrous dragon, "Tristan & Iseult" is the tale of a heroic knight from fabled Lyonesse who falls madly in love with his King's betrothed through sorcery. Neither Tristan nor his Queen-to-be can resist the magic that possesses them both, and they cannot help but fling themselves headlong into an affair that shakes the very foundations of the Arthurian world.

More than a mere "love story," this is a philosophical exploration of the human soul. Are Tristan and Iseult really guilty of adultery? Do they have a free will? Do they truly love each other, or is their affair nothing but a sorcerous delusion? Is King Mark the villain of the story, or is this a tale beyond conventional heroism or villainy?

Readers familiar with the Arthurian legend will quickly draw parallels between Tristan and Iseult and Lancelot and Guinevere, whose tragic love brought Camelot to its knees. Indeed, Malory cites Tristan (whom he refers to as "Tristram") as a knight of such prowess and nobility that he is second only to Lancelot himself--and a close second at that.

If you are a dreamer, a hopeless romantic, this is the book you've been looking for.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An oft retold tale told wonderfully, July 1, 2001

By 

Jonathan Burgoine "bookseller" (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Romance of Tristan and Iseult (Paperback)

I would not have read Bedier's translation of "Tristan and Iseult" on my own. Throughout my degree, and my previous highschool education, I've come across "Tristan and Iseult" in four different forms before Bedier's, and was so tired of the tale that I thought no one would breathe life into it again for me.

Not so.

Bedier's translation (which was then translated by Hilaire Belloc and completed by Paul Rosenfeld) has repainted "Tristan and Iseult" into a truly living piece of mythology. Presented with exquisite detail, and with portions of the story even my four previous readings had never uncovered, this is, I believe, how the tale was meant to be told.

The achetypal doomed-romance, "Tristan and Iseult" is the well-known tale of the romance between those two lovers, born of a magical philtre, and doomed in the face of Iseult's marriage to King Mark. The age of chivalry practically shines from the pages, and the heart-wrenching story itself is a joy to read, with only a few bumps and jolts of prose along the way (likely, I imagine, translation difficulties).

If you are at all interested in mythology, especially that of Arthurian theme or times, Bedier's translation of "Tristan and Iseult" is the one for you. You won't be disappointed.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Before Romeo & Juliet there was... Tristan & Iseult!, November 12, 2001

By 

F. Mercer "bibliophile" (Phoenix, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Romance of Tristan and Iseult (Paperback)

"The Romance of Tristan & Iseult" is the tale of one of the earliest pairs of star-crossed lovers in literature, heavily researched and drawing from many versions of the story. Having come across the tale in many forms, from the opera "Tristan und Isolde" to cameo appearances in "The Mists of Avalon," this telling is refreshing and spirited. The authenticity of language, as well as the narrator's own action and moral interpretations make one feel that they are sitting near a fire in the great hall listening to a seneschal tell the tale of doomed love.
"Tristan & Iseult" is fast-paced and beautiful. It is also an invaluable tale to read as an example of the archetypes and symbols of the tragic hero, imbedded Christ imagery, woman on a pedestal, etc.