Yvain, The Knight of the Lion [Hardcover]

Chretien de Troyes (Author), Professor Burton Raffel (Translator), Joseph J. Duggan (Afterword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 10, 1987

A twelfth-century poem by the creator of the Arthurian romance describes the courageous exploits and triumphs of a brave lord who tries to win back his deserted wife's love.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This late 12th-century Arthurian romance in Old French verse is a masterpiece on the conflict between romantic love and knightly dutyand unlike Chretien's Lancelot and Perceval poems, one that he completed. It is an excellent introduction to the poet and to his aesthetic and moral sensibilities. Raffel, poet and professor of English, smoothly translates the octosyllabic rhymed verse into triple stressed unrhymed modern verse, though Ruth Harwood Cline (Univ. of Georgia Pr., 1975) follows the original's verse structure more closely. Both preserve the fast pace and tone. Highly recommended for academic and public libraries without the Cline translation and for large libraries wanting two translations.Carolyn M. Craft, English, Philosophy, & Modern Languages Dept., Longwood Coll., Farmville, Va.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 228 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press; 1st edition (September 10, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300038372
• ISBN-13: 978-0300038378
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #800,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Translation as it ought to be, January 5, 2002

By 

Craig H. French (Toledo,OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yvain, The Knight of the Lion (Hardcover)

This is an amazing translation of the poem. While most translators will convert the peice to prose, Raffel keeps to Chretien's original format and has developed a unique English poetic style to compliment the French. The translation captures all of Chretien's wit and playfulness by keeping the cadence of the poem light but never sing-songy. I cannot reccomend this translation enough!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars novel romances beat romance novels, June 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Yvain: The Knight of the Lion (Paperback)

When I started this book, an assignment for a college class, I did not anticipate any difficulties putting it down. I expected awkward style and one-dimensional, if archetypal, characters. Instead, I found the opposite. Raffel's translation does an excellent job of highlighting the simple beauty of Chretien's poem, and the characters are interesting and human. And, perhaps most importantly, with a slight suspension of disbelief, Yvain is an entertaining tale of adventure.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the most enjoyable Medieval romances I've read, August 25, 2001

By 

Eytan Zweig (Mevasseret Zion, Israel) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yvain: The Knight of the Lion (Paperback)

This translation of the Medieval romance of Yvain by Chretien De Troyes is one of the most enjoyable medieval romances I've ever read. While many romances are actually thinly disguised moralistic alegory, this tale reads out like an adventure story, and easily grabs the reader's attention. It is a wonderful example how something that was written over 800 years ago can still be enjoyable today, and how, while the world around us changes, great storytelling remains great storytelling.