Introduction
The poem about Tristan and Isolde was written by Beroul in the 12th century, but this legend existed much earlier and had many versions. Beroul’s poem became popular because it was explicit on the one hand and distinguished by a complex look at earthly love on the other hand. The story occurred when Christian morality had not been deeply ingrained in medieval society yet. However, in the 12th century, morality, ethics, and sinfulness were becoming more and more important to the culture. Beroul’s dual attitude to love and sin gives the reader a sense of the complexity of human nature, which is equally inherent in both the desire for spiritual purity and uncontrollable human feelings.
The Romance of Tristan
In the poem, pagan ideas, legends, and narratives conflict and try to get along with the Christian worldview at the same time. For modern readers, the chanting of love and condemnation of its sinfulness provides an opportunity to understand better the historical context of the period and early medieval mindset. When King Mark reveals Tristan and Yseut’s love affair, the barons strongly condemn the wrongdoing, but the ordinary people pity and sympathize with the illustrious knight and their beautiful queen:
Alas, we have much to weep for! Alas, Tristan, noble knight! What a shame that these wretches have had you taken by treachery. Noble, honoured queen, in what land will a king’s daughter be born who is your equal? (Béroul and Fedrick 66).
Peasants who represent old paganistic views do not condemn lovers for their sin, but the more educated upper-class is aware of the corrupt nature of their relationship.
As a consequence of a clearly defined value gap between the nobility and ordinary people, the reader can appreciate the unevenness of the Christianization process in society. The barons oppose the love affair because of political reasons and immorality, which righteous Christians should prevent. Noble people regard the situation emotionally with disgust and negativity and threaten to “retire to their castles to make war on the king” (Béroul and Fedrick 60). For ordinary people, Christian values do not play a decisive role; they are captured by a deep sympathy for the manifestation of strong human feelings. Thus, the reader sees that Christian morality was distributed unequally in different strata of society in the early Middle Ages.
However, not only do the people justify the lovers’ relationship, but the author partially takes the side of Tristan and Yseut. He says about the barons who did not want to endure the sinful connection at the court that “you never saw more wicked men” (Béroul and Fedrick 60). Everything that hinders true love, “bône amor,” is marked as wicked or ugly. Despite the fact the author himself refers to Tristan and Yseut relationship as “fole amor” (mad love) and “amor vilaine” (naughty love), he is much less judgmental (Hunt). The reader is left with a complex perception of a situation where it is not easy to choose a side.
The author creates a confrontation between beautiful, true love and terrible, irresistible circumstances. The quintessence of this confrontation is the image of an ugly and evil dwarf who seeks to bring lovers to death by any means. Beroul constantly emphasizes the viciousness of the dwarf and the disgustingness of his plans and calls on God to punish him. “Whoever would have thought of such wickedness,” the author writes, “May God curse him!” (Béroul and Fedrick 61). Although the dwarf Frocin offers to expose treason, a sinful act, he is portrayed as vile to the reader, and his deed is condemned in the most expressive terms.
The theme of love as a magical curse is the central theme of the legend of Tristan and Yseut in general. The main characters do not fall in love naturally, “by mistake, Brangain brought the love potion and handed it to Tristan, who drank and passed it to Yseut” (Béroul and Fedrick 44). One of the greatest love stories in Western literature is a consequence of a fatal error. Love is random and not under the people’s control; they are not free to choose whom they will fall in love with. The love potion is a metaphor, and it is something that cannot be resisted despite all the possible negative consequences.
However, love is seen as a good thing because there is nothing in earthly life that would bring pure pleasure, and therefore love cannot be so unambiguous. The main heroes also understand the duality of their love because it brings both happiness and immense suffering. Looking at how his life turned out, Tristan exclaims, “What I have suffered for the sake of love! […] Alas, how unhappy I am!” (Béroul and Fedrick 152). The love that arose from evil fate is so strong that lovers overcome any circumstances and obstacles on their way to each other. Tristan and Yseut are able to choose a comfortable life and position in society again when the potion wears off.
Moreover, love and morality are integral parts of human life that are inherent in a people at the same time because they are complex beings. The dispute between love and sin in the human soul is revealed in the scene of a conversation between Ogrin and Tristan in the woods. Ogrin urges Tristan to repent, but Tristan swears in indestructible love, and Yseut explains that the love potion will not allow them to part. After hearing the circumstances, Ogrin says, “May God who created the world give you true repentance!” (Béroul and Fedrick 79). The reader feels that life is more complicated than a list of moral norms; sometimes, feelings and duty create complex, insoluble contradictions.
Hence, since love is a thing beyond man’s control, only God can judge them. King Mark, in anger, condemns the lovers to execution without trial, but Tristan escapes and returns for Yseut. Tristan believes that God gives him a chance to run away from an unfair trial and save Yseut:
By that God I believe in, I would rather be torn to pieces – if I can reach the fire in time, before my love is thrown on it – than fail to kill men who are holding her captive (Béroul and Fedrick 66).
Fate itself does not allow the king to condemn Tristan and Yseut until he can understand and forgive them. The author hints that some things are not subject to people, and for these things, it is not for people to condemn and judge but for God.
Regardless sinful nature of love by societal standards, true love always brings joy, happiness, and peace. When Tristan and Yseut run away from King Mark, they wander around the country like beggars but never feel any hardship because of their sincere feelings. Even when King Mark finds them in the forest, he understands the nature of their love:
I can well believe, if I have any sense, that if they loved each other wickedly, they would certainly not be wearing clothes and there would be no sword between them. They would be lying together quite differently. I was intent on killing them, but now I shall not touch them, I shall curb my anger. They have no mind for a wicked love (Béroul and Fedrick 93).
The demonstration of genuine feelings makes others, the author, and readers come to terms with the circumstances of this love and leave any condemnation to God.
The lovers go through years of physical suffering, living in the forest, eating only meat, and wearing old clothes in holes. However, the author says they are spared psychological torture because of their love. He writes, “for as long as the three years lasted, the potion had such power over Tristan and the queen that they could say: ‘I am not weary’” (Béroul and Fedrick 96). Beroul separates physical and psychological suffering and considers physical suffering bearable and more important than the inner state.
The author constantly reminds the reader that love is the greatest joy and the tremendous suffering. The novel clearly shows the image of love as a wound, which is typical of French medieval poetry (Hunt 502). Tristan suffers and calls himself a “fool” and “madman” as he feels being in “great agitation at every moment of the night and day” (Béroul and Fedrick 153). Yseut’s healing power is the author’s allusion that only she has the healing power for him, and eventually, without her, Tristan dies.
The deep and lasting love of Tristan and Yseut helps Tristan overcome his selfishness. It becomes more vital for him that his beloved suffers because of his whim in the forest. No matter how difficult it is, Tristan releases Yseut, saying, “it must be done to make up for all suffering you have endured on my account” (Béroul and Fedrick 124). He can concentrate not on his selfish desire for Yseut to be always with him but not on his feelings.
By the end of the novel, readers get the feeling that what is happening justice is not just and righteous. Human justice is placed in the hands of the barons, who care about the observance of social norms, the honor and pride of King Mark, and the court. They believe that Yseut “must vindicate herself” if she had never loved Tristan wickedly (Béroul and Fedrick 115). Justice executed by people does not seem more moral than a lovers’ misconduct. Furthermore, the behavior of barons and judges is more sinful because it comes from evil and selfish motives and not from love.
After the death of the beloved, King Mark orders that Tristan and Yseut be buried together, recognizing the strength of their love. Trees grow on their graves, which are constantly intertwined with branches. The king persistently tries to cut them down, but they continuously grow back to each other, “three times King Mark had the trees cut down, and three times they grew again” (Béroul and Fedrick 165). The trees on the graves symbolize the power of Tristan and Yseut’s love, which can overcome all obstacles and is even stronger than death. The trees growing on the graves of Tristan and Yseut show that God is not as cruel to sinners as some people are.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be seen that in The Romance of Tristan, Beroul reveals a very complex understanding of true love, which can be in conflict with moral norms and lead to horrible outcomes. The dualism of celebrating love and condemning sin had its historical and cultural context in the period when Christianity did not fully integrate its morals into all of the social and personal spheres of life. Most people can understand the beauty of true love even if the societal norms condemn it. Eventually, the human soul is precepted as a complicated thing capable of love and remorse simultaneously, and nobody can truly judge it except God.
Works Cited
Béroul, and Alan S. Fedrick. The Romance of Tristan and the Tale of Tristan’s Madness. Penguin Books, 1978.
Hunt, Tony. “Abelardian Ethics and Beroul’s “Tristan.” Romania, vol. 98, no. 392 (4), 1977, pp. 501–540.