King Horn, Floriz and Blauncheflur, The Assumption of Our Lady
General
King Horn, Floriz and Blauncheflur, The Assumption of Our Lady
English poetry -- Middle English, 1100-1500; Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint -- Legends; Romances, English
If the subject matter in the two versions is different, the style is far
more so. The simple, condensed, somewhat archaic manner of K. H. stands
in marked contrast to the sophisticated style of the French romance. The
difference is perhaps that to be expected between two versions, one
intended for English-speaking, the other for French-speaking
people.[I-5] But the difference is perhaps more largely that between
ballad and romance. In K. H. the author gives no evidence of himself
directly or indirectly, whereas Thomas, the author of R. H., continually
addresses his public in the second person and directly introduces his
personal opinion. The incidents which in K. H. are condensed almost to
unintelligibility, in R. H. are liberally supplied with motives and
explanations. The character of Rimenhild in K. H., almost wild in its
naturalness, suggests somewhat one of the female divinities of Germanic
mythology. Rimel, of the French romance, is an eminently sophisticated,
almost modern young woman who understands the arts of coaxing and of
coquetry.
The luxury and refinement described in the French version, contrast[I-6]
markedly with the primitive manners and surroundings suggested in the
English version. Rimenhild shares her single sleeping-room with her six
maidens; Rimel has so many maids that these have private rooms, Rimel
keeping by her only her one trusted maid. Rimenhild on her wedding day,
has four maid attendants; Rimel, thirty. King Murry’s retinue consists
of two knights, and the sons of the king of Westir appear to have been
without retinue; in R. H. the two princes in their _mesnée privée_ have
_vingt de gens ben escernée_. Even the seneschal of King Hunlaf has
twenty knights in his retinue. Stimming further points out the
feudalistic relations existing between Horn and his companions in R. H.
(as well as in H. C.) of which one can hardly detect a trace in K. H.
Further the author of the romance, quite in keeping with the conventions
of contemporary romances, has introduced and elaborated descriptions of
battles and of sports and tournaments on every possible occasion. In
R. H. Horn is a _curteis_ knight, whose knightly honour forbids him to
take oath.
Stimming further points out the difference in cultivation of manner as
reflected in the love-making scenes of the two versions. When Athulf is
introduced to Rimenhild’s bower, _Anon vpon Aþulf child Rymenhild gan
wexe wild_, K. H. 295-6, she has him seat himself on her bed, embraces
him, and offers herself as his bride. Rimel, on the other hand, who
before Aþulf’s coming has carefully regarded the glass, _pur veer sa
belted, Pur saver de su vis cum il est culured_, on his appearance,
takes him by the hand, leads him to a seat, seats herself beside him,
and then expresses the wish, “_Bels amis, dès ore voil estre mise en
vostre justise_,” politely adding, “_si vostre plaisir est_.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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