Tirant lo Blanch; a study of its authorship, principal sources and historical settingVaeth, Joseph Anthony
History
Tirant lo Blanch; a study of its authorship, principal sources and historical setting
Vaeth, Joseph Anthony
Martorell, Joanot, -1468. Tirant lo Blanch
In the prologue of Lull’s _Libre del Orde d’Cauayleria_ Martorell had
read of a great knight who likewise had retired to a hermitage, and
doubtless this striking coincidence, which apparently had attracted
his attention even before he began writing his romance, caused him to
incorporate in the episode the incident related by Lull. The prologue
recites how, in a certain country, a knight, who for a long time had
been an honor to knighthood, finally realized that the end of his days
was approaching, whereupon he decided to spend the rest of his life as
a hermit. Accordingly he went to live in a dense forest. It was his
custom to come every day to a clear spring under a large tree, where
he was wont to contemplate and pray. Now it happened that a great king
had announced an assembly of his court, and a certain mounted squire
was proceeding on his way to attend that court in order that knighthood
might be conferred upon him. Overcome by the fatigue of the journey,
the squire fell asleep. His steed left the road, entered the wood,
and came to a spring at a time when the hermit was there. The latter
discontinued his prayers when he saw the squire approaching and began
to read in a book. When the steed stopped at the spring to drink,
the rider awoke and was surprised to see the aged hermit before him.
After exchanging greetings, the hermit spoke to the youth of things
pertaining to knighthood, and when they parted, asked him to come back
after he had been made a knight.
The author of _Tirant lo Blanch_ incorporated in his work the incident
just mentioned by paraphrasing it and by reproducing certain parts
almost literally, as we have already observed, making such changes as
he saw fit. In the reproduction of this incident the unknown hermit
is William of Warwick; the unnamed king is the King of England; and
the squire is Tirant lo Blanch. In Lull’s work the hermit invites the
squire to return, but he never comes back. Martorell makes his hero
accept the hermit’s invitation, and Tirant with his companions returns
to William of Warwick, when the principal events that took place at the
English court, including the marvelous feats of Tirant, are related to
him. The deeds that Martorell ascribes to Tirant while at the court
of the English king are not similar to those of Guy of Warwick as
described in the English romance. They are probably inventions of the
author, based on what he witnessed, heard, or read in connection with
tournaments or knightly affairs. Tirant remained with the hermit for a
few days and then returned to his native land, Brittany. Here ends the
William of Warwick episode.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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