The Romance of Tristan

The Romance of Tristan is a 12th century epic poem by Béroul. Béroul wrote it around 1170. It retells the popular love story of Tristan and Isolde. Some historians credit The Romance of Tristan with changing how we view love in all its forms. Béroul’s version is one of the most popular retellings because of its explicit content. Béroul was a Norman poet best known for The Romance of Tristan.

The main characters are Tristan and Yseut. Tristan is a prince. His father is King Rivalen of Lyonesse, and his mother is a noblewoman called Blanchefleur. Blanchefleur dies during childbirth. It upsets Tristan that he never had the opportunity to meet her, but the court nobles always tell him how pretty and honorable she was.

Tristan grows up in his father’s court. His tutor is a man called Governal. With Governal’s help, Tristan learns everything he should know about ruling a kingdom. He studies war, languages, and history, and he’s a good student. The king is confident that Tristan will make a good ruler one day. However, some noblemen think that Tristan is selfish, conceited, and untrustworthy. Tristan proves them right when he decides to visit his uncle, King Mark of Cornwall, in disguise.



King Mark thinks that Tristan is wonderful, although he doesn’t know the truth about his identity. Tristan portrays himself as brave, humble, and obedient, which are all important knightly qualities. When invaders target Cornwall, Tristan steps up and kills the leader in one-to-one combat. King Mark calls him a hero.

Tristan suffers serious wounds during the fight, and he disappears from court. He’s been poisoned and he won’t last much longer without skilled medical help. He asks God to show him mercy and help him find a healer. God encourages him to sail to Ireland and adopt another disguise. This time, Tristan becomes a mischievous traveling minstrel called Tantris. He must remain in disguise because it was the Irish who invaded Cornwall, and if they find Tristan, they’ll slaughter him for killing their captain.

In Ireland, Tristan meets Yseut. Yseut is both the Irish princess and a skilled healer. She fixes Tristan, and he returns to Cornwall. However, now that he’s back in England, Tristan can’t stop thinking about the beautiful Yseut. He knows that he’s old enough to marry, and he vows to make Yseut his wife. He doesn’t bother asking anyone if this is a good idea or not.



Tristan hears rumours of a wicked dragon terrorizing Ireland. The King and Queen of Ireland are terrified, and they’re worried that the dragon might steal Yseut. Tristan decides to win Yseut by returning to Ireland and slaying the dragon. What he doesn’t expect, however, is for anyone to find out that he killed the Irish captain.

Although the King and Queen of Ireland are furious with Tristan, they acknowledge that he was the only man brave enough to kill the dragon. Tristan thinks he’ll marry Yseut now, but the King of Ireland has other ideas. Tristan isn’t politically important enough to marry Yseut. Instead, the King of Ireland gives Yseut to King Mark.

Tristan escorts Yseut back to England. He’s disappointed that he can’t have Yseut, but he knows he’ll find another bride. However, on the boat journey, a maid accidentally gives Tristan and Yseut a love potion. They instantly fall madly in love, and they sleep together. Yseut plans on marrying King Mark but sleeping with Tristan secretly. Tristan accepts this deal because he’s desperate to keep seeing her.



Although Yseut plays the part of the obedient wife, King Mark worries about her. He knows that she doesn’t love him, and he suspects that she fancies Tristan. Yseut convinces him that he’s wrong, and that Tristan means nothing to her. With King Mark none the wiser, Tristan and Yseut continue sleeping together. The problem is that, although the pair convinced King Mark that they’re innocent, other nobles aren’t so sure.

Tristan makes Yseut a proposition. He says that they’ll only be happy if they run away together. He argues that, eventually, the king will discover the truth and execute them. Yseut knows that Tristan is right, and they run away when no one’s looking. They know that, if King Mark finds them again, they’re dead.

On their travels, Tristan and Yseut encounter strange, wise figures. These figures tell them to repent while they still can. Tristan and Yseut refuse to apologize for their feelings. King Mark decides to forgive them, but he can’t find them. By the time King Mark finds their hiding spot, the pair have already left for Wales.



In Wales, Tristan and Yseut separate. They think that, if they assume disguises, they’ll be safe from King Mark and his spies. Tristan and Yseut spend time apart but promise to return to each other’s arms. However, one day, a knight stabs Tristan in a brawl with a poisoned sword, and he dies before seeing Yseut again. Yseut dies after kissing Tristan. King Mark pities them both and buries them side by side.