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Friday, April 4, 2008

Tristan and Iseult



Tristan and Iseult are the ultimate star-crossed lovers of legend. Their story was extremely popular in the Middle Ages and grew out of the Arthurian cycle. The original tale is remote from the recent film, which was one fornication scene after another. In the earlier versions, the lovers struggle to resist their passion, with Tristan going away and marrying someone else. As the basic story goes, Iseult was an Irish princess to be given in marriage to King Mark of Cornwall. Mark sends his nephew Tristan to escort the bride across the sea to her new home. On the ship, Iseult and Tristan drink of some wine that Iseult's mother had doctored with a "love potion" to help her daughter fall in love with the king. Instead, Iseult and Tristan fall deeply in love with each other, and although they are determined to honor their commitments, they are heartbroken and tormented. Iseult comes to see Tristan as he is dying, a moment magnificently captured in the final scene of Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde. Iseult dies as well and the thwarted pair are buried in the same grave.

In the words of the late Victorian poet Cyril Emra:

Iseult and Tristram - knight and maid: -
O names of dust and fire!
When shall the glamour of them fade,
Or when the pity tire?

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2 comments:

  1. BrantignyApril 4, 2008 at 9:20:00 AM EDT

    Elena Maria,
    You have been in an operetic mood this week I see.

    A cup of tea, a rainy day, and opera playing in the background.

    Thanks for the visit to Salon Vidal.

    Richard

    PS I dont know if you have ever seen this film, but there is a sene it a salon in Strasbourg. this is the trailer. It is a true story by Joseph Conrad,
    E Book: http://www.online-literature.com/conrad/point-of-honor/

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8nGgvepXCk

    ReplyDelete
  2. elena maria vidalApril 4, 2008 at 9:22:00 AM EDT

    "A cup of tea, a rainy day, and opera playing in the background." That just about sums it up.

    Thanks for the links, Richard.

    ReplyDelete

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