Erec and Enide, pages 37-60

In starting the text, I am discovering a huge difference between this story and that of Tristan and Yseut. One vast dissimilarity is the style of the narration: Béroul presents Tristan’s life and romance as being tragic before the story even commences, while Chrétien opens Erec’s tale with almost no introduction whatsoever. Readers of “The Romance of Tristan” are likely accustomed to Béroul’s constant, almost signature foreshadowing of sorrowful events to come; so much so that the story takes on a negative tone. Chrétien’s straightforward, factual storytelling feels almost positive in nature and makes it seem as though even he does not know what will happen until the reader does. Despite this, I still predict harrowing events to come. The reason for this is the perfectly arranged sequence of events, since it appears as though everything goes nearly flawlessly for Erec and Enide. Erec’s swift chain of triumphs is almost suspiciously impeccable: he avenges Queen Guinevere’s maiden, defeats and shames an opposing knight, and finds and becomes engaged to a perfect maiden-all in three days. So far, the text completely lacks serious conflict, so it is almost as though the author and the reader are both waiting and preparing for something to tear the lovers apart and to destroy their perfect lifestyle. I do not believe that the couple itself will separate willingly from each other, but I believe it’s quite possible that the text is providing an immaculate setup for an attack against them.