lebelinconnu's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
eb00kie's review against another edition
3.0
Erec and Enide is one of those books that can take you by surprise and enrage you, and that is one of the numerous reasons I would recommend it to somebody.
On the surface, Erec and Enide is a classical story of old.
But let's say people gossip about the guy spending too much time with his one true love and not doing his manly doings anymore. I can't imagine what a guy would think should his beloved choose to share that this gossip makes her unhappy. Maybe he thinks she wants to get rid of him, maybe that she's bored, maybe that she shares the opinion of the court - it couldn't be that the sheltered lady is thin-skinned and had her feelings hurt. Whatever took place in that oft' concussed noggin of his, the cold shoulder was EPIC.
The stories go on into their married life, already, something unusual. They spend a lot of time together, however, his friends start gossiping about his recent lack of adventures. Enide shares this with him and he is,livid unhappy. Consequently, he takes her on such an adventure, asking her to never speak with him unless spoken to first. She breaks this rule several times, the one of which ends up saving his life. He nearly ends up dying from his wounds, she nearly ends up married by force, but he wakes up in time, chops up husband No. 2 and they reconcile.
A final episode has him dueling a knight bound by his sweetheart's promise never to leave a garden unless bested in combat. Erec beats him, they all realize they know each other, then Erec and Enide are crowned.
Stories are how we pass on, imperfectly, culture and values. Even as stories like those in [b:A Game of Thrones|13496|A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)|George R.R. Martin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1436732693s/13496.jpg|1466917] satirise the knightly outlook, Erec and Enide represents transparent ideals of love, married life, the behaviours and duties of husband and wife and growing up. People might not have wholeheartedly believed in knights, but they dreamed of these valued, highlights of a more civilised world than reality could offer.
That being said, neither is perfect, and they both grow - character development is a plus.
The apparent lack of agency in women characters is expected, but ultimately deceiving. Willy-nilly, Chrétien de Troyes, has written two women who are very much in love - naturally - and will keep their loved one safe. On one hand, Enide is even willing to take her own life for love, she praises Erec up and down and would be his servant in anything he desires. So far, not unexpected. However, put in a conflict between saving him and obeying, she repeatedly disobeys him. He's not always grateful, but she's willing to lie and cheat for him. Her cousin is even more expedient, she has her lord bound by a promise not to roam until he is defeated on own his turf, which took a pretty long time - rather than let him roam and get himself killed.
Of course, this is within the confines of knightly poem logic here. In normal conditions, Erec would not have acted like a sulky teenager, knights wouldn't have waited their turn to fight him and Enide's warning him would have often proved vital - as for their travelling together unaccompanied, refer to Game of Thrones. Not to mention, that second knight is a serial head-chopper who is here welcomed back like a long lost son.
Bottom line, it delves into topics not often found in what passed for Disney 900 years ago, and it can prove interesting for those interested in Arthurian legends or women portrayed in medieval lit, or simply those yearning to get away from hard line PC. It gets three stars because it annoyed me and that made writing the review a pain in the ass.
On the surface, Erec and Enide is a classical story of old.
But let's say people gossip about the guy spending too much time with his one true love and not doing his manly doings anymore. I can't imagine what a guy would think should his beloved choose to share that this gossip makes her unhappy. Maybe he thinks she wants to get rid of him, maybe that she's bored, maybe that she shares the opinion of the court - it couldn't be that the sheltered lady is thin-skinned and had her feelings hurt. Whatever took place in that oft' concussed noggin of his, the cold shoulder was EPIC.
Spoiler
The first quarter of the story, he meets her, fights for her attentions, marries her.The stories go on into their married life, already, something unusual. They spend a lot of time together, however, his friends start gossiping about his recent lack of adventures. Enide shares this with him and he is,
A final episode has him dueling a knight bound by his sweetheart's promise never to leave a garden unless bested in combat. Erec beats him, they all realize they know each other, then Erec and Enide are crowned.
Stories are how we pass on, imperfectly, culture and values. Even as stories like those in [b:A Game of Thrones|13496|A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)|George R.R. Martin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1436732693s/13496.jpg|1466917] satirise the knightly outlook, Erec and Enide represents transparent ideals of love, married life, the behaviours and duties of husband and wife and growing up. People might not have wholeheartedly believed in knights, but they dreamed of these valued, highlights of a more civilised world than reality could offer.
That being said, neither is perfect, and they both grow - character development is a plus.
The apparent lack of agency in women characters is expected, but ultimately deceiving. Willy-nilly, Chrétien de Troyes, has written two women who are very much in love - naturally - and will keep their loved one safe. On one hand, Enide is even willing to take her own life for love, she praises Erec up and down and would be his servant in anything he desires. So far, not unexpected. However, put in a conflict between saving him and obeying, she repeatedly disobeys him. He's not always grateful, but she's willing to lie and cheat for him. Her cousin is even more expedient, she has her lord bound by a promise not to roam until he is defeated on own his turf, which took a pretty long time - rather than let him roam and get himself killed.
Of course, this is within the confines of knightly poem logic here. In normal conditions, Erec would not have acted like a sulky teenager, knights wouldn't have waited their turn to fight him and Enide's warning him would have often proved vital - as for their travelling together unaccompanied, refer to Game of Thrones. Not to mention, that second knight is a serial head-chopper who is here welcomed back like a long lost son.
Bottom line, it delves into topics not often found in what passed for Disney 900 years ago, and it can prove interesting for those interested in Arthurian legends or women portrayed in medieval lit, or simply those yearning to get away from hard line PC. It gets three stars because it annoyed me and that made writing the review a pain in the ass.
trouvaille21's review against another edition
4.0
a healthy love marriage in medieval literature?? this can't be real :0
nuska's review against another edition
3.0
La primera de las novelas de Troyes en las que aparece el rey Arturo. Narra las aventuras de Erec, uno de sus caballeros de la mesa redonda. Me ha gustado el uso que hace Troyes de las alegorías y los proverbios para expresar lo que quiere transmitir a su lector. Una narración muy moderna para ser medieval pero eso es un rasgo común a todas las novelas de Troyes y ya lo había comprobado anteriormente.
ultimatecryptid's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Another winner from classic Arthurian author Chrétien de Troyes! Erec and Enide is a fascinating read, and I think there is a lot to play with regarding expectations of violence (as there is in most chivlaric stories, but I think is more interestingly explored here). Enide is incredibly interesting to me, and I loved the actions she took in this story.
indigo78180's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I think now I understand why people think Erec and Enide is such a misogynistic story. I do think that in Chretien's version (as compared to other versions, including Geraint and Enid) Enide is more flattened as a character, and she doesn't have the space to have her own motivations or complications. I might chalk part of it up to the translator's writing style in this edition, as I found it to be pretty clumsy throughout. This was a relatively quick read.
lio_clementine's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
plume_nocturne's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
syen's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75