Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature W. P. Ker EPIC AND ROMANCE ESSAYS ON MEDIEVAL LITERATURE BY W. P. KER FELLOW OF ALL SOULS COLLEGE, OXFORD PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH LITERATURE IN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON PREFACE T HESE essays are intended as a general description of some of the principal forms of narrative literature in the Middle Ages, and as a review of some of the more interesting works in each period. It is hardly necessary to say that the conclusion is one “in which nothing is concluded,” and that whole tracts of literature have been barely touched on—the English metrical romances, the Middle High German poems, the ballads, Northern and Southern—which would require to be considered in any systematic treatment of this part of history. Many serious difficulties have been evaded (in Finnesburh, more particularly), and many things have been taken for granted, too easily. My apology must be that there seemed to be certain results available for criticism, apart from the more strict and scientific procedure which is required to solve the more difficult problems of Beowulf, or of the old Northern or the old French poetry. It is hoped that something may be gained by a less minute and exacting consideration of the whole field, and by an attempt to bring the more distant and dissociated parts of the subject into relation with one another, in one view. Some of these notes have been already used, in a course of three lectures at the Royal Institution, in March 1892, on “the Progress of Romance in the Middle Ages,” and in lectures given at University College and elsewhere. The plot of the Dutch romance of Walewein was discussed in a paper submitted to the Folk-Lore Society two years ago, and published in the journal of the Society (Folk-Lore, vol. v. p. 121). I am greatly indebted to my friend Mr. Paget Toynbee for his help in reading the proofs. I cannot put out on this venture without acknowledgment of my obligation to two scholars, who have had nothing to do with my employment of all that I have borrowed from them, the Oxford editors of the Old Northern Poetry, Dr. Gudbrand Vigfusson and Mr. York Powell. I have still to learn what Mr. York Powell thinks of these discourses. What Gudbrand Vigfusson would have thought I cannot guess, but I am glad to remember the wise goodwill which he was always ready to give, with so much else from the resources of his learning and his judgment, to those who applied to him for advice. W. P. KER. L ONDON, 4th November 1896. POSTSCRIPT T HIS book is now reprinted without addition or change, except in a few small details. If it had to be written over again, many things, no doubt, would be expressed in a different way. For example, after some time happily spent in reading the Danish and other ballads, I am inclined to make rather less of the interval between the ballads and the earlier heroic poems, and I have learned (especially from Dr. Axel Olrik) that the Danish ballads do not belong originally to simple rustic people, but to the Danish gentry in the Middle Ages. Also the comparison of Sturla’s Icelandic and Norwegian histories, though it still seems to me right in the main, is driven a little too far; it hardly does enough justice to the beauty of the Life of Hacon (Hákonar Saga), especially in the part dealing with the rivalry of the King and his father-in-law Duke Skule. The critical problems with regard to the writings of Sturla are more difficult than I imagined, and I am glad to have this opportunity of referring, with admiration, to the work of my friend Dr. Björn Magnússon Olsen on the Sturlunga Saga (in Safn til Sögu Islands, iii. pp. 193-510, Copenhagen, 1897). Though I am unable to go further into that debatable ground, I must not pass over Dr. Olsen’s argument showing that the life of the original Sturla of Hvamm was written by Snorri himself; the story of the alarm and pursuit came from the recollections of Gudny, Snorri’s mother. In the Chansons de Geste a great discovery has been made since my essay was written; the Chançun de Willame, an earlier and ruder version of the epic of Aliscans, has been printed by the unknown possessor of the manuscript, and generously given to a number of students who have good reason to be grateful to him for his liberality. There are some notes on the poem in Romania (vols. xxxii. and xxxiv.) by M. Paul Meyer and Mr. Raymond Weeks, and it has been used by Mr. Andrew Lang in illustration of Homer and his age. It is the sort of thing that the Greeks willingly let die; a rough draught of an epic poem, in many ways more barbarous than the other extant chansons de geste, but full of vigour, and notable (like le Roi Gormond, another of the older epics) for its refrain and other lyrical passages, very like the manner of the ballads. The Chançun de Willame, it may be observed, is not very different from Aliscans with regard to Rainouart, the humorous gigantic helper of William of Orange. One would not have been surprised if it had been otherwise, if Rainouart had been first introduced by the later composer, with a view to “comic relief” or some such additional variety for his tale. But it is not so; Rainouart, it appears, has a good right to his place by the side of William. The grotesque element in French epic is found very early, e.g. in the Pilgrimage of Charlemagne, and is not to be reckoned among the signs of decadence. There ought to be a reference, on p. 298 below, to M. Joseph Bédier’s papers in the Revue Historique (xcv. and xcvii.) on Raoul de Cambrai. M. Bédier’s Légendes épiques, not yet published at this time of writing, will soon be in the hands of his expectant readers. I am deeply indebted to many friends—first of all to York Powell— for innumerable good things spoken and written about these studies. My reviewers, in spite of all differences of opinion, have put me under strong obligations to them for their fairness and consideration. Particularly, I have to offer my most sincere acknowledgments to Dr. Andreas Heusler of Berlin for the honour he has done my book in his Lied und Epos (1905), and not less for the help that he has given, in this and other of his writings, towards the better understanding of the old poems and their history. W. P. K. O XFORD, 25th Jan. 1908. CONTENTS CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION I THE HEROIC AGE Epic and Romance: the two great orders of medieval narrative Epic, of the “heroic age, ” preceding Romance of the “age of chivalry” The heroic age represented in three kinds of literature—Teutonic Epic, French Epic, and the Icelandic Sagas Conditions of Life in an “heroic age” Homer and the Northern poets Homeric passages in Beowulf and in the Song of Maldon Progress of poetry in the heroic age Growth of Epic, distinct in character, but generally incomplete, among the Teutonic nations II EPIC AND ROMANCE The complex nature of Epic No kind or aspect of life that may not be included This freedom due to the dramatic quality of true (e. g. Homeric) Epic as explained by Aristotle Epic does not require a magnificent ideal subject such as those of the artificial epic (Aeneid, Gerusalemme Liberata, Paradise Lost) The Iliad unlike these poems in its treatment of “ideal” motives (patriotism, etc. ) True Epic begins with a dramatic plot and characters The Epic of the Northern heroic age is sound in its dramatic conception and does not depend on impersonal ideals (with exceptions, in the Chansons de geste) The German heroes in history and epic (Ermanaric, Attila, Theodoric) Relations of Epic to historical fact The epic poet is free in the conduct of his story but his story and personages must belong to his own people Nature of Epic brought out by contrast with secondary narrative poems, where the subject is not national This secondary kind of poem may be excellent, but is always different in character from native Epic Disputes of academic critics about the “Epic Poem” Tasso’s defence of Romance. Pedantic attempts to restrict the compass of Epic Bossu on Phaeacia Epic, as the most comprehensive kind of poetry, includes Romance as one of its elements but needs a strong dramatic imagination to keep Romance under control [...]... at least to continue his study, by the glimmerings and “shadowy recollections,” the affinities and correspondences between the Homeric and the Northern heroic world 5 Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature Beowulf and his companions sail across the sea to Denmark on an errand of deliverance,—to cleanse the land of monsters They are welcomed by Hrothgar, king of the Danes, and by his gentle... filled out with strong dramatic imagination Romance obtains the freedom of Epic, without the old local and national limitations of Epic Conclusion APPENDIX Note A—Rhetoric of the Alliterative Poetry Note B—Kjartan and Olaf Tryggvason Note C—Eyjolf Karsson Note D—Two Catalogues of Romances Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION I THE HEROIC AGE THE title of Epic, or of “heroic... Medieval confusion and distraction Premature “culture” Depreciation of native work in comparison with ancient literature and with theology An Icelandic gentleman’s library The whalebone casket Epic not wholly stifled by “useful knowledge” IV THE THREE SCHOOLS—TEUTONIC EPIC FRENCH EPIC THE ICELANDIC HISTORIES Early failure of Epic among the Continental Germans Old English Epic invaded by Romance (Lives... Northern (Icelandic) poetry full of romantic mythology French Epic and Romance contrasted Feudalism in the old French Epic (Chansons de Geste) not unlike the prefeudal “heroic age” But the Chansons de Geste are in many ways “romantic” Comparison of the English Song of Byrhtnoth (Maldon, A.D 991) with the Chanson de Roland Severity and restraint of Byrhtnoth Mystery and pathos of Roland Iceland and the German... approach at times to the epic dignity 9 Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature II EPIC AND ROMANCE IT is the nature of epic poetry to be at ease in regard to its subject matter, to be free from the strain and excitement of weaker and more abstract forms of poetry in dealing with heroic subjects The heroic ideal of epic is not attained by a process of abstraction and separation from the meannesses... alone through a forest; another knight; a shock of lances; a fight on foot with swords, “racing, tracing, and 2 Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature foining like two wild boars”; then, perhaps, recognition—the two knights belong to the same household and are engaged in the same quest Et Guivrez vers lui esperone, De rien nule ne l’areisone, Ne Erec ne li sona mot Erec, l 5007 This collision... historical conditions, in the record of Achilles and Kjartan Olafsson, of Odysseus and Njal The circumstances of an heroic age may be found in numberless times and places, in the history of the world Among its accompaniments will be generally found some sort of literary record of sentiments and imaginations; but to find an heroic literature of the 7 Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature highest... larger monarchies, that the heroic relation between the leader and the followers can be repeated As society becomes more complex and conventional, this relation ceases The homeliness of conversation between Odysseus and his vassals, or between Njal and Thord Freedman’s son, is discouraged by the rules of courtly behaviour as gentlefolk become more idle and ostentatious, and their vassals more sordid and. .. False heroics; Krákumál (Death-Song of Ragnar Lodbrok) A fresh start, in prose, with no rhetorical encumbrances V THE PROGRESS OF EPIC Various renderings of the same story due (1) to accidents of tradition and impersonal causes; (2) to calculation and selection of motives by poets, and intentional modification of traditional matter The three versions of the death of Gunnar and Hogni compared— Atlakviða,... common fashion of literary epics It might go in something like this way:— “A certain man taking part in a siege is slighted by the general, and in his resentment withdraws from the war, though his own side is in 11 Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature great need of his help His dearest friend having been killed by the enemy, he comes back into the action and takes vengeance for his friend, and . Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature W. P. Ker EPIC AND ROMANCE ESSAYS ON MEDIEVAL LITERATURE BY W. P. KER. of poetical self-command Medieval confusion and distraction Premature “culture” Depreciation of native work in comparison with ancient literature and