Tristan and Yseut Fool King Mark

The Tryst Under the Tree

• The next image is from Tristan Ms. 1 (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München, Cod. germ. 51, folio 76r (2nd quarter of the thirteenth century) .

• Here is how one scholar describes the images: “Tristan and Isolde are not allowed to get together, but Brangaene gives Tristan the idea of communicating with Isolde via the wooden shaving; top right: Tristan lets the shaving float down the creek; middle: Tristan and Isolde meet at the olive tree and are observed by the dwarf Melot; bottom left: Melot reports what he has seen to Mark, both ride to the olive tree; bottom right: Mark and Melot listen to Tristan and Isolde talking to each other.” (Dr. Albrecht Classen, http://aclassen.faculty.arizona.edu/tristan_ms)

• Compare the visual depiction of the episode with that in the text (pp. 47-54)== > What does the visual depiction add? What does it leave out? Is there any expression of guilt or wrong-doing in either the visual depiction or the text? How are characters’ emotions expressed/described? What are these emotions?

• The image on the next slide is from MS Chantilly, Musée Condé 646, a 15th century manuscript version of the Tristan story. Take a moment to look through the whole manuscript at the following link:

http://expositions.bnf.fr/arthur/livres/tristan/index.htm

• Now look at the image on the next slide. It’s a very different image from the other manuscript, no? What is different? What is added? Left out? What is significant about the change of setting for the lovers’ tryst?