Medieval Francophone Literary
Culture Outside France

Segmentation

Segments were established according to the main lines of the textual tradition, with particular reference to Baumgartner's comparison of V.I. and V.II. (1975, 53-7) and to Delcourt's notes to the fifth volume of the edition of Vienna ÖNB 2542 (Ménard 1992, 15-23). The three 'Italian' sequences isolated by Delcorno Branca (1998, 73) have been considered separately, and labelled It.1, It.2, and It.3. The interpolations characteristic of V.III. and V.IV., finally, are treated as separate segments.

'Vulgate' version is not to be equated here with V.II. We use 'Vulgate' to refer to segments whose narrative sequence does not allow us to distinguish easily between V.II., V.III., or V.IV. 'Common' version, meanwhile, is used where V.I. and the 'Vulgate' cannot be differentiated (as is the case, for example, for the first part of the Tristan).

  1. Prologue, and Tristan's ancestry (Prologue-§19 of Løseth 1891). One common redaction.
  2. Tristan’s adventures in Ireland, Brittany, and the Morrois (§§20-183): includes material from the 12th-c. verse narratives, such as Tristan's defeat of the Morholt, the love potion, and his marriage to Iseut aux blanches mains. We distinguish between a) a common redaction preserved by most manuscripts; and b) the Italian sequence It.1, which ends at §74.
  3. Compilation of letter exchanges (§§74-75, 418-419, 57, 85): a compilation of letters exchanged in the course of the Tristan. Present only in Paris BnF f.fr. 12599.
  4. Adventures of Tristan and Marc in Logres, and their reconciliation (§§184-252). There are two versions of this segment: a) V.I.; b) the Vulgate.
  5. Invasion of Cornwall by the Saxons, Tristan's imprisonments, and the lovers' departure for Logres (§§252-337). There are three versions of this segment: a) V.I., which omits the invasion but gives a long version of Tristan's imprisonments; b) the Vulgate, which includes the invasion but heavily abbreviates the imprisonments; c) V.III., a mixed redaction, which includes the invasion (like the Vulgate) and gives the long version of the imprisonments (like V.I.).
  6. Alixandre l'Orphelin (§§282b and 360n): the tale of Alixandre, told in two parts. Present only in V.IV.
  7. Tournament of Sorelois (§282d). Present only in V.IV.
  8. Tournament of Louvezerp (§§338-386). We distinguish between a) a common redaction preserved by most manuscripts; and b) the Italian sequence It.2., which ends at §384.
  9. Pentecost of the Grail (§§387-398). There are two versions of this segment: a) V.I., a short redaction; and b) the Vulgate, which interpolates material from the Queste del saint Graal.
  10. Agravain (§388a): extracts from the Agravain branch of the Prose Lancelot. Present only in a) V.III.; and b) V.IV.
  11. Tristan's adventures during the 'Queste' (§§399-421). One common redaction.
  12. Adventures of Erec and Tristan (§§422-493). There are two versions of this segment: a) V.I., a longer redaction; and b) the Vulgate, an abbreviated redaction which begins at either §437a or §441.
  13. Rustichello da Pisa, Arthurian Compilation (§§621-622): extracts featuring Branor le Brun. Present only in V.IV.
  14. Adventures of the Grail 1 (§§494-502): borrowed almost in its entirety from the Queste del saint Graal. There are two versions of this segment: a) V.I., which gives only the beginning (§§494-495); and b) the Vulgate, which preserves it in full.
  15. Adventures of Tristan and Palamedés (§§503-511). This segment does not occur in V.I. Present only in the Vulgate.
  16. Adventures of the Grail 2 (§§512-515): another borrowing from the Queste. Present only in the Vulgate.
  17. Marc's invasion of Logres (§§516-533). There are two versions of this segment: a) V.I., an abbreviated redaction; and b) the Vulgate, a longer redaction.
  18. Death of Tristan and Iseut (§§534-551). One common redaction, except for It.3 (here segment 22).
  19. Adventures of the Grail 3 (§§551-567): a final borrowing from the Queste. Present only in the Vulgate.
  20. Sagremor's return to Camaaloth (§§568-569): news of Tristan's death reaches Arthur's court. One common redaction, except for It.3 (here segment 22).
  21. Epilogue (§570). One common redaction, except for It.3 (here segment 22).
  22. Death of Tristan and Iseut, Sagremor's return to Camaaloth, and epilogue (§§534-551 + 568-570): incorporates segments 18, 20 and 21. Italian sequence It.3.