- Geraint and Enid
"Geraint and Enid", also known by the title "Geraint, son of Erbin", is a one of the Three
Welsh Romances typically associated with the "Mabinogion ". It is analogous toChrétien de Troyes '12th century poem "Erec and Enide "; some scholars think the two derive from a common lost source, but most believe "Geraint" is based directly or indirectly on "Erec" (though Chrétien may have had aCelt ic source). It survives in theWhite Book of Rhydderch and theRed Book of Hergest , both from the14th century .The romance concerns the love of
Geraint , one ofKing Arthur 's men, and the beautiful Enid. The couple marry and settle down together, but rumors spread that Geraint has gone soft. Upset about this, Enid cries to herself that she is not a true wife for keeping her husband from his chivalric duties, but Geraint misunderstands her comment to mean she has been unfaithful to him. He makes her join him on a long and dangerous trip and commands her not to speak to him. Enid disregards this command several times to warn her husband of danger. Several adventures follow that prove Enid's love and Geraint's fighting ability. The couple is happily reconciled in the end, and Geraint inherits his father's kingdom.Enid does not appear in Welsh sources outside of this romance, but Geraint was already a popular figure. Some scholars hold that the
Erec from Chrétien's poem is based on Geraint, but others think the Welsh author simply replaced an unfamiliar French name with one his audience would recognize and associate with heroism.Alfred, Lord Tennyson based two of his "Idylls of the King " on "Geraint and Enid". They were originally published as a single poem called "Enid" in 1859; he later split it into two poems, "The Marriage of Geraint" and "Geraint and Enid".External links
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