They had their starting point in the history of Geoffrey of Monmouth, which was partly invented, but had some basis in a tradition common to the Bretons and the Welsh.The romances based upon this legend sprang up apparently simultaneously in England and France.Through minstrel romances, founded upon the Breton popular tradition, the Arthur legend probably first found its way into European literature.With it was early fused the stories of the Holy Grail and of Parzival.In the twelfth century these stories were widely popular in literary form in France and Germany, and later they passed into Italy, Spain, and Scandinavia.Their influence upon the life and thought of Mediaeval Europe is very important.They did much to modify the entire institution of chivalry.
Leon Gautier's "Chivalry", chap.IV., Section V.
2.The Romances of Antiquity, of which there are three varieties:
(1) Those which were believed to be direct reproductions, such as the Romances of Thebes, of Aeneas, of Troy, whose authors acknowledged a debt to Vergil, Statius, and other classic writers.
(2) Those based upon ancient history not previously versified, such as the Romance of Alexander.
(3) Those which reproduced the names and nothing else from antiquity.
These romances, too, were a common European possession.The most important and influential of them are the Romance of Troy, and the Romance of Alexander.They appear in different forms in the literature of every mediaeval nation in Europe.
3.There was in each national literature a vast number of unaffiliated romances.A romance of this group usually contained a love story, a tale of adventure, or a religious experience in the form of a story.They are not clearly distinct from the class of popular tales.On the whole, the romance is more serious and dignified than the tale.Examples of this kind of a romance are Hartmann von Aue's "Henry the Leper", and the French "Flore et Blanchefleur".
III.LYRICS.
Perhaps no other part of its literature shows more striking proof of the common life and interests of Mediaeval Europe than does the lyric poetry of the period.In Northern France, in Provence, in all parts of Germany, in Italy, and a little later in Spain, we see a most remarkable outburst of song.The subjects were the same in all the countries.Love-the love of feudal chivalry--patriotism, and religion were the themes that employed the mediaeval lyrist in whatever country he sang.In all these lyrics much was made of form, the verse being always skillfully constructed, sometimes very complicated.The lyric poetry of Italy was more learned and more finished in style than that of the other countries.
