The influence of the Trojan myth on national identity as shaped in the Frankish and British Trojan-origin myths and the “Roman de Brut” and the “Roman de Troie”

193 Pages·2002·8.33 MB·English

by  Carol Bubon Kearns

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INFLUENCE OF THE TROJAN MYTH ON NATIONAL IDENTITY
AS SHAPED IN THE FRANKISH AND BRITISH TROJAN-ORIGIN MYTHS
AND THE ROMAN DE BRUT AND THE ROMAN DE TROIE
By
CAROL BUBON KEARNS
A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
2002
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UMI Number: 3056752
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The realization of such an undertaking could not have resulted
without the help of many people. First of all, I would like to thank Dr.
Christine Probes of the University of South Florida for being an
inspiration. (Despite my older age, I always wanted to be just like her!) In
addition to Dr. Probes, I am indebted to Drs. Mary Jane and David
Schenck and John Thompson for instilling in me a love for and the basic
elements of medieval French literature and culture while a student at the
University of South Florida. My deep appreciation goes to the Department
of Romance Languages and Literatures at the University of Florida for
accepting me into their doctoral program. (Despite a long and frequent
commute, the experience was wonderful!) Sincere thanks are due my
advisors, Dr. William Calin and Dr. George Diller, for their invaluable
guidance, analysis, and support. I am grateful to Dr. Raymond Cormier
for recommending pertinent books. A debt of gratitude goes to Dr.
Edward Klein for persistent encouragement and to Judy Johnson for her
many prayers. Lastly, I would especially like to thank my precious family
for their love and support.
ii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS................................................................................. ii
ABSTRACT...................................................................................................v
CHAPTERS
1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................1
2 TROJAN MYTH........................................................................................8
Sacred Troy.............................................................................................8
Trojan Cycle..........................................................................................17
Bronze Age Source................................................................................19
Myth vis-a-vis Legend...........................................................................22
Greek “Nation” versus Trojan “Nation”...............................................23
Warrior Ethic of the Hero.....................................................................31
Legacy of Hector...................................................................................35
Conclusion............................................................................................38
3 FROM FREDEGAR TO WACE: THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE OF
THE TROJAN-ORIGIN MYTH................................................................41
Chronicle of Fredegar...........................................................................47
Fredegar 1.........................................................................................47
Fredegar II....................................................................................... 55
Liber Historiae Francorum...................................................................59
A “Unique” Perspective........................................................................ 66
Historia Brittonum................................................................................70
Geoffrey of Monmouth and Wace.........................................................80
Twelfth-Century Wales.........................................................................96
Conclusion............................................................................................98
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4 CHIVALRY AND COURTOISIE IN THE ROMAN DE BRUT
AND THE ROMAN DE TROIE...............................................................101
Shaping a System of Values................................................................101
Defining Chivalry and Courtoisie.......................................................106
The Historia vis-a-vis the Brut............................................................110
Roman de Troie.................................................................................. 126
Conclusion.......................................................................................... 168
5 CONCLUSION.......................................................................................170
WORKS CITED.......................................................................................... 174
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH..........................................................................182
iv
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Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School
of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
INFLUENCE OF THE TROJAN MYTH ON NATIONAL IDENTITY
AS SHAPED IN THE FRANKISH AND BRITISH TROJAN-ORIGIN MYTHS
AND THE ROMAN DE BRUT AND THE ROMAN DE TROIE
By
Carol Bubon Kearns
May 2002
Dr. George T. Diller
Department: Romance Languages and Literatures
The Trojan myth composed in the Iliad by Homer constitutes the
tale of a splendid and celebrated city under siege, whose monarchy
derives its strength and prestige from a long distinguished ancestry,
whose aristocratic population conducts itself in a hospitable and humane
fashion, and whose heroes generate military prowess and strive to bring
honor to themselves and their noble lineage. The appealing attitudes and
activities of the Homeric Trojans inspired medieval authors to engage
them as an integral part of a “national” identity illustrated in origin myths
and reworkings of the Iliad itself. Not pertaining to or involving the
common people; these works were learned fictions written to enhance the
prestige of the ruling classes by providing an ancient and illustrious
ancestry that legitimized ascendancy and/or a code of conduct.
v
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Chapter 1 defines the ancient and enduring Trojan myth. Chapter
2 introduces Trojan-origin myths of the Franks and the British and
undertakes to explain why they were written during a specific period.
Chapter 3 presents the “national” ideology of chivalry and courtoisie
embodied in the Roman de Brut and especially in Benoit de Sainte-Maure’s
Roman de Troie.
Along with martial and royal characteristics, instances of
“national” identity featured in the Frankish and British Trojan-origin
myths came about during a comingling of cultures at the same time as an
age of relative peace, strong leadership, and a renewal of learning favored
the creation of each unique myth and “nation.” The Roman de Troie
provided a “nation” of Anglo-Norman and Angevin elite with an identity
of chivalric/courtois values to correspond to their glorious ancestors.
Whether the “nations” were related by blood ties or by a common
heritage, or a combination of the two, they could identify with a once-
great race and i,ts tradition.
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Troy and the Trojans are special by virtue of literature. The Troy of
Homer is consecrated ground considering its affiliation “with the earliest
portion of the literary treasures bequeathed to us by the ancient world”
(Maclaren 222). Moreover, the fall of Troy is “le grand evenement de
l’histoire universelle” (Baumgartner, Entre fiction et histoire 19), for
nearly all of the Late Latin chroniclers recorded it. The Aeneid and
subsequent medieval Trojan-origin myths and reworkings of the Iliad
were the consequence of the imaginations of countless generations. The
tale of Troy, showing a city under siege, along with its heroes, its valor
facing a superior force, its humanity, and its splendor, influenced a
constant revival of glorious Troy in myth and literature.
The Iliad’s Troy was shown to be splendid in addition to being
named “sacred” by Homer. It was a “broad city,” with “wide streets.” It
had “lofty gates” and “fine towers.” During the reign of Priam, it was in
its stage of greatest vigor. It was a city with mighty walls, extensive
enough to hold its own large population as well as its many allies who
gathered there to do battle with the Greeks. From the literary description
of the city, some scholars have calculated that more than 50,000 people
could be accommodated (Blegen 13). It had an agora where the people of
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