It amuses me how medieval storytellers find new and creative ways to use well-known clichés to make you believe that the maiden in the story you’re currently reading is the fairest of them all – ever.
In Chrétien de Troyes’ Arthurian Romance Erec et Enide, Erec follows an evil knight to challenge him publicly to a duel. Why? Why else? Because this evil knight just insulted a fair maiden. Don’t be silly.
Anyway, on a normal day, Erec would’ve rectified the situation right then and there. But… problem is, this insult occurred when Erec wasn’t wearing his knight costume. No fancy armor, no painted lance, no golden spurs – not even an undershirt embroidered with nightingales and posies. He left all that stuff back at the castle. The only thing he has with him is his sword.
Now, Erec is a knight of King Arthur’s court and he wouldn’t be caught dead challenging a knight from another castle to a duel unless he looked the part – especially if it is for a lady’s honor! And this fair lady isn’t just a regular fair lady. This fair lady happens to be Queen Guinevere.
Head of a Woman. Stained Glass. 14th century (Rouen, France) (image: Metropolitan Museum of Art – The Cloisters)
So Erec follows the evil knight to make sure he doesn’t get away all the while hoping to acquire some armor. When the evil knight reaches his castle, Erec finds lodging at an old guy’s house on the outskirts of town. This old guy just so happens to be a retired knight and he has some armor Erec can borrow for his upcoming duel. It also just so happens that this old retired knight’s daughter, Enide, is the fairest of them all.
So, without further ado, here is Chrétien de Troyes’ description of Enide when Erec first sets eyes upon her:
| Mout estoit la pucele gente,Que tote i avoit mis s’entente
Nature qui faite l’avoit. Ele meïsmes s’en estoit Plus de .vᶜ. fois mervoillie Comment une soule feïe Tant bele chose faire sot; Ne puis tant pener ne se pot Qu’ele peüst son examplaire En nule guise contrefaire De ceste tesmoingne Nature C’onques si bele creature Ne fu veüe en tot le monde. Por voir vos di qu’Isuez la blonde N’ot tant les crins sors et luisanz Que a cesti ne fust neanz. Plus ot que n’est la flor de lis, Cler et blanc le front et le vis. Sor la blanchor, par grant merveille, D’une color fresche et mermeille, Que Nature li ot done, Estoit sa face enluminee. Li huil si grant clarté rendoient Que deus estoiles resembloient. Onques Dex ne sot faire miauz Le nes, la boche, ne les iauz. Que diroie de sa beauté? Ce fu cele por verité Qui fu faite por esgarder, Qu’en li se peüst on mirer Ausi con en un mireour. (v. 411-41)[1]
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The maid was charming,in sooth, for Nature had used
all of her skill in forming her. Nature herself had marveled more than five hundred times how upon this one occasion she had succeeded in creating such a perfect thing. Never again could she so strive successfully to reproduce her pattern. Nature bears witness concerning her that never was so fair a creature seen in all the world. In truth I say that never did Iseult the Fair have such radiant golden tresses that she could be compared to this maiden. The complexion of her forehead and face was clearer and more delicate than the lily. But with wondrous art her face with all its delicate pallor was suffused with a fresh crimson which Nature had bestowed upon her. Her eyes were so bright that they seemed like two stars. God never formed better nose, mouth and eyes. What shall I say of her beauty? In sooth, she was made to be looked at; for in her one could have seen himself as in a mirror. (6)[2]
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tolde by the weye 