Sir Orfeo is an anonymous Middle English Breton lai that retells the Greek myth of Orpheus in a Celtic setting. The poem, preserved in multiple manuscripts, features a king's quest to rescue his wife from the fairy king, blending classical and folklore elements.
Sir Orfeo is an anonymous Middle English Breton lai that retells the Greek myth of Orpheus in a Celtic setting. The poem, preserved in multiple manuscripts, features a king's quest to rescue his wife from the fairy king, blending classical and folklore elements.
| Front | Sir Orfeo |
|---|---|
| Back | Sir Orfeo is an anonymous Middle English Breton lai dating from the late 13th or early 14th century. It retells the story of Orpheus as a king rescuing his wife from the fairy king. Quick facts: Author(s), Language … History and manuscripts Sir Orfeo was probably written in the late 13th or early 14th century in the Westminster-Middlesex area. It is preserved in three manuscripts: the oldest, Advocates 19.2.1, known as the Auchinleck MS. is dated at about 1330; Harley 3810, is from about the beginning of the fifteenth century; and Ashmole 61, compiled over the course of several years, the portion of the MS. containing Sir Orfeo dating around 1488. The beginning of the poem describes itself as a Breton lai, and says it is derived from a no longer extant text, the Lai d'Orphey. The story contains a mixture of the Greek myth of Orpheus with Celtic mythology and folklore concerning fairies, introduced into English via the Old French Breton lais of poets like Marie de France. The Wooing of Etain bears particular resemblance to the romance and was a probable influence. The fragmentary Child Ballad 19 "King Orfeo" is closely related to this poem, the surviving text containing only portions of the known story. |
Learn with these flashcards. Click next, previous, or up to navigate to more flashcards for this subject.
Next card: Play thomas dramatic life catholic henry considered written
Previous card: Play dutch john van english women sir olden
Up to card list: Wordsworth companion to literature by Bahman Moradi