TRISTAN or TRISTRAM, one of the most famous heroes of mediaeval romance. In the earlier versions of his story he is the son of Rivalin, a prince of north-west Britain, and Blanche flor, sister to King Mark of Cornwall. Rivalin is killed in battle, and Blancheflor, after giving birth to a son, dies of grief. The boy is brought up as his own by Roald, or Rual, seneschal of the kingdom, who has him carefully trained in all chivalric and courtly arts. With the possible exception of Horn, Tristan is by far the most accomplished hero in the whole range of knightly romance ; a finished musician, linguist and chess-player, no one can rival him in more knightly arts, in horsemanship or fencing. He has besides, the whole science of venerie at his fingertips. In fact, Tristan is the "Admirable Crichton" of mediaeval romance; there is nothing he cannot do, and that superlatively well—it must be regretfully admitted that he is also a most accomplished liar. Being kid napped by pirates, Tristan is carried to Cornwall where he finds his way to the court of his uncle, King Mark, who is at first un aware of his identity, but, on learning it, joyfully accepts him as nephew and heir. He defeats the Irish giant, Morholt, who comes to claim the tribute payable every third year by Cornwall, but is desperately wounded in the encounter. Set adrift in a boat, Tris tan is carried by the waves to Ireland, where he is healed by the queen, sister to Morholt. Later on he returns to ask the hand of the princess Iseult for his uncle, King Mark, and, having slain a dragon which is devastating the country, succeeds in his quest. On the homeward journey Tristan and Iseult, by misadventure, drink of the love-potion prepared by the queen for her daughter and King Mark. Henceforward the two are bound to each other by an imperishable love which dares all dangers and makes light of hardships. The greater part of the romance is occupied by plot and counter-plot ; Mark and the courtiers seeking to entrap the lovers, who by their wiles escape the snares laid for them. Finally, the two are discovered under circumstances which admit of no evasion, and Tristan is obliged to flee to Brittany. There, believ ing himself to be forgotten, he weds Iseult of the White Hand, daughter of the duke, but makes her his wife only in name.
Wounded by a poisoned weapon he sends to Iseult of Ireland to come and heal him. If she accedes to his request the ship on which she embarks is to have a white sail, if she refuses, a black. Actuated by jealousy, his wife, who has discovered his secret, seeing the ship approach on which Iseult is hastening to her lover's aid, tells him that it carries a black sail. Tristan, turning his face to the wall, dies, and Iseult, arriving too late to save her lover, yields up her life in a final embrace.
Whether or not this beautiful story reposes upon a genuine historic tradition, the legend of Tristan and Iseult was one of the most popular themes of mediaeval romance ; it was translated into many tongues, and the episodes are preserved in miniatures, carv ings and embroideries. The earliest form of the story is still a matter of debate. Prof. Zimmer held that the main incidents were of historic origin, dating from the period of the Viking rule in Ireland. The name of Iseult's father, Gormond, is certainly Scandinavian, and she herself is noted for her golden hair; she is a northern, not a Celtic, princess. The name of Tristan, on the other hand, has been referred to the Pictish Drustan, and the story is now generally admitted to be of insular origin. Some think that the story was first told in the form of short episodic lais, which were later on woven into longer poems. On the other hand that distinguished scholar, M. Bedier, maintains that there was but one poem at the root of all the varying versions of the Tristan story, and that that work, composed in the r2th century by an unknown Anglo-Norman poet, was of such force that it determined for all time the form of the tradition. There certainly was an important Tristan poem, composed in the r 2th century by an Anglo-Norman named Thomas, which was translated into Ger man, English and Scandinavian. Only fragments now remain, but they are sufficient to show that the original was a work of outstanding merit. The German translation, by Gottfried von Strassburg, which seems to have followed the original closely, is a very beautiful poem and one of the classics of the middle ages.