From the glorious courts of love during the time of tourneys, Plantegenants, and mystical monastics comes another tale of the Arthurian romances that concerns the life of knights and ladies after their weddings: Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Author Chretien de Troyes draws upon the oral tradition surrounding King Arthur and his knights, dresses it gloriously in the manners and fashion of Eleanor of Aquitaine, and elevates its content towards the level of the spiritual ideals of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.

In Yvain, the Knight of the Lion, the complexity that marriage brings to individual identity and reputation is explored by its readers as we navigate a world of swift violence, deep friendships between man and beast, magic rings, and adventure. Where can the courage be found to restore a marriage and reputation?

Part literature, part history, part marriage counseling, yet all romance–Yvain, the Knight of the Lion, is a classic tale worth reading, discussing, and considering. While later Renaissance humanists preferred to think all before their age to be “dark,” Yvain, the Knight of the Lion is yet another reminder of medieval era’s literate, bright, and highly sophisticated nature. Classically minded educators, younger students, and continuing learners of all sorts should appropriate the wisdom and perspective of this bygone era for their present lives. Participants will be provided a pdf of this Arthurian poem to read in preparation for the webinar. Don’t miss this opportunity to be illumined by the medieval era with Jonathan Councell!