Difference between revisions of "Breton Lay"
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| + | The term '''Breton Lay''' (or ''Lai'') are most famously related to the works of [[Marie de France]], but appear to be of much older origin. The word ''lai'' probably comes from the [[Gaelic]] word ''laid''. It is speculated that the word ''Breton'' here means [[Celtic]] in general, rather than specifically of [[Brittany]]. |
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| + | In a [[12th Century]] context, a lai is a short frech poem, in the general format of a love story, often with some element of trajedy. The lai is a typical venue for early stories of [[courtly love]], but retain elements of the suprenatural and faery from the celtic stories many are drawn from. |
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| − | Were they simply recited or accompanied by music? |
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| + | From the [[13th century]] the word lai seems to have shifted meaning, and instead applied to a long narrative poem. |
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| − | Evidence from Lay of [[Graelant]] (trans. Weingartner) |
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| + | ==Performance== |
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| + | Ample literary evidence points to lays traditionally being accompanied by music, for instance the following excerpt from Lay of [[Graelant]] (trans. Weingartner) |
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| + | Further evidence comes from the ''[[fabliau]] de Richeut'', the ''[[Roman de la rose]]'', the ''[[Roman de Brut]]'' and even from the prologue to the [[Franklin's Tale]] from Chaucer's [[Canterbury Tales]]. |
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| + | [[Category:poetry]] |
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