Guillaume d'Angleterre

Guillaume d'Angleterre (German: Wilhelm von England ) is a verse tale that was written around 1175 by an otherwise unknown author named Chrestien. The long-standing doctrine that this is identical to the well-known Chrétien de Troyes seems to be incorrect.

The central figure is a (not historical) English king who, after a vision, leaves the country and the throne and sets off into the unknown, together with his wife Gracieuse, who shortly afterwards gives birth to twins. A little later, the four people are separated, whereupon the author tells their fates in four successive storylines: Guillaume becomes a businessman's assistant and can get rich in the process; Gracieuse is married to an old king whom she inherits; the sons enter the service of a neighboring king as young squires. In the end, through a miraculous coincidence, all four find themselves again, after which Guillaume can return to his old position with his wife and sons.

literature

• Jean-Pierre de Beaumarchais, Daniel Couty (eds.): Dictionnaire des œuvres littéraires de langue française. 4 vols. Paris 1994.