Cligès

Lore & Background

Cligès has come down through seven manuscripts and various fragments. The poem comprises 6,664 octosyllables in rhymed couplets. Prose versions also exist since at least the 15th century. Chrétien used many Latin writing techniques such as nature topos, portraiture, conjointure, amplificato, and interpretatio to convey a realistic romance story.

The poem can be divided into two parts: the first story consists of Cligès's father's adventures, and the second consists of Cligès's adventures. Scholar Z. P. Zaddy supports this dual story approach and further divides the text into eight episodes to make it read more dramatically. The opening lines of Cligès give some of the only extant information on the creator's biography and earlier work.

Another version of the romance is a Middle High German version known from a few fragments and references. In the 15th century, an unknown Burgundian author created a prose version under the title Le Livre de Alixandre Empereur de Constentinoble et de Cligés Son Filz, which differs from the original in several aspects and is thought to have been adapted to the cultural and political circumstances of the Burgundian court.

Reader's Guide

Cligès is significant as the second of Chrétien de Troyes' five Arthurian romances and as a work that employs sophisticated Latin rhetorical techniques to create a realistic romance. Scholars have analyzed the poem for its ironic presentation of chivalric character: Norris J. Lacy argues that Chrétien uses the story to throw doubt on the value and validity of courtliness, as Cligès masters social forms without substance. D. Nelson examines Fenice's morality, noting that despite her happy ending, she fails to avoid the reputation of Iseut and is remembered as a sinner who must atone—a view supported by readers' approval of her torture by three doctors. Lucie Polak sees the text as a reworking of Tristan and Isolde and suggests Cligès may be modeled on Narcissus. The poem's opening lines provide rare biographical information about Chrétien. Its legacy includes a Middle High German version and a 15th-century Burgundian prose adaptation that reflects contemporary court culture.

Did You Know?

• Cligès is the second of Chrétien de Troyes' five Arthurian romances, dating from around 1176.
• The poem comprises 6,664 octosyllables in rhymed couplets and survives in seven manuscripts and various fragments.
• Scholar Z. P. Zaddy divides the text into two stories split into eight episodes for dramatic effect.
• The opening lines of Cligès provide some of the only extant information on Chrétien de Troyes' biography and earlier work.

Composition, Structure, and Poetic Craft

Cligès occupies the second position in Chrétien de Troyes's cycle of five Arthurian romances, following Erec and Enide and preceding Yvain, Lancelot, and Perceval. Composed around 1176, the poem survives in seven manuscripts along with scattered fragments, totaling 6,664 lines written in octosyllabic rhymed couplets. What distinguishes Chrétien's craft here is his deliberate borrowing of Latin rhetorical strategies—nature topos, portraiture, conjointure, amplificatio, and interpretatio—lending the romance a texture of realism that sets it apart from the work of his contemporaries. Scholars have long noted that the text functions almost as two separate narratives: the first traces the adventures of Cligès's father, Alexander, while the second follows the title character's own journey. Z. P. Zaddy has pushed this structural reading further, proposing an eight-episode framework that splits both stories into smaller dramatic units, a division intended to heighten the narrative's theatrical impact and make the reading experience more dynamic.

Narrative Arc: From Alexander's Court to Cligès's Throne

The poem opens not with its title character but with his father, Alexander, son of the Greek emperor, who journeys to Britain, earns knighthood at Arthur's court, and helps retake Windsor Castle from the traitorous Count Angrès. There he falls for Arthur's niece Soredamors; Queen Guinevere encourages them to confess their feelings, and they marry, producing Cligès. Back in Greece, Alexander's brother Alis has claimed the throne. Alexander concedes the crown on the condition that Alis remain childless, securing the succession for his son. After Alexander dies, Alis marries Fenice, daughter of the German Emperor. Cligès, now in love with his uncle's wife, follows his father's path to Arthur's court, is knighted, and returns home. Fenice, sharing his passion, plots to feign a fatal illness using a potion from her governess so she can die and reunite with him. Three doctors are summoned, uncover the deception, and torture her to extract the truth. She stays silent until Cligès spiritedly removes her. They are later found in a tower by Bertrand, who alerts Alis. Cligès appeals to Arthur for help reclaiming his kingdom, but Alis dies in his absence. The lovers are finally free to marry, and Cligès ascends to the imperial throne.

Critical Interpretation and the Question of Morality

Scholars have long debated whether Cligès celebrates or undermines the ideals of courtly love. Norris J. Lacy, in Cligès and Courtliness, argues that Chrétien uses the romance as an ironic commentary on chivalric character: although Cligès masters the social forms and rhetoric of the court, his conduct lacks genuine moral substance. Lacy contends that Chrétien ultimately casts doubt on the validity of courtliness itself. D. Nelson extends this line of inquiry to Fenice, noting that despite her happy ending, her actions are far from virtuous. She fails to escape the shadow of Iseut—the adulteress she herself looks down upon—and instead presents as a woman who will go to any extreme to satisfy her passion. Nelson observes that readers heartily approve when the three doctors begin to hurt Fenice to uncover her plot, suggesting that the torture functions as a form of atonement for her immoral scheming. Lucie Polak offers a different lens, reading the text as a reworking of Tristan and Isolde while also proposing that Cligès may be modeled on the figure of Narcissus.

Transmission, Adaptation, and Legacy

Beyond its seven surviving manuscripts and various fragments, Cligès has a rich afterlife in adapted and translated forms. Prose versions of the romance have existed since at least the fifteenth century, the most notable being a Burgundian adaptation titled Le Livre de Alixandre Empereur de Constentinoble et de Cligés Son Filz, produced by an unknown author. This prose retelling diverges from Chrétien's original in several respects and appears to have been shaped to suit the cultural and political climate of the Burgundian court. A Middle High German version is also known from a handful of fragments and references, though it survives only in scattered form. Wendelin Foerster produced the first modern prose edition of the Burgundian text. The poem's opening lines remain valuable to scholars because they provide some of the only extant biographical information about Chrétien de Troyes and his earlier works. The romance has also been linked to the English tradition of Sir Cleges, suggesting a broader cross-Channel influence. Modern readers can access the text through Project Gutenberg editions and freely distributable PDF documents.