The Hermit in Arthurian Romance (c.1170-1530)

Kennedy, Angus J. (1969) The Hermit in Arthurian Romance (c.1170-1530). PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The enormous vogue of popularity enjoyed by the Hermit-Saint in mediaeval literature has not attracted a great deal of attention on the part of critics. It is the purpose of this thesis to explore the Hermit's role in one of the main narrative genres, French Arthurian Romance, from about 1170 down to the sixteenth century. The Hermit's popularity in literature immediately prompts one important question: why this fascination in literature with hermits and eremitical ideals at a time when society was also glorifying, in the songs of the troubadours and the romances of courtly love, an ideal of happiness firmly based on the Joys of the world? By tracing the development of the eremitical ideal, from its beginnings in the East in the first few centuries of our era to its flowering in the Middle Ages, Chapter One shows how the Hermit's vogue in literature embodies some of the great aspirations of mediaeval Christian spirituality, and illustrates in particular a contemporary current of fervent piety, strict asceticism and contempt for the world, which is no less characteristic of the Middle Ages than the more widely-known ideals of courtly love. Chapter Two gives a comprehensive and detailed account of the Hermit's role in French Arthurian literature. It is shown that in general the Hermit is given a two-fold role to play. On the one hand, he plays the part of a minor utility-figure, who performs a whole variety of services for knight-errantry. This is above all the part he is given to play in the verse romances and in the long sections of the prose romances devoted to adventure, Jousting and love. This role is not always unimportant, and is sometimes made to contribute something to the structure and spirit of each romance. On the other hand, and more important by far, the Hermit plays a prominent part as the spiritual guide of the knights, acting as the spokesman for the author's didactic purposes, and commenting on a wide variety of topics. Here the most interesting point is the way in which the Hermit's role is used to put forward the true aims of ideal chivalry. It is when the Hermit is given this part to play - as he is in the Grail texts and the Perceforest - that his fortunes reach their high-point in French Arthurian romance. In these texts the Hermit's persistent attempt to christianise the warrior-class makes his role of interest not only to the Arthurian specialist but also to anyone studying the aspirations of mediaeval chivalry. Chapter Three examines in detail the literary portrait of the solitary. It is shown to include (a) traditional elements deriving from the Vitae Patrum (portrayal of the Hermit as a ''venerabilis senex", Hermits as guides, counsellors, prophets and healers, their relationship with the animal world, with the supernatural, their spiritual life); (b) a number of elements that reflect contemporary reality (social origins of hermits, motivation behind their retreat to solitude, the development of ''congregations" of hermits); (c) "Arthurian" elements (influence of the courtly ideal, the Hermit as a denizen of the enchanted world of Logres). The portrait is thus a blending of tradition, realism and fantasy. Chapter Four returns to the Hermit's role as a didactic figure in Chretien's Conte du Graal, parts of the Continuations, the Didot-Perceval, the Perlesvaus, the Queste and the Perceforest. Broadly speaking, one can say that the Hermit's interventions in these texts have two points in common: on the one hand, they condemn certain aspects of worldly chivalry, and on the other seek to inspire chivalry with specifically Christian objectives. The two main points singled out for condemnation are indiscriminate violence and the sin of carnality ("luxure"); the positive ideals put forward vary from romance to romance, ranging from the basic Christian duties taught by the Hermit in Chretien's Conte du Graal to the mystical,, ascetic doctrines of the Queste, and the more rational, less doctrinaire spirit of the Perceforest, from the condemnation of needless brutality in the Continuations and the Didot-Perceval to the militant glorification of crusading chivalry in the Perlesvaus. ''Religious" Chivalry is thus shown not to be a completely uniform concept, but one that is subject to constant variations, modifications and shifts of emphasis. Chapter Five examines this same fusion of religion and chivalry, but from a different point of view. It is possible to detect in the hermit-scenes, not only the attempt to preach the Christian faith, but also the persistence of a caste-spirit that betrays itself at every turn. The knight's willingness to entrust his spiritual direction to the Hermit (a person with whom he has strong psychological and social ties), the unfolding of the Grail mysteries by the Hermit-Knight, the marked concern to stress the distinction of the lineage to which both knight and Hermit belong, the enthusiastic welcome reserved at each hermitage for knight-errantry in particular all betray the feeling that a kind of moral and social supremacy attaches to the function of the professional warrior. What clearly emerges from this study of the Hermit's role is that much of Arthurian romance glorifies and exalts the chivalric class as well as the basic truths of the Christian faith.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities
• Supervisor's Name: Supervisor, not known
• Date of Award: 1969
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1969-85749
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 04 Feb 2026 10:24
• Last Modified: 04 Feb 2026 10:33
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.85749
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/85749