Geoffrey of Monmouth’s De gestis Britonum and Twelfth-Century Romance

Abstract

The proto-romance features of the work of Geoffrey of Monmouth and early Anglo-Norman vernacular historians are explored, in particular Gaimar and Wace. The rise of the 'romans d'antiquite' is charted, and their stylistic and thematic influence on the arthurian romance is analysed. This influence is shown to extend to vernacular Bruts (rewritings of Geoffrey's work). Particular attention is given to important remnants of broader narratives dating from the late 12th and early 13th centuries: the Becker fragment, the Harley Brut (London, British Library, Harley 1605 and Harley 4733), the Royal Brut (London, British Library, Royal 13A.xxi)and the Munich Brut (Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Gall. 29).