Pragmatics of Symbolism in Chrétien De Troyes’s Tristan and Iseult

This study proposes to find out the practical meaning of symbols in Tristan and Iseult, written by Chrétien de Troyes. It starts from the observation that the author codifies his work by the means of symbolism and that each symbol does not only summarize or hide a vast reality that sometimes escapes the reader; but also takes on a situational meaning which matches the context in which it appears; hence the hypothesis: the reading of a symbol is done in accordance with the environment to which it belongs. Thus, this study, which requires a rapprochement with biblical stories, revolves around the human body, nature and colors as specific elements of analysis. Key Words: practical signification, symbols, Tristan and Iseult, codify, environment, biblical stories.