María Cruz

Essay week 9
Geoff Lehman

4. Is the love potion in Gottfriedʼs Tristan to be understood primarily as a

magical object or as a literary device? Substantiate your interpretation and
discuss its implications for our understanding of the story by referring to
specific passages in the text.

One should understand the love potion in Gottfriedʼs Tristan primarily as a literary

device. It is a tool used to explain a sudden change in the main charactersʼ essential way

of behaving. This particular literary device is found within a context of multiple magical

objects that work in the same way: they allow the narrator to take a specific thread of

action, as well as inserting different twists and turns in the story.

At the beginning of the story, Tristán is led to Ireland to be taken care off on account

of a very serious injury caused by Morold (Tristan, p. 134). Hadnʼt it been for the terrible

poison his enemy used, Tristán would have never met fair Isolde, since her mother was

the only one with the power to cure him. This doesnʼt specifically have to be considered a

magic element, but the description Morold gives of her sister certainly positions her as a

kind of witch. We later go on to learn that she does have some practices that go beyond

reason: with her “secret arts” she manages to find the truth about the real dragon slayer

(Tristan, p. 164); and she then prepared the love potion (Tristan, p. 192). Other magic

objects are the dragon Tristan fights in Ireland, the little dog Petitcreiu and its bell that

cleaned out sorrows, to name a few. All of these elements have different functions in the

narrative of this story, which could be more or less obvious to the reader. For instance,

many enable the encounter of the characters in a specific situation. One of these magic

elements that may pose the most questions is the little dog Petitcreiu. This really weird -

but at the same time, extremely cute- creature was sent “by a goddess from the fairy land

of Avalon as a token of love and affection” (Trs., p. 249). This colorful animal has a golden

chain with a sweet and cleat bell that would rid anyone of their sorrows.
 “The tinkling of the bell was so sweet that none could hear it without its

banishing his cares and putting an end to his pain. Tristan saw and listened to

this marvel of marvels, he studied and observed both the dog and its bell, and

examined each in turn - the dog and its wonderful coat, the bell and its sweet

music. They both filled him with wonder.” (Trs., p. 250.)

At this point, Tristan cannot decide what amuses him the most: the creature or the

chain. In any case, this supernatural animal (which doesnʼt bark, doesnʼt show any sign of

vice, doesnʼt eat or drink, but is cheerful and alive) has special powers that no human

could ever dream of having himself. Tristan is terribly immersed in his sorrow, and yet he

manages to forget all that when keeping company with Petitcreiu. What could be the

narrative function this creature has in the story? From my point of view, it only reinforces

the most powerful magical element of all: the love potion. No matter how relieved Tristan

feels with the little dog, all he wants is to send it as a gift to Isolde and mitigate her pain.

He even goes through terrible danger to obtain that dog. Furthermore, after killing the

giant, Gilan offers a change of terms for the pledge they had agreed: he would give him his

sister in marriage, and half his possessions! (Trs., p. 254.) However, Tristan turns this

down. He was given an opportunity to start a new life, far from Markʼs court, with fortune

and a graceful woman. He could have regained his lost honor. But Tristan doesnʼt want

any of this, he can only think of getting Petitcreiu for Isolde. The love they have for each

other is still much stronger than any other value he ever learnt. Furthermore, when the little

dog finally reaches Isoldeʼs arms, it barely fulfills its destiny: however well the magic bell

made her forget her sorrows, Isolde could only think of her inability to rejoice when she

was far away from a suffering Tristan. In other words, the magic works perfectly well, but

the love potion is stronger.

 These two magical objects -the little dog that cures deep sorrows and the love

potion- are the most important ones in the medieval realm of wonderful items: they both

have a full chapter only on that subject, and are vastly described. The first serves the

purpose of enhancing the meaning of the second. A comparison of all the magic objects

may be a very interesting task, but subject of a different study, more properly one where

the nature of Middle Age narrative is the main question. It should suffice to say that of all,

the love potion is the most important literary device, since it embodies love itself, and tries

to explain it as a transcendental force. The meaning of this element in the text is not

obvious, hence it frames it in a magical context, where not every action can be so

rationally explained. This gives room to a series of interpretations.

From my point of view, Trstan and Isolde fall in love before they drink the potion. One

can find many reasons in the text to justify this. When he first meets his enemyʼs family, he

is commended with young Isoldeʼs education (Trs., p. 145), and brings up a very graceful

girl. She moves to compassion any heart that hears her singing, and all the manners and

fine practices she has, she took from Tristan. They both have reasons to fall in love with

each other: Isolde may have felt for his gifts, for admiration; Tristan most probably couldnʼt

avoid the charming effects of her grace.

“The song which she sang openly in this and other places was her own sweet

singing and soft sounding of strings that echoed for all to hear through the

kingdom of the ears deep down into the heart. But her secret song was her

wondrous beauty that stole with its rapturous music hidden and unseen through

the windows of the eyes into many noble hearts and smoothed on the magic

which took thoughts prisoners suddenly, and, taking them, fettered them with

desire!” (Trs., p. 148)

 How could Tristan escape this rapturing beauty? They shared intimate moments, and

this feeling is harder to scape if one takes into consideration that both correspond each

other. However, nothing could take place between them. Tristan is a knight, and he honors

the values that make him such. He would only admire a lady in a poetic way, never hope to

engage in a physical relation with her. Besides, he couldnʼt even think of falling in love with

the woman whose uncle he killed. Nonetheless, despite the many drawbacks, they do fall

in love. And this happens before they drink the potion. We get a peep of this when Tristan

goes back to King Markʼs court and describes her for him: her beauty is like no other,

“radiant, dazzling Isolde” who “shines like gold of Araby” has already taken his heart (Trs.,

p. 150). Her ability to charm a man goes beyond any necessary personal encounter, like

would be the case with any other earthly woman. This is seen in Markʼs words about her:

“Tristan has made me think of her a great deal. [...]. She has been much in my

thoughts since he praised her to me. As a result of such reveries, I, too, forgetful

of all others, have become so obsessed with her that, if I cannot have her, I will

marry no other, I swear by God and my life!” (Trs., p. 153).

In this quote, two things stand out. Firstly, the kingʼs words confirm that Tristan had

feelings for her, and thought very highly of her. Secondly, if Isoldeʼs beauty is so powerful

that the king neednʼt meet her to already want her, how could Tristan avoid falling in love

with her? This only confirms what was stated before.

It could be the case that Isolde was not in love with Tristan when he was hosted by

her family the first time. However, from my view, this happens the second time the knight

visits her home to get her hand in marriage. From my view, Isolde does not kill Tristan

when he is taking a bath because her feelings are revealed to her when she looks at him

in the eyes (Trs., p. 176). She cannot slay him because she is in love with him.
 How does the love potion fit in this story, then? Hatto tells us that older versions of

Tristan have the potionʼs effect die after three or four years (Trs., p. 8). It has been said

that the potion was in fact poison; also, that it was plain water. In any case, the magic

liquid is there, and it is important to see why.

From my point of view, the potion is an attempt to explain the overpowering force of

love, that transcends any human will to act freely. Love in Tristan is presented as a

supernatural force that changes everything. The magic element in this narrative can very

be paired with the irrational: the characters act in ways they can not explain in reasonable

ways, almost every time they know they shouldnʼt be doing something, but they cannot

help it, they are victims of their feelings. The commonly known characteristics of magic are

quite a fine literary resource to explain this. Both Tristan and Isolde do not want to fall for

each other, but they cannot help it, they are overtaken by their feelings.

“When Tristan felt the stirrings of love he at once remembered loyalty and

honour, and strove to turn away. ʻNo, leave it Tristanʼ, he was continually

thinking to himself, ʻpull yourself together, do not take any notice of it. But his

heart was impelled towards her. He was striving against his own wishes,

desiring against his desire. [...]. Captive that he was, he tried all that he knew in

the snare, over and over again, and long maintained his efforts.” (Trs., 195).

They rationally understand they shouldnʼt go that way, but itʼs beyond their capacities

to do something about it. Isolde even regrets not having killed Tristan when she had the

chance, because she loves him and also feels her desires clashing against each other

(Trs., 199).

It seems Tristan and Isolde were swept by a flowing of love, a force that lifted them

up the air and disabled them to do anything they could have done with their feet on the
ground. However these words may have vestiges of the overflowing of christian love,

Gottfried von Strassburg is suggesting a very different form of love in his retelling of

Tristan. Because, on the one hand, yes the two people involved are taken by a force that

transcends them; yet on the other hand this feeling of love is domesticated, egoistic, down

to earth, and doesnʼt show any desire or intention to reach God or something higher than

their own existence. Both lovers can only love each other, and they die because there is

nothing else for them to do.

“She takes him in her arms and then, lying at full length, she kisses his face and

lips and clasps him tightly to her. Then, straining body to body, mouth to mouth,

she at once renders up her spirit and of sorrow for her lover dies thus at his

side. Tristran died of his longing, Ysolt because she could not come in time.

Tristran died for his love; fair Ysolt because of tender pity. Here Thomas ends

his book”. (Trs., p. 353).

Their mouths were tied even at death, their bodies always lay side by side. They

couldnʼt move anywhere, they couldnʼt transcend their existence because they were

complete in each otherʼs arms.

This form of love could be seen as negative. However, the characters of this story are

not despised by the readers, they are pitied. In my view, there is a profound understanding

by the readers of what they go through. This takes us to another function of the potion as a

literary device: by using this trick, the characters are not completely responsible for their

actions. This is what enables the reader to feel sympathy for them, and eventually,

generate an understanding over the topic of love. One should also take into account that,

however controversial Tristan and Isoldeʼs behavior is, the narrator puts God on their side

several times. This means that these characters are not to be hated, they are just victims
of a power that overtakes them. This is what the love potion is trying to make us

comprehend. After all, the nature of love is more often than not very intricate; it is more

than reasonable to resort to sorcery to try and describe it.