"Twelfth-century French poet Chretien de Troyes was one of the most influential figures in Western literature, for his romantic poems on the legend of King Arthur gave rise to a tradition of storytelling that continues to this day. This book is a study of all of Chretien's work: Erec and Enide, Cliges, Yvain: The Knight of the Lion, Lancelot: The Knight of the Cart, and Perceval: The Tale of the Grail." "Joseph J. Duggan organizes the organizes the book in chapters that focus on major issues in Chretien's romances rather than on individual works."--BOOK JACKET.