Dinadan
| Dinadan | |
|---|---|
Daniel | |
| Nationality | Cornish |
Dinadan
Medieval literature
Dinadan is a knight from
Like Palamedes and Lamorak, Dinadan was introduced in the 13th-century Prose Tristan, a variation of the Tristan and Iseult legend. He also featured in subsequent retellings, such as the Post-Vulgate Cycle and Thomas Malory's well-known work Le Morte d'Arthur (in "The Book of Sir Tristan"). Additionally, he appeared in lesser-known romances like Escanor, where his deep skepticism towards women serves as a comedic theme,[1] and certain versions of Les Prophéties de Merlin.
Le Morte d'Arthur
Malory's portrayal of Dinadan emphasizes his cynical humor and inclination towards mocking
According to Joyce Coleman, "Margaret Schlauch praises the 'courtly realism' depicted in Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, especially highlighting 'the comically realistic Sir Dinadan', whose humorous remarks about his fear of jousting leave his audience laughing so hard they can barely stay seated. 'Sir Dinadan, the realist' [Elizabeth Edwards], described as the 'rational moralist' governed by a 'pragmatic creed' [Donald Hoffman], remains a central figure in Malorian analysis."[2] Conversely, other scholars such as Eugène Vinaver and Harold Livermore view the humor of Malory's Dinadan as inferior to that found in his French source material, where Dinadan's jokes are seen as more offensive and subversive, even addressing taboo subjects like religion.[3]
In Le Morte d'Arthur, following the Prose Tristan narrative, Dinadan tragically meets his end after returning from Cornwall, hoping to persuade
La Tavola Ritonda
In La Tavola Ritonda, a late medieval Italian rewrite of the Prose Tristan, Dinadan (Dinadano) himself attempts to murder the captured Mark (Marco) in revenge for the death of his dear friend Tristan (Tristano). In this version, Brehu the Merciless (Breus sanz Pietà) is actually his cousin. Unlike other portrayals, this version of Dinadan is depicted as a violent misogynist who harbors deep animosity towards women, including Tristan's beloved Iseult (Isotta), whom he openly insults as a "whore".[4][5] The only time Dinadan falls in love with a woman is during his brief affair with the evil Losanna of the Ancient Tower (Losanna della Torre Antica). This affair causes him to turn against Tristan, who fights to save Losanna's rival Tessina (whom Dinadan also disparagingly calls a "whore"). Dinadan's typically hostile attitude towards women earns him friendly mockery from Tristan, including a comical episode where Tristan, after Dinadan refuses to marry a daughter of Espinogres (here portrayed as a king, but in Malory's version a knight who is a companion of Tristan and Dinadan), enters Dinadan's room at night pretending to be the daughter, madly in love with him.
Modern fiction
Dinadan has appeared in modern adaptations such as the stage version and film adaptation of the musical Camelot. In the original 1960 Broadway production, he was portrayed by John Cullum, while Anthony Rogers played the role in the 1967 film version. Additionally, Dinadan is the main character in Gerald Morris' 2003 novel The Ballad of Sir Dinadan,[6] and is featured in the chapter "Sir Dinadan the Humorist" in Mark Twain's 1890 work A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.[7]
See also
- Dagonet, the court jester of King Arthur
- Sancho Panza
Notes
- ^ Alternative forms of his name in various texts and manuscripts include Dinadam, Dinadano, Dinaden, Dinadem, Dinadeira, Divdan, Dynadan and Dynadam.
References
- ^ a b Brook, Leslie. "Demons and Angels: Female Portrayal in Escanor" (PDF). www.reading.ac.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- JSTOR 10.7722/j.ctt820cc.
- JSTOR 27868608.
- JSTOR 10.7722/j.ctt81fpd.
- ISSN 1096-746X. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- ISBN 9780547349848.
- ^ "Chapter 4: "Sir Dinadan the Humorist" | A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court | Mark Twain". etc.usf.edu. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
External links
- Dinadan at The Camelot Project
- Dinadan Archived 28 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine at Nighbringer.se
