Il romanzo arturiano tra verso e prosa. Lo Chevalier aux deux épées e le sue fonti

My research project is focused on analysing the Chevalier aux deux épées, a thirteenth-century Arthurian verse romance that has been handed down from a unique medieval manuscript (Paris, BnF, fr. 12603), and studying its sources. The Chevalier aux deux épées has not yet received the critical attention it deserves, nor have its connections with prose romances been adequately explored, starting from the Suite du Roman de Merlin (Post-Vulgate Suite), the Queste del Saint Graal, and the Arthurian compilation known as Yvain en prose or Le Livre d’Yvain. By studying this group of texts, it is possible to delve into the debate between verse and prose, one of the most relevant issues of contemporary reflection on the development of the forms and genres of the literary history of medieval France. The research aims to conduct a thorough, philological examination of the textual tradition, with particular emphasis on intertextuality, hallmark of medieval literary works. The investigation of the sources of the romance is complemented by a new interpretative study of the Chevalier aux deux épées, aiming to highlight the richness of the numerous Arthurian themes and motifs embedded within the text.