The appearance of the snake in Guillem de Torroella’s «La faula»: folklore, politics and literary technique

Abstract

Abstract: Guillem de Torroella, who probably lived between 1350 and 1375, was a Majorcan nobleman involved in the collapse of the autonomous kingdom, reintegrated into the Catalan-Aragonese crown. He writes a story in verse (1265 lines, according to the only manuscript that contains the text in full: 938 in Catalan and 327 in French). This story is La faula, which tells the author’s journey on the back of a whale to the Enchanted Island. There, Guillem meets a snake, that will reveal to him how Arthur found refuge there after the Battle of Salisbury. One can identtify local folk sources (in the Girona area) for the snake, and his words in French are a further indication of the possible political intent of the literary text.

Key words: Medieval Catalan literature, Medieval French Literature, Arthurian legend, Guillem de Torroella, animals that talk, snake, folk Sources, Political Meaning.