Literary cycle: Difference between revisions
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{{More citations needed|date=March 2023}} | {{More citations needed|date=March 2023}} | ||
A '''literary cycle''' is a group of stories focused on common figures, often (though not necessarily) based on mythical figures or loosely on historical ones. Cycles which deal with an entire country are sometimes referred to as '''matters'''. A fictional cycle is often referred to as a [[mythos]]. | A '''literary cycle''' is a group of stories focused on common figures, often (though not necessarily) based on mythical figures or loosely on historical ones. Cycles which deal with an entire country are sometimes referred to as '''matters'''. A fictional cycle is often referred to as a [[mythos]]. | ||
== Examples from folk and classical literature == | == Examples from folk and classical literature == | ||
=== Western Europe === | |||
==== The three great western cycles ==== | |||
* | Source:<ref>{{Cite news |last=Evans |first=Barry |date=25 October 2012 |title=King Arthur, Part 1: The Matter of Britain |url=https://www.northcoastjournal.com/lifeoutdoors/king-arthur-part-1-the-matter-of-britain-2166487 |access-date=2025-06-01 |work=North Coast Journal |language=en}}</ref> | ||
* '''The [[Matter of Britain]]''' (or the "Arthurian cycle"), which centers on [[King Arthur]] and the [[Knights of the Round Table]] | |||
** [[Historia Regum Britanniae]] | |||
** [[Lancelot-Grail|The Vulgate cycle]] (also known as the Lancelot-Grail) | ** [[Lancelot-Grail|The Vulgate cycle]] (also known as the Lancelot-Grail) | ||
** [[Post-Vulgate Cycle|The Post-Vulgate cycle]] | ** [[Post-Vulgate Cycle|The Post-Vulgate cycle]] | ||
* The [[Matter of France]] (or the "Carolingian cycle"), which centers on [[Charlemagne]] and the [[Paladin|Twelve Peers]] | |||
* '''The [[Matter of France]]''' (or the "Carolingian cycle"), which centers on [[Charlemagne]] and the [[Paladin|Twelve Peers]] | |||
** [[Chanson de geste|Chanson de Geste]] | ** [[Chanson de geste|Chanson de Geste]] | ||
*** [[La Geste de Garin de Monglane]] | *** [[La Geste de Garin de Monglane]] | ||
| Line 20: | Line 23: | ||
*** [[Crusade cycle]] | *** [[Crusade cycle]] | ||
**** [[Knight of the Swan]] | **** [[Knight of the Swan]] | ||
*'''The [[Matter of Rome]]''' (or the "cycle of Rome"), which centers on [[Julius Caesar]] and [[Alexander the Great]] | |||
**[[Alexander Romance]] | |||
*** ''[[Roman d'Alexandre|Roman d'Alixandre]]'' | |||
**[[Classical mythology]] | |||
***The [[Epic Cycle]] centering on the [[Trojan War]] | |||
****[[Roman de Troie]] | |||
****[[Aeneid]] ([[Roman d'Enéas]]) | |||
==== France ==== | |||
* The four [[troubadour]]s [[Bernart d'Auriac]], [[Pere Salvatge]], [[Roger Bernard III of Foix]], and [[Peter III of Aragon]] composed a cycle of four ''[[sirventes]]'' in the summer of 1285 concerning the [[Aragonese Crusade]]. | |||
* The [[Reynard cycle]], which centers on the fabular fox [[Reynard the Fox|Reynard]] | |||
==== Britain ==== | |||
* The [[Henriad]], the four plays of Shakespeare centered on Henry V. | * The [[Henriad]], the four plays of Shakespeare centered on Henry V. | ||
* | * The [[Nine Worthies]] | ||
* | * [[Geoffrey Chaucer|Geoffrey Chaucer's]] ''[[The Canterbury Tales]]'' | ||
* The [[Mythological Cycle]], which centers on the [[Celtic pantheon]] | ==== Germany ==== | ||
* [[Der Ring des Nibelungen]] (or the "Ring cycle", adapted from the [[Nibelungenlied]]), which centers on the Ring and the [[List of Germanic deities and heroes|Norse pantheon]] | |||
==== Ireland ==== | |||
* The [[Mythological Cycle]], which centers on the [[Celtic pantheon]] in [[Irish mythology]] | |||
* The [[Fenian Cycle]], which centers on [[Fionn mac Cumhaill]] and the [[Fianna]] | * The [[Fenian Cycle]], which centers on [[Fionn mac Cumhaill]] and the [[Fianna]] | ||
* The [[Cycle of the Kings]], which centers on the [[monarchy of Ireland]] | * The [[Cycle of the Kings]], which centers on the [[monarchy of Ireland]] | ||
* The [[Ulster Cycle]], which centers on [[Cú Chulainn]] and the [[Ulster|Kingdom of Ulster]] | * The [[Ulster Cycle]], which centers on [[Cú Chulainn]] and the [[Ulster|Kingdom of Ulster]] | ||
* The [[Mythological Cycle|Cycle of the Gods]], centering on the god-like [[Tuatha Dé Danann]] | * The [[Mythological Cycle|Cycle of the Gods]], centering on the god-like [[Tuatha Dé Danann]] | ||
=== Africa === | |||
* The [[Anansi]] tales, which center on the Ashanti of Ghana trickster spider-spirit Anansi, and its variations in the Americas as [[Ti Malice and Bouki]] in Haiti, [[Br'er Rabbit]] or John and Old Master in the [[Southern United States]]. | |||
=== Asia === | |||
==== Japan ==== | |||
* Two examples of Japanese cycles are: the Matter of Japan (''[[Kojiki]]'', ''[[Nihon Shoki]]'', etc.) and the Genji-Heike Cycle (''[[The Tale of the Heike]]'', ''[[Gikeiki]]'' about [[Minamoto no Yoshitsune]], etc.). | |||
* Also popular are the [[Soga Monogatari|Soga Brothers]] and [[Forty-seven rōnin|Forty-Seven Ronin]] cycles. | |||
==== India ==== | |||
* The [[Mahabharata]], the world's longest epic poem, many of whose stories deal with the lives of Indian mythological characters, most notably [[Krishna]] | |||
=== Middle East === | |||
* The [[Epic of Gilgamesh]], centering upon the demigod king [[Gilgamesh]] and [[Enkidu]] | |||
* The [[Baal Cycle]], which centers on the battle of [[Hadad|Ba'al Hadad]] against [[Yam (god)|Yam]] and [[Mot (god)|Mawat]] | * The [[Baal Cycle]], which centers on the battle of [[Hadad|Ba'al Hadad]] against [[Yam (god)|Yam]] and [[Mot (god)|Mawat]] | ||
* The [[ | |||
* [[Seven Wise Masters]] | * The tales of the [[One Thousand and One Nights]], brought together by the [[frame story]] of the tale of [[Scheherazade]] and [[Shahryār]]. | ||
* [[Nasreddin]] (1208-1285) is a character in the folklore of the [[Muslim world]] from [[Balkans|the Balkans]] to [[China]], and a hero of humorous short stories and satirical anecdotes.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hunziker |first1=Sara |title=Myth, Symbol, and Ritual: Elucidatory Paths to the Fantastic Unreality |date=2019 |publisher=University of Bucharest |isbn=978-6-061-61037-2 |editor1-last=Ramona |editor1-first=Mihaila |pages=357–361}}</ref> | |||
* The [[Shahnameh]] (or “The Book of Kings” ) and the legend of [[Arash the Archer]] as well as [[Avesta]] that make up most of the [[Persian Mythology]], namely, tales of heroes like [[Rostam]] and [[Esfandyar]] | |||
* The voyages of [[Sinbad the Sailor]], the hero of a cycle of tales of monsters, magical places, and supernatural phenomena met on his successive voyages. | |||
* The [[Seven Wise Masters]] | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
{{Reflist}} | {{Reflist}} | ||
{{Authority control}} | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Literary cycles}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Literary cycles}} | ||
[[Category:Literature lists|Cycles]] | [[Category:Literature lists|Cycles]] | ||
Latest revision as of 22:59, 6 July 2025
Template:Short description Template:More citations needed
A literary cycle is a group of stories focused on common figures, often (though not necessarily) based on mythical figures or loosely on historical ones. Cycles which deal with an entire country are sometimes referred to as matters. A fictional cycle is often referred to as a mythos.
Examples from folk and classical literature
Western Europe
The three great western cycles
Source:[1]
- The Matter of Britain (or the "Arthurian cycle"), which centers on King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
- Historia Regum Britanniae
- The Vulgate cycle (also known as the Lancelot-Grail)
- The Post-Vulgate cycle
- The Matter of France (or the "Carolingian cycle"), which centers on Charlemagne and the Twelve Peers
- The Matter of Rome (or the "cycle of Rome"), which centers on Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great
- Alexander Romance
- Classical mythology
- The Epic Cycle centering on the Trojan War
France
- The four troubadours Bernart d'Auriac, Pere Salvatge, Roger Bernard III of Foix, and Peter III of Aragon composed a cycle of four sirventes in the summer of 1285 concerning the Aragonese Crusade.
- The Reynard cycle, which centers on the fabular fox Reynard
Britain
- The Henriad, the four plays of Shakespeare centered on Henry V.
- The Nine Worthies
- Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales
Germany
- Der Ring des Nibelungen (or the "Ring cycle", adapted from the Nibelungenlied), which centers on the Ring and the Norse pantheon
Ireland
- The Mythological Cycle, which centers on the Celtic pantheon in Irish mythology
- The Fenian Cycle, which centers on Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna
- The Cycle of the Kings, which centers on the monarchy of Ireland
- The Ulster Cycle, which centers on Cú Chulainn and the Kingdom of Ulster
- The Cycle of the Gods, centering on the god-like Tuatha Dé Danann
Africa
- The Anansi tales, which center on the Ashanti of Ghana trickster spider-spirit Anansi, and its variations in the Americas as Ti Malice and Bouki in Haiti, Br'er Rabbit or John and Old Master in the Southern United States.
Asia
Japan
- Two examples of Japanese cycles are: the Matter of Japan (Kojiki, Nihon Shoki, etc.) and the Genji-Heike Cycle (The Tale of the Heike, Gikeiki about Minamoto no Yoshitsune, etc.).
- Also popular are the Soga Brothers and Forty-Seven Ronin cycles.
India
- The Mahabharata, the world's longest epic poem, many of whose stories deal with the lives of Indian mythological characters, most notably Krishna
Middle East
- The Epic of Gilgamesh, centering upon the demigod king Gilgamesh and Enkidu
- The Baal Cycle, which centers on the battle of Ba'al Hadad against Yam and Mawat
- The tales of the One Thousand and One Nights, brought together by the frame story of the tale of Scheherazade and Shahryār.
- Nasreddin (1208-1285) is a character in the folklore of the Muslim world from the Balkans to China, and a hero of humorous short stories and satirical anecdotes.[2]
- The Shahnameh (or “The Book of Kings” ) and the legend of Arash the Archer as well as Avesta that make up most of the Persian Mythology, namely, tales of heroes like Rostam and Esfandyar
- The voyages of Sinbad the Sailor, the hero of a cycle of tales of monsters, magical places, and supernatural phenomena met on his successive voyages.
- The Seven Wise Masters