Tristan Chapter Summary & Analysis | The Cave of Lovers, Discovery, The Parting, and Isolde of the White Hands

The Cave of Lovers, Discovery, The Parting, and Isolde of the White Hands Summary

In "The Cave of Lovers," Tristan and Isolde are as happy as they have ever been, since it is a place Gottfried describes as having been built as a cathedral to love, symbolizing and accommodating all of the best and most noble aspects of love in the ancient days when lovers had to hide from giants. They send Curvenal back to court to spread the word that the two of them returned to Ireland to assure that country of their innocence; they also have Curvenal assure Bragnane of their continuing love and friendship for her. Gottfried describes the freedom in which the lovers live there and devotes a large section to describing the symbolism of the elements of the cave, describing simplicity that eliminates cunning, breadth to symbolize the power of love, height to symbolize its aspiration to the best of human behavior, the crown at its height...
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