Sir Degrevant is a Middle English romance composed in the late 14th or early 15th century. The work survives in two complete manuscript copies (Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. 7320; and Cambridge, University Library MS. Ff. 2.45) and a fragmentary third. It is written in rhyme couplets of iambic tetrameter and comprises approximately 3,400 lines.
Synopsis
The narrative follows Sir Degrevant, a noble knight who arrives at the manor of the wealthy but hostile family of the de Thokys. Seeking to avenge an affront to his honor, Degrevant engages in a series of martial confrontations, culminating in a tournament and a series of duels. After a protracted feud, a reconciliation is achieved through marriage: Degrevant weds the daughter of his adversary, thereby restoring peace between the families.
Literary Context
Sir Degrevant belongs to the corpus of Middle English romances that emphasize chivalric ideals, feudal conflict, and courtly love. It shares thematic elements with contemporaneous works such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Le Morte d'Arthur in its portrayal of knightly virtue and the resolution of discord through marriage. The romance also reflects the social concerns of its period, particularly the tension between local gentry and the emerging mercantile class.
Manuscript Tradition
The two principal manuscripts are both illuminated and date from the early 15th century. Variation between the copies suggests a degree of textual fluidity typical of the period's transmission practices. Modern editors have produced critical editions based on these sources, providing normalized spelling and glosses for archaic terms.
Critical Reception
Scholars have noted the romance's relatively straightforward plot compared to more complex contemporaneous works. Its emphasis on legal and contractual resolution—through marriage and settlement—has been interpreted as reflective of evolving notions of property and alliance in late medieval England. The text is frequently studied in the context of Middle English narrative poetry and the development of the romance genre.