Isn’t It Romantic?
The Arthurian romance genre developed in the Middle Ages, usually comprising a tale of adventure featuring a love interest, often associated with the courtly love tradition of that time. Different from the traditional ‘romance’ genre, these aren’t love stories, but stories of noble heroes with the focus being on honour and bravery, with love as a secondary plot. Tales that included the quests of knights-errant can often be categorised as Arthurian romances, as they seek justice in return for the favour of the lady of their desires.Cutest Couples
There are plenty of examples of romantic pairings in Arthurian legend who were definitely hit by Cupid’s arrow, and often killed by it too. One of these passionate pairs was Tristan and Isolde, and their tale includes a tragic love triangle for the ages. Tristan was one of the Knights of the Round Table, tasked with sailing to Ireland to bring back his uncle Mark’s bride—who just so happened to be Isolde. On the way back, they both drank a love potion (some versions describe this act as accidental) and fell hard for each other. Isolde still had to marry Mark to bring about peace between Ireland and Cornwall, so Tristan and Isolde began an adulterous affair. Ultimately, the two did not end up together, and thus this tale ends in tragedy.