Schouder aan schouder. Over de droom van Ysabele in de Roman van Walewein

Abstract

The Dutch Arthurian romance Walewein contains an intriguing dream passage in which the character Ysabele describes a handsome knight with on his shoulders the image of a maiden, wearing a coat of armor made from the hide of a lion and wielding in his hand a fire-breathing serpent. This article offers a theoretical explanation for the origin of these elements and their possible connection to the theme of kingship in the romance, suggesting the imagery was possibly inspired by the description of King Arthur in the Latin chronicle Historia Brittonum.