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Erec

Arthurian Legend
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Erec: The hero of Chrétien de Troyes's "Erec and Enide," a knight who must restore his honor and reputation through a journey of love, adventure, and self-reclamation.

Detailed Definition
Erec, celebrated in medieval romance, is a noble knight whose marriage to Enide is tested when he withdraws from public deeds. Their journey together becomes a trial of trust, pride, and renewed courage. For poetry, Erec embodies the tension between domestic love and heroic reputation. His story suggests that honor is not a fixed ornament but a living virtue, recovered through hardship and mutual fidelity.
Example
Example in poetry:
Erec can symbolize the testing of love after marriage in a poem; A poet may adapt Erec’s withdrawal from knightly deeds to explore how comfort can weaken heroic purpose; “Erec woke from the velvet years and took up his spear” presents renewal through action; An Arthurian poem can use Erec and Enide to show that loyalty may survive hardship and silence.
Additional Notes
Erec, also called Erec and sometimes identified with Gereint in Welsh tradition, is a knight whose story centers on love, reputation, and renewal. After marrying Enide, he becomes so absorbed in domestic life that other knights question his valor. Their journey restores his public honor and tests their relationship, making the tale an important example of the romance pattern of departure, trial, and return.
Also Known As
Sir Erec Erek
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