I’m trying to write a scene about a tournament and it’s a bit of a stretch for me. That was an understatement. I tend to skim battle and fight scenes in books, and glaze over in the movie theatre, and now I find myself having to come up with something more interesting than “He hit him with his sword and then the other guy struck back and then…”
So while I’m procrastinating, I will offer you this interesting factoid I just learned. Did you know that our word “tournament” comes from the fact that, after the two jousting knight had made their initial charges towards each other on horseback, they had to quickly turn around, the “tournament,” to face each other and charge again? Imagine the challenge of halting the momentum of a galloping horse, heavy with armor-laden rider, and turning the animal in the opposite direction. The one who could do this with the most speed and skill had a definite advantage.
oh- I love this factoid! how bout trying to write a battle scene but not about the battle- maybe one fallen man and what he is seeing hearing as he lies there in a lump in the mud
Cool! I’d watch A Knight’s Tale for inspiration, if I were you. Ya know if rock music had existed at the time, they’d have used We Will Rock You!
What is the date of your tournament, Lucy? Anything as dramatic as the death of Henri II?
It’s Julianne’s fault: I see the Renaissance everywhere now.
What makes it difficult to write is that it is a very early tournament, around 1118, when a lot of the pomp and ritual we expect had not yet developed. So I am having to work backwards from what we know but imagine something quite different. I’m writing about the knight of individual jousting that precedes the grand melee the next day, and I need to have one character humiliate another. It’s going, but slowly.
Teresa, I’ve never seen A Knight’s Tale! I suspect I’d love it…
It is just so much FUN! When a lot of people were complaining it was totally ahistorical, some of the members on Mediev-l were saying that it really captures the spirit and atmosphere of the tournament circuit and the era in general. It’s a fairy tale with some amazing jousting scenes. I saw it twice on the big screen just for those. And then there’s James Purefoy and Paul Bettany (who is BRILLIANT as young Chaucer) – they’re the cherry on top 🙂
I second the recommendation of Knight’s Tale! Definitely not scholarly fare, but LOADS of fun.
Guess I’m doing my job right, if people are starting to think Renaissance….[s]