The invention of Arthurian entrelacement and diagrammatic chronicles

Between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, an innovative storytelling system known as entrelacement or interlace technique emerged within the context of Arthurian romances originating in Northern France. This new narrative method, destined to wield a significant influence on the European literary tradition from the likes of Thomas Malory and Ludovico Ariosto to the present day, remains a pivotal turning point in literary history. This paper investigates into the origins, motives, and cultural context of entrelacement. Following an examination of key critical contributions to the subject, the author proposes a connection between the ‘invention’ of entrelacement and a paradigm shift within historiographic thought. Specifically, the paper highlights connections with the Latin ‘diagrammatic chronicles’, which were widespread during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries as integral components of the curricular readings for clerics and theology students.