The legend of Tristan and Iseult is an influential romance and tragedy, retold in numerous sources with as many variations. The tragic story of the adulterous love between the Cornish knight Tristan (Tristram) and the Irish princess Iseult (Isolde, Yseut, etc.), the narrative predates and most likely influenced the Arthurian romance of Lancelot and Guinevere, and has had a substantial impact on Western art and literature since it first appeared in the twelfth century. While the details of the story differ from one author to another, the overall plot structure remains much the same. The cosmic theme of conflict between good and evil, betrayal and loyalty, self-interest and selflessness, both externally and internally, as the best and the worst within heroes and struggles for dominance, is never far from the reader's mind. In different forms, as drama, opera, poetry, and prose, the tale has had an enduring attraction and has long since taken its place as a classic within the European literary heritage.
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