he Court form was the more popular of the two. For this reason most modern texts maintain this elevated portrayal of the characters and events. The main court tales are listed in the progression at right. They are listed by date (or estimated date). This progression does not reflect a specific development of the text, but merely their chronological order.

homas of Britian's tale, Tristan portrays the highly courtly style at an early time; unfortunately, the tale is fragmentary. The Gottfried Tristan is also fragmentary, but draws heavily from Thomas's text. Luckily, the portions missing in the Gottfried are the passages found in the Thomas and visa versa. The two therefore make a rather interesting courtly romance. Most of the later courtly tales use these two influential works as a model.

f these the Prose Tristan is the most important simply because it is the first real seamless integration of the Tristan Romance into Arthurian lore. In it Tristan is a great friend of Lancelot -- the two are considered the greatest knights in the realm. Tristan is an honored member of the Round Table who participates in the Grail quest. The work is also interesting because Mark is no longer just an idiot cuckold; he is an out and out villian.

alory draws heavily form the Prose Tristan in his book of Sir Tristram. He is perhaps the first writer, however, to make the metaphorical connection between the love triangle of Mark/Tristan/Isolde and that of Arthur/Lancelot/Guinevere. This is not to say that connections were not made before Malory's work; it can be argued, however, that Malory makes the connection more deliberate, and condeming. The affair of Tristan and Isolde in Malory is very petty, lustful and not particularly romantic. The tale is also complicated by the fragmentary nature of the Book of Tristram. Often times the reader is left wonder what is happening, and sometimes knights come back from the dead as if they were never slain (many critics would say that the entire Morte Darthur exhibits this fragmentary nature, but none could argue that the clearest instance of it -- if such a thing can be said -- lies in the Tristram.)

he Common versions are far fewer in number due to lack of popularity. Perhaps many more common tales existed with a Tristan and Isolde theme, but because of the costs involved in producing a written text in those times -- costs that were very substantial -- fewer common tales were recorded to paper (or vellum as the case may be).

he Common tales are somewhat more 'fun' than the courtly, and sometimes involve a sort of fabliau ending or development. Some of the largest variations to the story occur in the Common tales; nothing is sacred. In the Beroul, for example, the potion only lasts for three years. Tristan and Isolde are banished to a rough life in the woods when the 3 years wind down. Their first realization is not that they have shamed themselves, their uncle/husband and the entire court of Cornwall, but rather that they really miss the warm comforts of a castle. They think immediately of their lost possessions! In this way, the common tales offer more commentary on the affair, and on society in general, which can make them a far more interesting read.