L’eroe nell’abisso: il silenzio del cavaliere nei romanzi arturiani antico-francesi / The Hero in the Abyss: The Knight’s Silence in Old French Arthurian Romances

The article investigates the significance of silence in Old French Arthurian romances, particularly in the works of Chrétien de Troyes, highlighting how silence acts as a powerful tool for chivalric endurance and heroic empowerment. Through analysis, it is shown that silence is not merely the absence of sound, but a narrative element rich in symbolism. In Arthurian romances, the absence of acoustic stimuli is linked to the knight’s inner contemplation and ecstatic dimension, serving as a catalyst for the heroic adventure. In this perspective, silence reveals itself as a means through which knights con- front and overcome challenges. The article also explores the contrast between medieval and modern perceptions of silence, emphasizing how, in the pre-modern context, it was valued as a space for spir- itual connection and reflection, crucial for the knight’s heroic ascent. From this viewpoint, analyzing silence allows for a deeper understanding of medieval imagery and symbolism, proving to be a key interpretive tool in the evolution of heroic character in Arthurian romances.