Tristan and Iseult
One aspect of the common branch that differentiates them significantly from the courtly branch is their depiction of the lovers' time in exile from Mark's court. While the courtly branch describe Tristan and Iseult as sheltering in a "Cave of Lovers" and living in happy seclusion, thus keeping with the tradition of courtly and chivalric writing, the common branches emphasize the extreme suffering that Tristan and Iseult endure. In the common branch, the exile is a true punishment that highlights the couple's departure from courtly norms and emphasizes the impossibility of their romance.