Joseph Bédier (1864–1938) was a French philologist and historian who is well recognized for his work on medieval French literature. His most renowned contribution to the field is his reworking and popularization of the legendary tales of Tristan and Isolde through his book "Le Roman de Tristan et Iseut" (1900), which became a classic retelling of the Tristan and Iseult story. Bédier's version of the tale synthesized various medieval sources to create a cohesive narrative. Alongside his retellings, Bédier made significant academic contributions to the study of medieval texts, and he was a strong proponent of the theory that the chansons de geste (medieval epic poems) were crafted by individual authors rather than evolved from folk traditions. Bédier was a professor at the Collège de France and a member of the French Academy, holding a prominent position in French literary circles during his lifetime.