King Arthur and Guinevere

Author: Sir Thomas Malory

Time Period: 1001 CE–1500 CE

Country or Culture: England

Genre: Legend

PLOT SUMMARY

Although he is revealed to be Britain’s true king through a supernatural test, Arthur is not accepted as sovereign by the barons who served the former ruler, Uther Pendragon. Because Arthur’s royal lineage is not yet common knowledge, the lords question his right to the kingship. Merlin—renowned seer, enchanter, and former adviser to Uther—gains the loyalty of some of the barons by openly affirming Arthur to be Uther’s son and rightful heir. Others, however, challenge Arthur’s claim to the throne and declare war. Arthur proves himself in battle and gains victory over the rebels, thereby establishing his regal authority and military supremacy. During the early days of his reign—and for most of his life—Arthur depends on Merlin’s counsel. Yet in one fatal instance, he goes against the advice of his mentor, which eventually leads to the downfall of his kingdom.

The young king complains to Merlin that the lords and knights under his command are pestering him to marry. Merlin agrees with Arthur’s vassals. Now that Arthur is a man of power and property, a wife is necessary for producing an undisputed successor to the throne. When Merlin asks Arthur if he has a woman in mind, the king replies that he has fallen in love with Guinevere (Guenever or Guenevere), the daughter of King Leodegrance of Cameliard (sometimes spelled Lodegreance of Camelard). He also notes that Leodegrance possesses the Round Table that once belonged to Uther. Merlin is dismayed at Arthur’s choice of bride. He warns the king that Guinevere is “not wholesome” (50) and prophesies that she will become entangled in a love affair with Lancelot, a chivalric hero who will play a key role in the quest for the Holy Grail. The king, however, has his heart set on Guinevere.

Merlin recognizes the futility of trying to convince Arthur that wedding Guinevere is a mistake. Accepting the inevitable, the seer agrees to act as a matchmaker and sets out to Cameliard with a band of knights to negotiate the marriage agreement with King Leodegrance. Leodegrance is overjoyed at the prospect of his daughter being joined to so powerful a ruler as Arthur and does not hesitate to accept Merlin’s proposal of a match. To seal the bargain, he offers a hundred of his knights and the “Table Round” as Guinevere’s dowry. Their mission accomplished, Merlin and the king’s men ride back to London with Guinevere, the Round Table, and a contingent of Leodegrance’s knights.

SIGNIFICANCE

A pivotal event in Arthurian legend, the story of Arthur’s marriage to Guinevere was written by Sir Thomas Malory while he was imprisoned in Newgate Prison from 1468 to 1471. A nobleman, courtier, soldier, and adventurer, he was familiar with the three cultural constructs of medieval society that underpin the tale of Arthur and his queen—feudalism, chivalry, and courtly love. Existing from the ninth to fifteenth centuries, feudalism arose from the lack of a centralized government and was characterized by a reciprocal relationship between a lord and his vassal that included military and economic advantages. This relationship was necessary because vulnerable landowners frequently needed the military might overlords could provide to throw off invaders. In return for protection, the vassals would swear an oath of loyalty to the overlord.

The association between Arthur and Leodegrance is an example of a feudalistic relationship, one that dates back to Uther’s reign. After Uther’s death, Leodegrance remains faithful to Arthur. In return for the loyalty of his father’s old friend, Arthur comes to Leodegrance’s aid when King Royns of West Britain invades his lands. The past and the present unite as the two warriors rout Ryons’s invading force. Arthur’s subsequent proposal of marriage to Guinevere further solidifies the alliance between Arthur and the king of Cameliard. In becoming the overlord’s father-in-law, Leodegrance ensures that he will hold an influential place in Arthur’s court.

Leodegrance’s fealty and Guinevere’s hand are not the only prizes Arthur attains through his arranged marriage. The fabled Round Table—which had once belonged to Arthur’s father and was given to Leodegrance for safekeeping upon Uther’s death—is not only a valuable asset in Guinevere’s dowry but also destined to become the focal point of Arthur’s court. The shape of the table highlights the equality of the members of the prestigious fellowship. All the knights who are privileged to sit at the table take the same chivalric pledge—to protect the weak, honor their fellow knights, serve their lord faithfully, and fear God. The table also serves as a launching point for the men as they leave the court in search of adventure and renown.

The social convention of courtly love is tied to the concept of chivalry. It is defined as a form of idealized love between men and women of the medieval nobility. A knight was expected to perform feats of valor in order to be worthy of the favor of his lady, whom he idealized, elevating her supposed virtues. This attitude is exemplified when Arthur characterizes Guinevere as “the most valiant and fairest” among women, even though he does not know her well (50). Indeed, Arthur’s profession of love seems to be based more on necessity (his barons are insisting that he marry) than on a real desire to wed Guinevere. Love, however, is not necessarily the primary reason for the union between Arthur and Guinevere. Instead, their marriage, agreed upon by Merlin and Leodegrance, amounts to a beneficial political arrangement for both Leodegrance and Arthur. Guinevere has no say in the situation. She is a pawn in a system that is controlled by powerful men. Consequently, she is required to marry a man she respects but does not love. This arrangement has grave consequences when, several years later, Guinevere and Lancelot’s relationship, originally built on the ideal of courtly love, seems to cross the line into adultery. Their betrayal of Arthur contributes both to the destruction of his kingdom and to his death.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Baines, Keith. Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur. New York: New American Lib., 1962. Print.

Davies, Rees. Lords and Lordships in the British Isles in the Late Middle Ages. New York: Oxford UP, 2009. Print.

Malory, Sir Thomas. “The Wedding of King Arthur.” Le Morte Darthur: The Winchester Manuscript. Ed. Helen Cooper. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. 50–57. Print.

Norris, J. Lacy, ed. The Arthurian Encyclopedia. New York: Bedrick, 1986. Print.

Wollock, Jennifer G. Rethinking Chivalry and Courtly Love. Santa Barbara: Praeger, 2011. Print.