第7章

Butbecause，fairdamsel，thatyelovemeasyesayyedo，Iwill，foryourgoodwillandkindness，showyousomegoodness，……andalwayswhileIlivetobeyourtrueknight。"Hereare"amiablewordsandcourtesy。"IcannotagreewithMrHarrisonthatMalory"sbookismerely"afiercelustyepic。"Thatwasnottheopinionofitsprinterandpublisher，Caxton。Heproduceditasanexampleof"thegentleandvirtuousdeedsthatsomeknightsusedinthesedays，……

nobleandrenownedactsofhumanity，gentleness，andchivalry。Forhereinmaybeseennoblechivalry，courtesy，humanity，friendliness，love，cowardice，murder，hate，virtue，andsin。Doafterthegoodandleavetheevil。"

Inreactionagainstthebold-facedheroinesandsensualamoursofsomeoftheoldFrenchromances，anidealofexaggeratedasceticism，ofstainlesschastity，notoriouslypervadestheportionofMalory"sworkwhichdealswiththeHolyGrail。Lancelotisdistraughtwhenhefindsthat，bydintofenchantment，hehasbeenmadefalsetoGuinevere(BookXI。chap。viii。)AfterhisdreamingvisionoftheHolyGrail，withthereproachfulVoice，SirLancelotsaid，"Mysinandmywickednesshavebroughtmegreatdishonour，……andnowI

seeandunderstandthatmyoldsinhinderethandshamethme。"Hewashuman，theLancelotofMalory，and"felltohisoldloveagain，"withaheavyheart，andwithlongpenanceattheend。Howsuchgoodknightscanbedeemedconsciencelessandvoidofcourtesyoneknowsnot，exceptbyasurvivalofthePuritanismofAscham。ButTennysonfoundinthebookwhatisinthebook——honour，conscience，courtesy，andthehero-

"Whosehonourrootedindishonourstood，Andfaithunfaithfulkepthimfalselytrue。"

Malory"sbook，whichwasTennyson"schiefsource，endsbybeingthetragedyoftheconscienceofLancelot。Arthurisdead，or"InAvalonhegrowethold。"TheQueenandLancelotmightsing，asLennoxreportsthatQueenMarydidafterDarnley"smurder-

"WeelismeForIamfree。"

"Whytooktheynottheirpastime？"Becauseconscienceforbade，andGuineveresendsherloverfarfromher，andbothdieinreligion。

ThusMalory"s"fiercelustyepic"isneithersolustynorsofiercebutthatitgivesTennysonhiskeynote:thesinthatbreaksthefaircompanionship，andisbitterlyrepented。

"Theknightsarealmosttoopolitetokilleachother，"thecriticurges。InMalorytheyaresometimesquitetoopolitetokilleachother。SirDarrashasablood-feudagainstSirTristram，andSirTristramisinhisdungeon。SirDarrassaid，"WityewellthatSirDarrasshallneverdestroysuchanobleknightasthouartinprison，howbeitthatthouhastslainthreeofmysons，wherebyIwasgreatlyaggrieved。Butnowshaltthougoandthyfellows……Allthatyedid，"saidSirDarras，"wasbyforceofknighthood，andthatwasthecauseIwouldnotputyoutodeath"(BookIX。chap。xl。)

Tennysonisaccusedof"emasculatingthefiercelustyepicintoamorallesson，asifitweretobeperformedinadrawing-roombyanacademyofyoungladies"——presidedover，Idaresay，by"Anglicanclergymen。"IknownothowanyonewhohasreadtheMorted"ArthurcanblameTennysoninthematter。LetMaloryandhissourcesbeblamed，iftobemoralistobeculpable。Afewpassagesapart，thereisnocoarsenessinMalory；thatthereareconscience，courtesy，"sweetlives，""keepingdownthebaseinman，""amiablewords，"andallthatTennysongives，and，inMrHarrison"stheory，giveswithoutauthorityintheromance，myquotationsfromMalorydemonstrate。Theyarechosenatacasualopeningofhisbook。Thatthere"hadnotarisenintheworld""theideaofreverencingconscience"beforethecloseofthefifteenthcenturyA。D。isanextraordinarystatementforacriticofhistorytooffer。

MrHarrisonmakeshisprotestbecause"intheconspiracyofsilenceintowhichTennyson"sjustfamehashypnotisedthecritics，itisbarehonestytoadmitdefects。"IthinkIamnothypnotised，andI

donotregardtheIdyllsasthecrownofTennyson"swork。Butitisnothis"defect"tohaveintroducedgenerosity，gentleness，conscience，andchastitywherenosuchthingsoccurinhissources。

TakeSirDarras:hispositionisthatofPriamwhenhemeetsAchilles，whoslewhissons，exceptthatPriamcomesasasuppliant；

SirDarrashasTristraminhishands，andmayslayhim。Heis"toopolite，"asMrHarrisonsays:heistoogoodaChristian，ortoogoodagentleman。OnewouldnothavegivenatripodforthelifeofAchilleshadhefallenintothehandsofPriam。Butbetween1200

B。C。(orso)andthedateofMalory，newideasabout"livingsweetlives"hadarisen。Whereandwhendotheynotarise？ABritishpatrolfiredoncertainSwazisintimeoftruce。Theirlieutenant，whohadbeenabsentwhenthisoccurred，rodealonetothestrongholdoftheSwaziking，Sekukoeni，andgavehimselfup，expectingdeathbytorture。"Go，sir，"saidtheking；"wetooaregentlemen。"Theideaofa"sweetlife"ofhonourhaddawnedevenonSekukoeni:itlightsupMalory"sromance，andisreflectedinTennyson"sIdylls，doubtlesswithsomemodernismofexpression。

ThattheIdyllsrepresentnorealworldiscertain。ThatTennysonmodernisesandmoralisestoomuch，Iwillinglyadmit；whatIdenyisthatheintroducesgentleness，courtesy，andconsciencewherehissourceshavenone。Indeedthisisnotamatterofcriticalopinion，butofverifiablefact。AnyonecanreadMaloryandjudgeforhimself。ButtheworldinwhichtheIdyllsmovecouldnotbereal。

Formorethanathousandyearsdifferentraces，differentages，hadtakenholdoftheancientCelticlegendsandspiritualisedthemaftertheirownmanner，andmouldedthemtotheirownideals。TheremayhavebeenahistoricalArthur，ComesBritanniae，aftertheRomanwithdrawal。YeAmherawdyrArthur，"theEmperorArthur，"mayhavelivedandfought，andledtheBrythonstobattle。ButtheremayalsohavebeenaBrythonicdeity，orculturehero，ofthesame，orofasimilarname，andmythsabouthimmayhavebeenassignedtoarealArthur。Again，theArthuroftheoldWelshlegendswasbynomeanstheblamelessking——evenincomparativelylateFrenchromancesheisnotblameless。Buttheprocessofidealisinghimwenton:stillincompleteinMalory"scompilation，whereheisoftenratherotioseandfarfromroyal。Tennyson，forhispurpose，completedtheidealisation。

AstoGuinevere，shewasnotidealisedintheoldWelshrhyme-

"Guinevere，GiantOgurvan"sdaughter，Naughtyyoung，morenaughtylater。"

OfLancelot，andherpassionforhim，theoldWelshhasnothingtosay。ProbablyChretiendeTroyes，byahappyblunderormisconception，gaveLancelothisloveandhispre-eminentpart。

LancelotwasconfusedwithPeredur，andGuineverewiththeladyofwhomPeredurwasinquest。TheElainewhobecomesbyLancelotthemotherofGalahad"wasLancelot"srightfulconsort，asonerecognisesinhernamethatofElen，theEmpress，whomthestoryofPeredur"

(Lancelot，bytheconfusion)"givesthatherotowife。"ThesecondElaine，themaidofAstolat，isanotherrefractionfromtheoriginalElen。AstotheGrail，itmaybeaChristianisedrenderingofoneoranotherofthemagicalandmysticcaldronsofWelshorIrishlegend。

ThereisevenanapparentCelticsourceofthemysteriousfisherkingoftheGrailromance。{12}

AsketchoftheevolutionoftheArthurianlegendsmightrunthus:-

Sixthtoeighthcentury，growthofmythaboutanArthur，real，orsupposedtobereal。

Tenthcentury，theDuchiesofNormandyandBrittanyareincloserelations；bytheeleventhcenturyNormansknowCelticArthurianstories。

After，1066，NormansincontactwiththeCelticpeoplesofthisislandareintouchwiththeArthurtales。

1130-1145，worksonArthurianmatterbyGeoffreyofMonmouth。

1155，Wace"sFrenchtranslationofGeoffrey。

1150-1182，ChretiendeTroyeswritespoemsonArthuriantopics。

FrenchproseromancesonArthur，from，say，1180to1250。ThoseromancesreachWales，andmodify，intranslations，theoriginalWelshlegends，or，inpart，supplantthem。

Amplificationsandrecastingsarenumerous。In1485CaxtonpublishesMalory"sselectionsfromFrenchandEnglishsources，thewholebeingTennyson"smainsource，LeMortd"Arthur。{13}

ThustheArthurstories，originallyCeltic，originallyamassofsemi-paganlegend，myth，andmarchen，havebeenretoldandrehandledbyNorman，Englishman，andFrenchman，takingonnewhues，expressingnewideals——religious，chivalrous，andmoral。Anypoetmayworkhiswillonthem，andTennyson"swillwastoretainthechivalrouscourtesy，generosity，love，andasceticism，whiledimlyorbrightlyveilingorilluminatingthemwithhisownideals。Aftersomanyprocesses，fromfolk-taletomodernidyll，theArthurianworldcouldnotbereal，andrealitisnot。Camelotlies"outofspace，outoftime，"thoughthecolouringismainlythatofthelaterchivalry，and"thegleam"onthehuesispartlyderivedfromCelticfancyofvariousdates，andispartlyTennysonian。

AstheIdyllswerefinallyarranged，thefirst，TheComingofArthur，isaremarkableproofofTennyson"singenuityinconstruction。TalesaboutthebirthofArthurvaried。InMalory，UtherPendragon，theBretwalda(inlaterphrase)ofBritain，besiegestheDukeofTintagil，whohasafairwife，Ygerne，inanothercastle。MerlinmagicallyputsonUthertheshapeofYgerne"shusband，andasherhusbandshereceiveshim。OnthatnightArthurisbegottenbyUther，andtheDukeofTintagil，hismother"shusband，isslaininasortie。

UtherwedsYgerne；bothrecogniseArthurastheirchild。However，bytheCelticcustomoffosteragetheinfantisintrustedtoSirEctorashisdalt，orfoster-child，andUtherfallsinbattle。Arthurislaterapprovenkingbytheadventureofdrawingfromthestonethemagicswordthatnootherkingcouldmove。ThisadventureanswerstoSigmund"sdrawingtheswordfromtheBranstock，intheVolsungaSaga，"Nowmenstandup，andnonewouldfainbethelasttolayhandtothesword，"apparentlystrickenintothepillarbyWoden。"Butnonewhocametheretomightavailtopullitout，forinnowisewoulditcomeawayhowsoevertheytuggedatit，butnowupcomesSigmund，KingVolsung"sson，andsetshandtothesword，andpullsitfromthestock，evenasifitlayloosebeforehim。"TheincidentintheArthurianasintheVolsungalegendisonaparwiththeGoldenBough，inthesixthbookoftheAEneid。Onlythepredestinedchampion，suchasAEneas，canpluck，orbreak，orcutthebough-

"IpsevolensfacilisquesequeturSitefatavocant。"

AllthisancientpopularelementintheArthurstoryisdisregardedbyTennyson。HedoesnotmakeUtherapproachYgerneinthesemblanceofherlord，asZeusapproachedAlcmenainthesemblanceofherhusband，Amphitryon。HeneglectstheotherancienttestoftheprovingofArthurbyhissuccessindrawingthesword。Thepoet"sobjectistoenfoldtheoriginandbirthofArthurinaspiritualmystery。ThisisdeftlyaccomplishedbyaidofthevariousversionsofthetalethatreachKingLeodogranwhenArthurseeksthehandofhisdaughterGuinevere，forArthur"stitletothecrownisstilldisputed，soLeodogranmakesinquiries。TheanswersfirstleaveitdubiouswhetherArthurissonofGorlois，husbandofYgerne，orofUther，whoslewGorloisandmarriedher:-

"Enforcedshewastowedhiminhertears。"

TheCelticcustomoffosterageisoverlooked，andMerlingivesthechildtoAnton，notasthecustomarydalt，buttopreservethebabefromdanger。QueenBellicentthentellsLeodogran，fromtheevidenceofBleys，Merlin"smasterinnecromancy，thestoryofArthur"smiraculousadvent。

"AnddownthewaveandintheflamewasborneAnakedbabe，androdetoMerlin"sfeet，Whostooptandcaughtthebabe，andcried"TheKing!

HereisanheirforUther!""

ButMerlin，whenaskedbyBellicenttocorroboratethestatementofBleys，merely"Answer"dinriddlingtripletsofoldtime。"

Finally，Leodogran"sfaithisconfirmedbyavision。Thusdoubtfully，amidstrumourandportent，cloudandspirituallight，comesArthur:"fromthegreatdeep"hecomes，andinasstrangefashion，attheend，"tothegreatdeephegoes"——akingtobeacceptedinfaithorrejectedbydoubt。Arthurandhisidealareobjectsofbelief。Allgoeswellwhiletheknightsholdthat"TheKingwillfollowChrist，andwetheKing，InwhomhighGodhathbreathedasecretthing。"

InhistorywefindthesamesituationintheFranceof1429-

"TheKingwillfollowJeanne，andwetheKing。"

Whilethisfaithheld，allwentwell；whenthekingceasedtofollow，thespellwasbroken，——theMaidwasmartyred。InthissensethepoetconceivesthecomingofArthur，asigntobespokenagainst，atestofhighpurposes，abeliefredeemingandennoblingtillfaithfails，andthelittleriftwithinthelute，theloveofLancelotandGuinevere，makesdiscordofthemusic。Asmatteroflegend，itistobeunderstoodthatGuineveredidnotrecogniseArthurwhenfirstherodebelowherwindow-

"SinceheneitherworeonhelmorshieldThegoldensymbolofhiskinglihood。"

ButLancelotwassenttobringthebride-

"Andreturn"dAmongtheflowers，inMay，withGuinevere。"

Thentheirlonglovemayhavebegun，asinthestoryofTristramsenttobringYseulttobethebrideofKingMark。InMalory，however，LancelotdoesnotcomeonthescenetillafterArthur"sweddingandreturnfromhisconqueringexpeditiontoRome。ThenLancelotwinsrenown，"whereforeQueenGuineverehadhiminfavouraboveallotherknights；andincertainhelovedtheQueenagainaboveallotherladiesdamoselsofhislife。"Lancelot，aswehaveseen，ispracticallyaFrenchcreation，adoptedtoillustratethechivalroustheoryoflove，withitsbitterfruit。ThoughnotoftheoriginalCelticstockoflegend，SirLancelotmakestheromancewhatitis，anddrawsdownthetragedythatoriginallyturnedonthesinofArthurhimself，thesinthatgavebirthtothetraitorModred。Butthemediaevalromancersdisguisedthatformofthestory，andtheprocessofidealisingArthurreachedsuchheightsinthemiddleagesthatTennysonthoughthimselfatlibertytopainttheFlosRegum，"theblamelessKing。"HefollowedtheBrutabArthur。"Inshort，GodhasnotmadesinceAdamwas，themanmoreperfectthanArthur。"

ThisisremotefromtheArthuroftheoldestCelticlegends，butjustifiesthepoetinadaptingArthurtotheidealherooftheIdylls:-

"Idealmanhoodclosedinrealman，Ratherthanthatgreyking，whosename，aghost，Streamslikeacloud，man-shaped，frommountain-peak，Andcleavestocairnandcromlechstill；orhimOfGeoffrey"sbook，orhimofMalleor"s，oneTouchedbytheadulterousfingerofatimeThathoveredbetweenwarandwantonness，Andcrowningsanddethronements。"

ThepoeticalbeautiesofTheComingofArthurexcelthoseofGarethandLynette。ThesonsofLotandBellicentseemtohavebeenoriginallyregardedastheincestuousoffspringofArthurandhissister，thewifeofKingLot。NextitwasrepresentedthatArthurwasignorantoftherelationship。MrRhyssupposesthatthemythicalscandal(stillpresentinMaloryasasinofignorance)arosefromblendingtheCelticArthur(asCultureHero)withanolderdivinepersonage，suchasZeus，whomarrieshissisterHera。MarriagesofbrotherandsisterarefamiliarintheEgyptianroyalhouse，andthatoftheIncas。Butthepoethasaperfectrighttodisregardascandalousmythwhich，obviouslycrystallisedlateraboutthefigureofthemythicalCelticArthur，wasanincongruousaccretiontohislegend。Gareth，therefore，ismerelyArthur"snephew，notson，inthepoem，asareGawainandthetraitorModred。ThestoryseemstoberathermediaevalFrenchthanCeltic——aminglingofthespiritoffabliauandpopularfairytale。Thepoethasaddedtoitslightness，almostfrivolity，thedescriptionoftheunrealcityofCamelot，builttomusic，aswhen"Ilion，likeamist，roseintotowers。"

HehasalsobroughtintheallegoryofDeath，which，whenfaced，provestobe"abloomingboy"behindthemask。ThecourtesyandprowessofLancelotleaduptothelaterdevelopmentofhischaracter。

InTheMarriageofGeraint，arumourhasalreadyrisenaboutLancelotandtheQueen，darkeningtheCourt，andpresaging"Theworld"sloudwhisperbreakingintostorm。"

ForthisreasonGeraintremovesEnidfromCamelottohisownland——

thepoetthusearlyleadinguptothesinandthedoomofLancelot。

ButthismotivedoesnotoccurintheWelshstoryofEnidandGeraint，whichTennysonhasotherwisefollowedwithunwontedcloseness。ThetaleoccursinFrenchromancesinvariousforms，butitappearstohavereturned，bywayofFranceandcolouredwithFrenchinfluences，toWales，whereitisoneofthelaterMabinogion。

ThecharactersareCeltic，andNud，fatherofEdyrn，Geraint"sdefeatedantagonist，appearstoberecognisedbyMrRhysas"theCelticZeus。"ThemannersandthetournamentsareFrench。IntheWelshtaleGeraintandEnidarebeddedinArthur"sownchamber，whichseemstobeasymboliccommutationofthejusprimaenoctisacustomofwhichtheveryexistenceisdisputed。Thisunseemlyantiquariandetail，ofcourse，isomittedintheIdyll。

AnabstractoftheWelshtalewillshowhowcloselyTennysonherefollowshisoriginal。NewsisbroughtintoArthur"sCourtoftheappearanceofawhitestag。Thekingarrangesahunt，andGuinevereasksleavetogoandwatchthesport。Nextmorningshecannotbewakened，thoughthetaledoesnotaver，liketheIdyll，thatshewas"Lostinsweetdreams，anddreamingofherloveForLancelot。"

Guineverewakeslate，andridesthroughafordofUsktothehunt。

Geraintfollows，"agolden-hiltedswordwasathisside，andarobeandasurcoatofsatinwereuponhim，andtwoshoesofleatheruponhisfeet，andaroundhimwasascarfofbluepurple，ateachcornerofwhichwasagoldenapple":-

"ButGuineverelaylateintothemorn，Lostinsweetdreams，anddreamingofherloveForLancelot，andforgetfulofthehunt；

Butroseatlast，asinglemaidenwithher，Tookhorse，andfordedUsk，andgain"dthewood；

There，onalittleknollbesideit，stay"dWaitingtohearthehounds；butheardinsteadAsuddensoundofhoofs，forPrinceGeraint，Latealso，wearingneitherhunting-dressNorweapon，saveagolden-hiltedbrand，Camequicklyflashingthro"theshallowfordBehindthem，andsogallop"duptheknoll。

Apurplescarf，ateitherendwhereofThereswunganappleofthepurestgold，Sway"droundabouthim，ashegallop"dupTojointhem，glancinglikeadragon-flyInsummersuitandsilksofholiday。"

Theencounterwiththedwarf，thelady，andtheknightfollows。TheproseoftheMabinogimaybecomparedwiththeverseofTennyson:-

"Geraint，"saidGwenhwyvar，"knowestthouthenameofthattallknightyonder？""Iknowhimnot，"saidhe，"andthestrangearmourthathewearspreventsmyeitherseeinghisfaceorhisfeatures。"

"Go，maiden，"saidGwenhwyvar，"andaskthedwarfwhothatknightis。"Thenthemaidenwentuptothedwarf；andthedwarfwaitedforthemaiden，whenhesawhercomingtowardshim。Andthemaideninquiredofthedwarfwhotheknightwas。"Iwillnottellthee，"heanswered。"Sincethouartsochurlishasnottotellme，"saidshe，"Iwillaskhimhimself。""Thoushaltnotaskhim，bymyfaith，"

saidhe。"Wherefore？"saidshe。"BecausethouartnotofhonoursufficienttobefittheetospeaktomyLord。"Thenthemaidenturnedherhorse"sheadtowardstheknight，uponwhichthedwarfstruckherwiththewhipthatwasinhishandacrossthefaceandtheeyes，untilthebloodflowedforth。Andthemaiden，throughthehurtshereceivedfromtheblow，returnedtoGwenhwyvar，complainingofthepain。"Veryrudelyhasthedwarftreatedthee，"saidGeraint。

"Iwillgomyselftoknowwhotheknightis。""Go，"saidGwenhwyvar。

AndGeraintwentuptothedwarf。"Whoisyonderknight？"saidGeraint。"Iwillnottellthee，"saidthedwarf。"ThenwillIaskhimhimself，"saidhe。"Thatwiltthounot，bymyfaith，"saidthedwarf；"thouartnothonourableenoughtospeakwithmyLord。"SaidGeraint，"Ihavespokenwithmenofequalrankwithhim。"Andheturnedhishorse"sheadtowardstheknight；butthedwarfovertookhim，andstruckhimashehaddonethemaiden，sothatthebloodcolouredthescarfthatGeraintwore。ThenGeraintputhishanduponthehiltofhissword，buthetookcounselwithhimself，andconsideredthatitwouldbenovengeanceforhimtoslaythedwarf，andtobeattackedunarmedbythearmedknight，sohereturnedtowhereGwenhwyvarwas。

"Andwhiletheylisten"dforthedistanthunt，AndchieflyforthebayingofCavall，KingArthur"shoundofdeepestmouth，thererodeFullslowlybyaknight，lady，anddwarf；

Whereofthedwarflagg"dlatest，andtheknightHadvizorup，andshow"dayouthfulface，Imperious，andofhaughtiestlineaments。

AndGuinevere，notmindfulofhisfaceIntheKing"shall，desiredhisname，andsentHermaidentodemanditofthedwarf；

Whobeingvicious，oldandirritable，Anddoublingallhismaster"sviceofpride，Madeanswersharplythatsheshouldnotknow。

"ThenwillIaskitofhimself，"shesaid。

"Nay，bymyfaith，thoushaltnot，"criedthedwarf；

"Thouartnotworthyev"ntospeakofhim"；