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\'；