Gareth
Encyclopedia
Sir Gareth ˈɡærəθ was a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian Legend. He was the youngest son of Lot and of Morgause
, King Arthur
's half-sister, thus making him Arthur's nephew, as well as brother to Gawain
, Agravain
, Gaheris
, and half brother of Mordred
. He is the subject of Book VII in Sir Thomas Malory
's Le Morte d'Arthur
, which tells how he became a knight.
in disguise as a kitchen boy and is set to work by Kay
, who always gives him difficult work, teases him as a lowly kitchen boy and nicknames him "Beaumains" or "Good Hands" (alternatively "Beautiful Hands" or "Fair Hands"). Gareth goes to the aid of Lynette
(sometimes Lyonet, Lyonette, or Linet), to save her sister Lyonesse (or Lyonorr) from the Red Knight
of the Red Lands. He is accompanied by the dwarf Melot, who knows his true identity.
However, Lynette takes Gareth as a mere kitchen boy and constantly derides him. On the way he defeats the impressive Sir Perarde, Black Knight
, and takes his armor and horse. He then meets Sir Pertolope, the Green Knight, who mistakes him for his brother, the Black Knight. Lynette tells the Green Knight that he is a kitchen boy and begs him to rid her of him. Gareth overcomes the Green Knight but spares his life in return for the knight's swearing to serve him. He then in much the same fashion defeats Sir Perymones, the Puce Knight (sometimes the Red Knight but not to be confused with the one of the Red Lands), and Sir Persaunte (Persant of Inde), the Indigo Knight, both of whom also swear to serve him.
Lynette finally sees that Gareth's calm acceptance of her abuse is very knightly and that he must be a very good knight indeed. He arrives at Lyonesse's castle, where she is besieged by the Sir Ironside, Red Knight of the Red Lands. He fights him all day and finally prevails, although the Red Knight had the strength of seven men. He intends to kill him as he himself had slaughtered all the other knights who came to save the lady Lyonesse but the Red Knight explains that he was doing so because the lady he loved made him swear to kill Lancelot
and the only way to get his attention was to kill the knights. Gareth spares him, making him swear to serve him and also go to Arthur's castle and apologize to Lancelot. Afterwards, and despite some difficulties, Gareth marries Lyonesse.
. In this version the "colored" knights are replaced by knights associated with various times of day: the final knight is known as Night or Death and is the most feared of the three though ultimately the weakest. Gareth marries Lynette.
In other versions Gareth marries Lynette's sister, whom he rescues, and Gaheris marries Lynette. Theodore Goodridge Roberts
authored the short story "For To Achieve Your Adventure", in which Lynette knows she is sending Gareth into an ambush, and her derision is an attempt to make him give up for his own protection. Vera Chapman
's novel The King's Damosel
gives a complete version of Lynette's life.
Morgause
Morgause , known in earlier works as Gwyar or Anna, is the sister or half-sister of King Arthur in the Arthurian legend. In her earliest appearance she is Arthur's full sister by Uther Pendragon and Igraine; Gwyar is her name and she is the mother of Gwalchmei...
, King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
's half-sister, thus making him Arthur's nephew, as well as brother to Gawain
Gawain
Gawain is King Arthur's nephew and a Knight of the Round Table who appears very early in the Arthurian legend's development. He is one of a select number of Round Table members to be referred to as the greatest knight, most notably in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight...
, Agravain
Agravain
Sir Agravain or Sir Agravaine is a nephew of King Arthur and a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. He is the second son of King Lot of Orkney and Lothian and Morgause , full brother to Gawain, Gaheris and Gareth. His half-brother and most frequent associate in the Post-Vulgate Cycle is...
, Gaheris
Gaheris
Gaheris is a figure of Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table, and a son of Morgause and King Lot of Orkney and Lothian. His brothers are Gawain, Agravaine, Gareth and Mordred, a half-brother. His mother is a daughter of Gorlois and Igraine, and a sister of Elaine and Morgan le Fay...
, and half brother of Mordred
Mordred
Mordred or Modred is a character in the Arthurian legend, known as a notorious traitor who fought King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, where he was killed and Arthur fatally wounded. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur's illegitimate son by his...
. He is the subject of Book VII in Sir Thomas Malory
Thomas Malory
Sir Thomas Malory was an English writer, the author or compiler of Le Morte d'Arthur. The antiquary John Leland as well as John Bale believed him to be Welsh, but most modern scholars, beginning with G. L...
's Le Morte d'Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur is a compilation by Sir Thomas Malory of Romance tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table...
, which tells how he became a knight.
The tale
According to Malory's tale Gareth comes to CamelotCamelot
Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and eventually came to be described as the fantastic capital of Arthur's realm and a symbol of the Arthurian world...
in disguise as a kitchen boy and is set to work by Kay
Sir Kay
In Arthurian legend, Sir Kay is Sir Ector's son and King Arthur's foster brother and later seneschal, as well as one of the first Knights of the Round Table. In later literature he is known for his acid tongue and bullying, boorish behavior, but in earlier accounts he was one of Arthur's premier...
, who always gives him difficult work, teases him as a lowly kitchen boy and nicknames him "Beaumains" or "Good Hands" (alternatively "Beautiful Hands" or "Fair Hands"). Gareth goes to the aid of Lynette
Lynette and Lyonesse
In the Arthurian Legend, Lynette is a woman who travels to King Arthur's court to seek help for her beautiful sister Lyonesse , whose lands are under siege by the Red Knight of the Red Lands.Since Lynette refuses to reveal her name for reasons which are not...
(sometimes Lyonet, Lyonette, or Linet), to save her sister Lyonesse (or Lyonorr) from the Red Knight
Red Knight
Red Knight is a title borne by several characters in Arthurian legend. The first is likely the Red Knight of the Forest of Quinqeroi in Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval, the Story of the Grail; he steals a cup from King Arthur and is killed by the protagonist Perceval, who wears his armor and comes to...
of the Red Lands. He is accompanied by the dwarf Melot, who knows his true identity.
However, Lynette takes Gareth as a mere kitchen boy and constantly derides him. On the way he defeats the impressive Sir Perarde, Black Knight
Black Knight (Arthurian legend)
The Black Knight is the title given to several characters in Western literature. In Arthurian legend he is a knight who tied his wife to a tree after hearing she had exchanged rings with Perceval...
, and takes his armor and horse. He then meets Sir Pertolope, the Green Knight, who mistakes him for his brother, the Black Knight. Lynette tells the Green Knight that he is a kitchen boy and begs him to rid her of him. Gareth overcomes the Green Knight but spares his life in return for the knight's swearing to serve him. He then in much the same fashion defeats Sir Perymones, the Puce Knight (sometimes the Red Knight but not to be confused with the one of the Red Lands), and Sir Persaunte (Persant of Inde), the Indigo Knight, both of whom also swear to serve him.
Lynette finally sees that Gareth's calm acceptance of her abuse is very knightly and that he must be a very good knight indeed. He arrives at Lyonesse's castle, where she is besieged by the Sir Ironside, Red Knight of the Red Lands. He fights him all day and finally prevails, although the Red Knight had the strength of seven men. He intends to kill him as he himself had slaughtered all the other knights who came to save the lady Lyonesse but the Red Knight explains that he was doing so because the lady he loved made him swear to kill Lancelot
Lancelot
Sir Lancelot du Lac is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He is the most trusted of King Arthur's knights and plays a part in many of Arthur's victories...
and the only way to get his attention was to kill the knights. Gareth spares him, making him swear to serve him and also go to Arthur's castle and apologize to Lancelot. Afterwards, and despite some difficulties, Gareth marries Lyonesse.
Further appearances in Malory
Some years later Gareth is killed accidentally (along with his brother Gaheris), by Lancelot, during the rescue of Guinevere. This leads to the final tragedy of Arthur's Round Table; Gawain refuses to allow King Arthur (his Uncle) to accept Lancelot's (truly sincere) apology for the deaths of his two brothers. Lancelot genuinely mourns the death of Gareth, whom he almost loved like a son, or younger brother. But Arthur is forced by Gawain's and Mordred's insistence to go to war against Lancelot, (in spite of the fact that Mordred's grief is largely faked, due to his desire to become King). This leads to the splitting of the Round Table, Mordred's treachery in trying to seize the throne and Guinevere, Gawain's death from an old unhealed wound, and finally Arthur and Mordred slaying each other in a last battle.Modern versions
The legend of Gareth and Lynette has been reinterpreted by many writers and poets, the most renowned being Alfred Lord Tennyson in Idylls of the KingIdylls of the King
Idylls of the King, published between 1856 and 1885, is a cycle of twelve narrative poems by the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson which retells the legend of King Arthur, his knights, his love for Guinevere and her tragic betrayal of him, and the rise and fall of Arthur's kingdom...
. In this version the "colored" knights are replaced by knights associated with various times of day: the final knight is known as Night or Death and is the most feared of the three though ultimately the weakest. Gareth marries Lynette.
In other versions Gareth marries Lynette's sister, whom he rescues, and Gaheris marries Lynette. Theodore Goodridge Roberts
Theodore Goodridge Roberts
Theodore Goodridge Roberts was a Canadian novelist and poet. He was the author of thirty-four novels and over one hundred published stories and poems.He was the brother of poet Charles G.D...
authored the short story "For To Achieve Your Adventure", in which Lynette knows she is sending Gareth into an ambush, and her derision is an attempt to make him give up for his own protection. Vera Chapman
Vera Chapman
Vera Chapman , also known as Vera Ivy May Fogerty, and within the Tolkien Society as Belladonna Took, was an author and founder of the first Tolkien Society, and also wrote a number of pseudo-historical and Arthurian books.-Life:...
's novel The King's Damosel
The King's Damosel
The King's Damosel is a fantasy novel based on Arthurian legend by Vera Chapman first published in 1976. It served as the inspiration for the Warner Bros. film Quest for Camelot...
gives a complete version of Lynette's life.