alfred tennyson-第20章

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not　blameless。　　But　the　process　of　idealising　him　went　on：　　still
incomplete　in　Malory's　compilation；　where　he　is　often　rather　otiose
and　far　from　royal。　　Tennyson；　for　his　purpose；　completed　the
idealisation。

As　to　Guinevere；　she　was　not　idealised　in　the　old　Welsh　rhyme　…


〃Guinevere；　Giant　Ogurvan's　daughter；
Naughty　young；　more　naughty　later。〃


Of　Lancelot；　and　her　passion　for　him；　the　old　Welsh　has　nothing　to
say。　　Probably　Chretien　de　Troyes；　by　a　happy　blunder　or
misconception；　gave　Lancelot　his　love　and　his　pre…eminent　part。
Lancelot　was　confused　with　Peredur；　and　Guinevere　with　the　lady　of
whom　Peredur　was　in　quest。　　The　Elaine　who　becomes　by　Lancelot　the
mother　of　Galahad　〃was　Lancelot's　rightful　consort；　as　one　recognises
in　her　name　that　of　Elen；　the　Empress；　whom　the　story　of　Peredur〃
（Lancelot；　by　the　confusion）　〃gives　that　hero　to　wife。〃　　The　second
Elaine；　the　maid　of　Astolat；　is　another　refraction　from　the　original
Elen。　　As　to　the　Grail；　it　may　be　a　Christianised　rendering　of　one　or
another　of　the　magical　and　mystic　caldrons　of　Welsh　or　Irish　legend。
There　is　even　an　apparent　Celtic　source　of　the　mysterious　fisher　king
of　the　Grail　romance。　｛12｝

A　sketch　of　the　evolution　of　the　Arthurian　legends　might　run　thus：…

Sixth　to　eighth　century；　growth　of　myth　about　an　Arthur；　real；　or
supposed　to　be　real。

Tenth　century；　the　Duchies　of　Normandy　and　Brittany　are　in　close
relations；　by　the　eleventh　century　Normans　know　Celtic　Arthurian
stories。

After；　1066；　Normans　in　contact　with　the　Celtic　peoples　of　this
island　are　in　touch　with　the　Arthur　tales。

1130…1145；　works　on　Arthurian　matter　by　Geoffrey　of　Monmouth。

1155；　Wace's　French　translation　of　Geoffrey。

1150…1182；　Chretien　de　Troyes　writes　poems　on　Arthurian　topics。

French　prose　romances　on　Arthur；　from；　say；　1180　to　1250。　　Those
romances　reach　Wales；　and　modify；　in　translations；　the　original　Welsh
legends；　or；　in　part；　supplant　them。

Amplifications　and　recastings　are　numerous。　　In　1485　Caxton　publishes
Malory's　selections　from　French　and　English　sources；　the　whole　being
Tennyson's　main　source；　Le　Mort　d'Arthur。　｛13｝


Thus　the　Arthur　stories；　originally　Celtic；　originally　a　mass　of
semi…pagan　legend；　myth；　and　marchen；　have　been　retold　and　rehandled
by　Norman；　Englishman；　and　Frenchman；　taking　on　new　hues；　expressing
new　idealsreligious；　chivalrous；　and　moral。　　Any　poet　may　work　his
will　on　them；　and　Tennyson's　will　was　to　retain　the　chivalrous
courtesy；　generosity；　love；　and　asceticism；　while　dimly　or　brightly
veiling　or　illuminating　them　with　his　own　ideals。　　After　so　many
processes；　from　folk…tale　to　modern　idyll；　the　Arthurian　world　could
not　be　real；　and　real　it　is　not。　　Camelot　lies　〃out　of　space；　out　of
time；〃　though　the　colouring　is　mainly　that　of　the　later　chivalry；　and
〃the　gleam〃　on　the　hues　is　partly　derived　from　Celtic　fancy　of
various　dates；　and　is　partly　Tennysonian。

As　the　Idylls　were　finally　arranged；　the　first；　The　Coming　of　Arthur；
is　a　remarkable　proof　of　Tennyson's　ingenuity　in　construction。　　Tales
about　the　birth　of　Arthur　varied。　　In　Malory；　Uther　Pendragon；　the
Bretwalda　（in　later　phrase）　of　Britain；　besieges　the　Duke　of
Tintagil；　who　has　a　fair　wife；　Ygerne；　in　another　castle。　　Merlin
magically　puts　on　Uther　the　shape　of　Ygerne's　husband；　and　as　her
husband　she　receives　him。　　On　that　night　Arthur　is　begotten　by　Uther；
and　the　Duke　of　Tintagil；　his　mother's　husband；　is　slain　in　a　sortie。
Uther　weds　Ygerne；　both　recognise　Arthur　as　their　child。　　However；　by
the　Celtic　custom　of　fosterage　the　infant　is　intrusted　to　Sir　Ector
as　his　dalt；　or　foster…child；　and　Uther　falls　in　battle。　　Arthur　is
later　approven　king　by　the　adventure　of　drawing　from　the　stone　the
magic　sword　that　no　other　king　could　move。　　This　adventure　answers　to
Sigmund's　drawing　the　sword　from　the　Branstock；　in　the　Volsunga　Saga；
〃Now　men　stand　up；　and　none　would　fain　be　the　last　to　lay　hand　to　the
sword；〃　apparently　stricken　into　the　pillar　by　Woden。　　〃But　none　who
came　thereto　might　avail　to　pull　it　out；　for　in　nowise　would　it　come
away　howsoever　they　tugged　at　it；　but　now　up　comes　Sigmund；　King
Volsung's　son；　and　sets　hand　to　the　sword；　and　pulls　it　from　the
stock；　even　as　if　it　lay　loose　before　him。〃　　The　incident　in　the
Arthurian　as　in　the　Volsunga　legend　is　on　a　par　with　the　Golden
Bough；　in　the　sixth　book　of　the　AEneid。　　Only　the　predestined
champion；　such　as　AEneas；　can　pluck；　or　break；　or　cut　the　bough　…


　　　〃Ipse　volens　facilisque　sequetur
Si　te　fata　vocant。〃


All　this　ancient　popular　element　in　the　Arthur　story　is　disregarded
by　Tennyson。　　He　does　not　make　Uther　approach　Ygerne　in　the　semblance
of　her　lord；　as　Zeus　approached　Alcmena　in　the　semblance　of　her
husband；　Amphitryon。　　He　neglects　the　other　ancient　test　of　the
proving　of　Arthur　by　his　success　in　drawing　the　sword。　　The　poet's
object　is　to　enfold　the　origin　and　birth　of　Arthur　in　a　spiritual
mystery。　　This　is　deftly　accomplished　by　aid　of　the　various　versions
of　the　tale　that　reach　King　Leodogran　when　Arthur　seeks　the　hand　of
his　daughter　Guinevere；　for　Arthur's　title　to　the　crown　is　still
disputed；　so　Leodogran　makes　inquiries。　　The　answers　first　leave　it
dubious　whether　Arthur　is　son　of　Gorlois；　husband　of　Ygerne；　or　of
Uther；　who　slew　Gorlois　and　married　her：…


〃Enforced　she　was　to　wed　him　in　her　tears。〃


The　Celtic　custom　of　fosterage　is　overlooked；　and　Merlin　gives　the
child　to　Anton；　not　as　the　customary　dalt；　but　to　preserve　the　babe
from　danger。　　Queen　Bellicent　then　tells　Leodogran；　from　the　evidence
of　Bleys；　Merlin's　master　in　necromancy；　the　story　of　Arthur's
miraculous　advent。


〃And　down　the　wave　and　in　the　flame　was　borne
A　naked　babe；　and　rode　to　Merlin's　feet；
Who　stoopt　and　caught　the　babe；　and　cried　'The　King！
Here　is　an　heir　for　Uther！'〃


But　Merlin；　when　asked　by　Bellicent　to　corroborate　the　statement　of
Bleys；　merely


〃Answer'd　in　riddling　triplets　of　old　time。〃


Finally；　Leodogran's　faith　is　confirmed　by　a　vision。　　Thus
doubtfully；　amidst　rumour　and　portent；　cloud　and　spiritual　light；
comes　Arthur：　　〃from　the　great　deep〃　he　comes；　and　in　as　strange
fashion；　at　the　end；　〃to　the　great　deep　he　goes〃a　king　to　be
accepted　in　faith　or　rejected　by　doubt。　　Arthur　and　his　ideal　are
objects　of　belief。　　All　goes　well　while　the　knights　hold　that


〃The　King　will　follow　Christ；　and　we　the　King；
In　whom　high　God　hath　breathed　a　secret　thing。〃


In　history　we　find　the　same　situation　in　the　France　of　1429　…


〃The　King　will　follow　Jeanne；　and　we　the　King。〃


While　this　faith　held；　all　went　well；　when　the　king　ceased　to　follow；
the　spell　was　broken；the　Maid　was　martyred。　　In　this　sense　the　poet
conceives　the　coming　of　Arthur；　a　sign　to　be　spoken　against；　a　test
of　high　purposes；　a　belief　redeeming　and　ennobling　till　faith　fails；
and　the　little　rift　within　the　lute；　the　love　of　Lancelot　and
Guinevere；　makes　discord　of　the　music。　　As　matter　of　legend；　it　is　to
be　understood　that　Guinevere　did　not　recognise　Arthur　when　first　he
rode　below　her　window　…


〃Since　he　neither　wore　on　helm　or　shield
The　golden　symbol　of　his　kinglihood。〃


But　Lancelot　was　sent　to　bring　the　bride　…


　　　〃And　return'd
Among　the　flowers；　in　May；　with　Guinevere。〃


Then　their　long　love　may　have　begun；　as　in　the　story　of　Tristram　sent
to　bring　Yseult　to　be　the　bride　of　King　Mark。　　In　Malory；　however；
Lancelot　does　not　come　on　the　scene　till　after　Arthur's　wedding　and
return　from　his　conquering　expedition　to　Rome。　　Then　Lancelot　wins
renown；　〃wherefore　Queen　Guinevere　had　him　in　favour　above　all　other
knights；　and　in　certain　he　loved　the　Queen　again　above　all　other
ladies　damosels　of　his　life。〃　　Lancelot；　as　we　have　seen；　is
practically　a　French　creation；　adopted　to　illustrate　the　chivalrous
theory　of　love；　with　its　bitter　fruit。　　Though　not　of　the　original
Celtic　stock　of　legend；　Sir　Lancelot　makes　the　romance　what　it　is；
and　draws　down　the　tragedy　that　originally　turned　on　the　sin　of
Arthur　himself；　the　sin　that　gave　birth　to　the　traitor　Modred。　　But
the　mediaeval　romancers　disguised　that　form　of　the　story；　and　the
process　of　idealising　Arthur