Arthurian Legend Characters: Key Figures and Symbols

Who is Merlin in Arthurian legend?

A magician and primary mentor figure for Uther and Arthur, often considered part fairy.

What does Merlin do for Uther?

Arranges for Uther to claim Igrain as his own wife in exchange for taking baby Arthur as soon as he's born

What role does Uther Pendragon play in Arthurian legend?

He is Arthur's father who receives a prophecy from an image of a dragon in the sky predicting the burth of Arthur, gets magical aid from merlin so he can sleep with igrain and arthur is conceived in this union

What is the significance of Joseph of Arimathea in the legends?

He is the possessor of the Holy Grail and oversees the burial of Jesus in scripture.

What does the Sword in the Stone symbolize?

It can only be pulled by the true king of England, indicating rightful sovereignty.

Who is Morgan le Fay?

Arthur's half-sister, depicted as a sorceress with varying portrayals from friendly to villainous. in some versions she has a sister Morgause; in others the two characters are combined. she or her sister sleeps with arthur and gives birth to mordred. in some versions, she and arthur are both deceived into this; in others, she schemes to make it happen

What is Camelot?

Arthur's castle and court, symbolizing light, truth, justice, and chivalry.

What is the Grail Quest?

- the holy grail is the cup that christ drank from at the last supper

- also used by joseph of arimathea to catch some of the blood that spilled from Christ's side

- joseph brought the cup to england before camelot

- the finding of the grail becomes the main quest of the kinghts of the round table in the latter days of camelot, almost an effore to bring healing to the land and restore the glory of arthur's court

Who is Guinevere?

Arthur's wife and Lancelot's courtly lover.

What is the Seat Perilous?

A mysterious seat at the Round Table awaiting the special knight destined to succeed in the Grail Quest.

Who is Lancelot?

Arthur's devoted knight and best friend

- becomes a courtly lover to Guinevere.

- raised by a fairy, perhaps lady of the lake

Who is Galahad?

Son of Lancelot and Elaine, he is the knight destined to succeed in the Grail Quest.

What is Avalon?

A mystical island, the final resting place of King Arthur, shrouded in mystery

What is the relationship between Mordred and Arthur?

Mordred is Arthur's illegitimate son and ultimately becomes his enemy.

Who is Sir Kay?

Arthur's foster brother who tries to claim the sword in the Stone but later becomes a valuable knight.

What is the role of the Lady of the Lake?

She gifts Arthur the sword Excalibur and is a shifting character in the legends. goes by several other names that are variations from a celtic water goddess

Who is Sir Hector?

Arthur's foster father who raises him in obscurity

What is the significance of the Holy Grail?

It is the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper, sought after by the Knights of the Round Table.

Who is Agravain?

- half brother to mordred and brother gawain

- son of morgan

- one of the main agitators stirring up suspicion against lancelot and guinevere

What happens to Bedivere after Arthur's death?

He is tasked with returning Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake after Arthur's final battle.

Who is Elaine?

Mother of Galahad, she tricks Lancelot into sleeping with her, leading to Galahad's conception

What is the fate of Arthur at the end of the legends?

He is taken to Avalon, where it is said he may not be dead but will return.

What is the role of King Pellinore?

he takes on all challengers in a near by forest, arthur accepts the challenge, when his sword breaks, merlin puts pellinore to sleep and takes arthur to receive excalibur

Who is the Rich Fisher?

A friend of Joseph of Arimathea known for catching a magic fish that provides food.

What is the significance of the prophecy received by Uther?

It predicts the birth of his son Arthur through an image of a dragon in the sky.

What is the relationship between Igrain and Arthur?

Igrain is Arthur's mother, and Uther deceives her to conceive Arthur.

What is the role of Lady of the Lake in Arthur's life?

She gives Arthur Excalibur and plays a significant role in his rise and fall.

What does Vortigern do?

attempts to build a tower to defend against his enemies, considers using the blood of the child Merlin to shore up the foundations, but instead young Merlin tells him it's foolish to build a tower on a lake

what does Vortigern foresee?

his downfall in the battle of the red and white dragon

who is lady igrain?

mother of arthur (by uther) and morgan le fay (by the duke of cornwall), in some versions, clueless of uther's deception, in others she is willingly his lover and wanting to be "rescued" from her husband

who is lord cornwall?

igrain's first husband and father to Morgan le Fay

who is arthur?

legendary king of england. sometimes portrayed as mediator between celtic paganism and christianity

who is king leodogran?

father of guinevere, king of camliard and friend of uther, keeper of the round table after uther's death until arthur's marriage to guinevere

what is the round table?

- has no head, implying that everyone who sits there has equal status

- has twelve seats and one empty place to mark the betrayal of Judas

- Galahad takes empty seat and his arrival marks the start of the Grail quest as well as the end of the Arthurian era

mordred

- son of arthur and his half sister morgan

- born out of wedlock and through incest, he is the villain of the legend

- responsible for lancelots and guinevere public disgrace

- makes war against his father

who is gawain

- son of morgan

- nephew to king arthur

- against publicly shaming lancelot and guinevere due to the lack of evidence and what this split will mean for camelot

- counsels his brother agravain against his course of action

who is gaheris and gareth

- two brother knights who appear in our closing chapters

- side with gawain in support by protecting lancelot and guinevere's reputations

- accidentaly slain by lancelot in the battle to free guinevere from being burned at the stake

who is lucan

- one of the few knights left alive after the battle with mordred

- dies trying to move the mortally wounded arthur to safety when his guts burst out from the strain of carrying him

who is bedivere

- one of the few knights left alive after the battle with mordred