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GUINEVERE

Guinevere is said to be the daughter of Leodegrance of Cameliard in late medieval romance. She marries Arthur and then has a love affair with Lancelot which causes the downfall of Camelot. The Welsh Triads speak of "Arthur's Three Great Queens," all named Gwenhwyfar (Triad 56) and name Gwenhwyfar as "more faithless" than the three faithless wives of the Island of Britain (Triad 80). One of the earliest Arthurian stories is about the abduction of Guinevere by Meleagant (or Melyagaunce or Melwas). The story is told in The Life of St. Gildas (c. 1130) by Caradoc of Llancarfan and in the Welsh "Dialogue of Melwas and Gwenhwyfar." It is the subject of the earliest known Arthurian sculpture on the archivolt of the Porta della Pescheria on the Modena Cathedral. The story of the abduction is the central action in Chrétien de Troyes' Lancelot and appears in Malory. Tennyson presents Guinevere as a sinner who was "spoilt the purpose" of Arthur's life. Nevertheless, Tennyson does bring Guinevere and other female characters to the fore, as does one of his contemporaries, William Morris. In his poem "The Defence of Guenevere," Morris is the first to give the Queen her own voice, thus beginning a tradition that is continued in Sara Teasdale's poem "Guenevere," Dorothy Parker's "Guinevere at Her Fireside," and Wendy Mnookin's collection Guenever Speaks, as well as in many contemporary novels told from Guinevere's point of view, such as Parke Godwin's Beloved Exile and Persia Wooley's Guinevere trilogy.

TEXTS:

Adams, Oscar Fay (1855-1919), "The Maid's Alarm" (1886)
Akhurst, W. M. (1822-1878), Arthur the King, or, The Knights of the Round Table and Other Funny-ture (1871)
Baring, Maurice (1874-1945), "The Camelot Jousts" (1910)
Buchanan, Robert (1785-1873), "The Rendering" (1859)
Buchanan, Robert (1785-1873), "The Rescue" (1859)
Buchanan, Robert (1785-1873), "The Tryst" (1859)
C., H. C., "Guinevere to Lancelot" (1869)
Cawein, Madison J. (1865-1914), "A Guinevere" (1907)
Ellis, T. E. (Howard de Walden, Thomas Evelyn Scott-Ellis, Baron) (b. 1880-1946), Lanval: A Drama in Four Acts (1908)
Fulford, William (fl. 1859-1865), "The Last Meeting of Lancelot and Guinevere" (1862)
Hawker, Robert Stephen (1803?-1875), "Queen Guennivar's Round" (1869)
Heber, Reginald (1783-1826), "Morte D'Arthur: A Fragment" (unfinished and posthumously published, first in 1830)
Hill, Graham, Guinevere: A Tragedy in Three Acts (1906)
Hovey, Richard (1864-1900), The Marriage of Guenevere (1891)
Morris, William (1834-1896), "The Defence of Guenevere" (1858)
Morris, William (1834-1896), "King Arthur's Tomb" (1858)
Mitchell, W. Weir (1829-1914), "How Lancelot Came to the Nunnery in Search of the Queen" (1887)
Mitchell, W. Weir (1829-1914), "The Shriving of Guinevere" (1883)
Morris, William (1834-1896), "Near Avalon" (1858)
Phelps, Elizabeth Stuart (1844-1911), "Guinevere" (1880)
Phelps, Elizabeth Stuart (1844-1911), "The True Story of Guenever" (1876)
Potter, Janice Miller, "The Swans of Camelot" (2007)
Rhys, Ernest (1859-1946), "The Song of the Seven Candles" (1905)
Riethmüller, C. J. (d. 1895), Launcelot of the Lake: A Tragedy, in Five Acts (1843)
Simcox, George Augustus (1841-1905), "The Farewell of Ganore" (1869)
Teasdale, Sara (1884-1933), "Guenevere" (1911)
Tennyson, Alfred, Lord (1809-1892), "Guinevere" from The Idylls of the King
Tennyson, Alfred, Lord (1809-1892), "Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere: A Fragment" (1842)
Wilson, John Grosvenor (b. 1866), "The Death of Guinevere" (1886)
Young, Stark (1881-1963), Guenevere: A Play in Five Acts (1906)

IMAGES

Beardsley, Aubrey (1872-1898), "How Queen Guenever Made Her a Nun" (1894)
Beardsley, Aubrey (1872-1898), "How Queen Guenever Rode on Maying" (1894)
Bowley, M., "Guinevere at the Nunnery at Almesbury"
Brickdale, Eleanor Fortescue- (1872-1945), "Lancelot and Guinevere" (1911)
Brickdale, Eleanor Fortescue- (1872-1945), "Enid, Guinevere, and Vivien" (1911)
Brickdale, Eleanor Fortescue- (1872-1945), "Before the Coming of the Sinful Queen" (1911)
Brickdale, Eleanor Fortescue- (1872-1945), "Guinevere in the Golden Days" (1911)
Brickdale, Eleanor Fortescue- (1872-1945), "Guinevere in the Nunnery" (1911)
Cameron, Julia Margaret (1815-1879), "The Little Novice and the Queen" (1875)
Cameron, Julia Margaret (1815-1879), "The Parting of Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere" (1875)
Dixon, Arthur (fl. 1893-1920), "Launcelot Loved Guenevere from the Moment He First Beheld Her" (1921)
Dixon, Arthur (fl. 1893-1920), "Sir Launcelot and the Queen Talked Sadly Together" (1921)
Doré Gustave (1832-83), "Cloister Scene" (188-)
Doré Gustave (1832-83), "The Dawn of Love" (188-)
Doré Gustave (1832-83), "The King's Farewell" (188-)
Doré Gustave (1832-83), "The Moonlight Ride" (188-)
Doré Gustave (1832-83), "The Parting" (188-)
Doré Gustave (1832-83), "Terrace Scene" (188-)
Flint, William Russell, Sir (1880-1969), "And Then They Put on Their Helms and Departed, and Recommended Them All Wholly unto the Queen; and There Was Weeping and Great Sorrow" (1927)
Flint, William Russell, Sir (1880-1969), "How Sir Launcelot and His Kinsmen Rescued the Queen from the Fire" (1927)
Flint, William Russell, Sir (1880-1969), "Then Sir Launcelot Saw Her Visage, But He Wept Not Greatly, But Sighed" (1927)
Flint, William Russell, Sir (1880-1969), "Then the Queen Guenever Made Great Sorrow for the Departing of Her Lord and Other" (1927)
Ford, H. J. (1860-1941), Arthur and Guenevere Kiss before All the People" (1902)
Ford, H. J. (1860-1941), Guenevere Sends Her Page to Lancelot for Help" (1902)
Ford, H. J. (1860-1941), Lancelot Comes out of Guenevere's Room" (1902)
Ford, H. J. (1860-1941), Sir Mador Accuses Guenevere" (1902)
Fripp, Innes (1867-1963), "The Death of Guenevere" (n.d.; 1900-1920?)
Fripp, Innes (1867-1963), "Lancelot and Guenevere" (n.d.; 1900-1920?)
Fripp, Innes (1867-1963), "The Lovers appear before King Arthur" (n.d.; 1900-1920?)
Fripp, Innes (1867-1963), "The Penance of Queen Guenevere" (n.d.; 1900-1920?)
Fripp, Innes (1867-1963), "The Queen and her Maidens watch for Sir Lancelot" (n.d.; 1900-1920?)
Fripp, Innes (1867-1963), "The Rescue of Guenevere" (n.d.; 1900-1920?)
Fripp, Innes (1867-1963), "Sir Lancelot in his Madness" (n.d.; 1900-1920?)
Fripp, Innes (1867-1963), "The Unknown Champion is discovered" (n.d.; 1900-1920?)
Garrett, Edmund H. (1853-1929), "Guinevere Sees Arthur by the Castle Wall" (1901)
Garrett, Edmund H. (1853-1929), "Guinevere Takes Refuge in a Convent" (1901)
Harrison, Florence (1884-19--), "And One of These Strange Choosing Cloths Was Blue . . ." (1914)
Harrison, Florence (1884-19--), "In That Garden Fair Came Launcelot Walking..." (1914)
Harrison, Florence (1884-19--), "Guenevere! Guenevere! Do You Not Know Me, Are You Gone Mad?" (1914)
Harrison, Florence (1884-19--), "Guinevere" (1912)
Harrison, Florence (1884-19--), Headpiece to: "The Defense of Guinevere" (1914)
Harrison, Florence (1884-19--), "Nevertheless You, O Sir Gauwaine, Lie" (1914)
Harrison, Florence (1884-19--), "Six Maidens Round the Mast . . ." (1914)
Kappes, Alfred (1850-1894), "Queen Guenever's Peril" (1880)
Kirk, M[aria]. L[ouise]. (1860-193x), "The Princess Drew Back Blushing" (1912)
Kirk, M[aria]. L[ouise]. (1860-193x), "'Yea, Little Maid, for Am I Not Forgiven?'" (1912)
Pyle, Howard (1853-1911), "The Lady Guinevere" (1903)
Rackham, Arthur (1867-1939), "And There Openly Sir Mador Appealed the Queen of the Death of His Cousin Sir Patrise" (1917)
Rackham, Arthur (1867-1939), "How Queen Guenever Rode A-Maying into the Woods and Fields Beside Westminster" (1917)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Arthur Forgives Guinevere" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Arthur Leaves the Nunnery" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Guinevere after Arthur's Departure" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Guinevere and the Novice" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Guinevere as a Nun" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Guinevere Flees to Almesbury" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Guinevere Forgives the Novice" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Guinevere Scorns Lancelot's Gift" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Guinevere with Enid and Vivien" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Guinevere's Jealousy" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Guinevere's Last Glimpse of Arthur" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Guinevere Watches for Geraint and Enid" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Lancelot and Guinevere" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Lancelot and Guinevere's Parting Kiss" (1898)
Rhead, George Wooliscroft (1854-1920) & Louis (1857-1926), "Lancelot as Arthur's Ambassador to Guinevere" (1898)
Smith, John Moyr, "Guinevere" (c. 1875)
Speed, Lancelot (1860-1931), "At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave him such a buffet on the helm as well-night killed him" (1912)
Speed, Lancelot (1860-1931), "But still the knights cried mightily without the door, 'Traitor, come forth!'" (1912)
Speed, Lancelot (1860-1931), "The Marriage of King Arthur" (1912)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cross, Tom Peete and William Albert Nitze. Lancelot and Guenevere: A Study on the Origins of Courtly Love. 1930; rpt. New York: Phaeton Press, 1970.

Gordon-Wise, Barbara Ann. The Reclamation of a Queen: Guinevere in Modern Fantasy. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1991.

Korrel, Peter. An Arthurian Triangle: A Study of the Origin, Development and Characterization of Arthur, Guinevere and Modred. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1984.

Samples, Susan. "Guinevere: A Re-Appraisal." Arthurian Interpretations 3.2 (1989): 106-18.