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Sir '''Agravain''' {{IPAc-en|æ|g|r|æ|v|eɪ|n}} is a minor character in [[Matter of Britain|Arthurian legend]], a lesser-known [[King Arthur's family|nephew]] of [[King Arthur]] who serves him as a [[Knight of the Round Table]]. In the [[Vulgate Cycle|Vulgate]], [[Post-Vulgate Cycle|Post-Vulgate]] [[Literary cycle|cycles]] and [[Thomas Malory]]'s ''[[Le Morte d'Arthur]]'', he is a son of [[King Lot]] of [[Orkney]] with [[Morgause|Anna/Morgause]] (Arthur's [[sister]]), thus a brother of the famous Sir [[Gawain]],<ref name="timelessmyths">{{cite web |title=Family of Gawain|url=http://www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/roundtable.html#Family}}</ref> [[Gaheris]], [[Gareth]] and an accomplice of his evil [[half-brother]] [[Mordred]]. Now usually characterized as a morally corrupt figure, Agravain (sometimes also spelled '''Agravaine''') seems to have been neutral at first.
Sir '''Agravain''' {{IPAc-en|æ|g|r|æ|v|eɪ|n}} (sometimes spelled '''Agravaine''') is a [[Knight of the Round Table]] in [[Arthurian Legend]]. In [[Chrétien de Troyes]], the [[Vulgate Cycle|Vulgate]], [[Post-Vulgate Cycle|Post-Vulgate]] [[Literary cycle|cycles]] and [[Thomas Malory]]'s ''[[Le Morte d'Arthur]]'', he is the second eldest son of [[King Lot]] of [[Orkney]] with [[Morgause|Anna/Morgause]] (Arthur's [[sister]]), thus [[King Arthur's family|nephew]] of [[King Arthur]], and brother to Sir [[Gawain]], [[Gaheris]], and [[Gareth]], and [[half-brother]] to [[Mordred]].<ref>An enumeration of the four brothers (excluding Mordred) can be found in [[Chrétien de Troyes]]'s ''[[Perceval, the Story of the Grail]]'' when Gawain tells the "white-haired queen" (his grandmother [[Igraine]]) the names of the four brothers ("Gawain is the oldest, the second Agravain the Proud [...], Gaheriet and Guerehet are the names of the following two." (verses 8139-8142 in the Dufournet edition; verses 8056-8060 in the Méla edition)); a brief portrait of the five brothers (including Mordred) can be found in the prose ''Lancelot'' (see: Norris J. Lacy, ed., ''Lancelot-Grail: Lancelot Parts III and IV'', Volume 4 of ''Lancelot-Grail: The Old French Arthurian Vulgate and Post-Vulgate in Translation'', Boydell & Brewer Ltd, 2010, pp. 392-4. ISBN 9781843842354.)</ref><ref name="timelessmyths">{{cite web |title=Family of Gawain|url=http://www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/roundtable.html#Family}}</ref>


Throughout the stories, Agravain participates in acts of villainy such as the slaying of [[Sir Lamorak]] and [[Sir Dinadan]], but occasionally his acts are not so malignant. He participates in a number of adventures early in the Vulgate Cycle, and sometimes even does heroic deeds. In ''[[Sir Gawain and the Green Knight]]'', where he is called "Agravain of the Hard Hand", he is named in a list of respectable knights; this, combined with his unobjectionable depiction in [[Chrétien de Troyes]]' ''[[Perceval, the Story of the Grail|Perceval]]'', suggests his reputation might not have been so negative prior to the Vulgate.
He is described as handsome and a capable fighter, and participates in a number of adventures early in the Vulgate Cycle, sometimes even doing heroic deeds. In ''[[Sir Gawain and the Green Knight]]'', where he is called "Agravain of the Hard Hand", he is named in a list of respectable knights; this, combined with his unobjectionable depiction in Chrétien de Troyes' ''[[Perceval, the Story of the Grail|Perceval]]'', suggests his reputation might not have been so negative prior to the Vulgate.


He is described as handsome and a capable fighter, but unlike his heroic brothers [[Gawain]] and [[Gareth]], Agravain is also known for malice and villainy. In most cyclical Arthurian literature, he plays an important role by exposing his aunt [[Guinevere]]'s affair with Sir [[Lancelot]]. Though Gawain, Gareth and [[Gaheris]] try to stop them, he and Mordred conspire to catch the adulterers together. In some versions he is killed by the escaping Lancelot, in others he dies defending Guinevere's execution from Lancelot's forces along with Gaheris and Gareth; in either case, it is not his death but those of Gaheris' and Gareth's that inspires Gawain's wrath toward Lancelot, as Gawain had warned Agravain not to spy on Lancelot.
However, unlike his heroic brothers Gawain and Gareth, Agravain is also known for malice and villainy. In some stories, Agravain participates in the slaying of [[Sir Lamorak]] and [[Sir Dinadan]], and in most cyclical Arthurian literature, he plays an important role by exposing his aunt [[Guinevere]]'s affair with Sir [[Lancelot]]. Though Gawain, Gareth and Gaheris try to stop them, he and Mordred conspire to catch the adulterers together. In some versions he is killed by the escaping Lancelot, in others he dies defending Guinevere's execution from Lancelot's forces along with Gaheris and Gareth; in either case, it is not his death but those of Gaheris' and Gareth's that inspires Gawain's wrath toward Lancelot, as Gawain had warned Agravain not to spy on Lancelot.


==Modern adaptations==
==Modern adaptations==
By and large, modern [[List of works based on Arthurian legends|works based on Arthurian legend]] continue to [[villain]]ize Sir Agravain.
By and large, modern [[List of works based on Arthurian legends|works based on Arthurian legend]] continue to [[villain]]ize Sir Agravain.
* Agravaine, not Gaheris, as in Malory, is the Orkney brother responsible for the murder of his mother in what may be the most widely read 20th-century adaptation of the Arthurian legend: [[T. H. White]]'s ''[[The Once and Future King]]'' series of books, first released in 1938. White portrays Agravaine as a drunken, bloodthirsty coward, the "bully" of his family (even guilty of killing a [[unicorn]] as a child), but also intelligent and not altogether unsympathetic.
* Agravaine, not Gaheris, as in Malory, is the Orkney brother responsible for the murder of his mother in what may be the most widely read 20th-century adaptation of the Arthurian legend: [[T. H. White]]'s ''[[The Once and Future King]]'' series of books, first released in 1938. White portrays Agravaine as a drunken, bloodthirsty coward, the "bully" of his family (even guilty of killing a [[unicorn]] as a child), but also intelligent and not altogether unsympathetic.
** The [[pre-Raphaelite]] poem "The Defence of Guenevere" (1858) by [[William Morris]] also identifies Agravaine as his mother's murderer.
* The [[pre-Raphaelite]] poem "The Defence of Guenevere" (1858) by [[William Morris]] also identifies Agravaine as his mother's murderer.

== In other media ==
* He appears in the British TV series ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]'' (2008-2012) in Series 4 as Arthur's contemptuous uncle [[List of Merlin characters#Agravaine|Agravaine de Bois]]; while purporting to help guide the prince after his father is incapacitated, Agravaine secretly works with [[Morgan le Fay|Morgana]] to overthrow the Pendragons and return her to the throne, presumably acting out of revenge for the deaths of his siblings ("[[Black Knight (Arthurian legend)|Tristan]]" and "[[Igraine|Ygraine]]") at hands of [[King Uther]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Storr|first=Will|title=Merlin, BBC One: behind the scenes|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8765909/Merlin-BBC-One-behind-the-scenes.html|newspaper=Telegraph|date=30 September 2011}}</ref> He is finally killed by Merlin in the Season 4 Finale after he helps Morgana attack Camelot.
* He appears in the British TV series ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]'' (2008-2012) in Series 4 as Arthur's contemptuous uncle [[List of Merlin characters#Agravaine|Agravaine de Bois]]; while purporting to help guide the prince after his father is incapacitated, Agravaine secretly works with [[Morgan le Fay|Morgana]] to overthrow the Pendragons and return her to the throne, presumably acting out of revenge for the deaths of his siblings ("[[Black Knight (Arthurian legend)|Tristan]]" and "[[Igraine|Ygraine]]") at hands of [[King Uther]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Storr|first=Will|title=Merlin, BBC One: behind the scenes|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8765909/Merlin-BBC-One-behind-the-scenes.html|newspaper=Telegraph|date=30 September 2011}}</ref> He is finally killed by Merlin in the Season 4 Finale after he helps Morgana attack Camelot.


Conversely, the 1995 movie ''[[First Knight]]'' presents Agravaine as heroic, an atypical treatment which can be traced to a curious anomaly in Malory; though consistently depicted as an outspoken enemy of the queen, Agravaine is nonetheless chosen as one of Guinevere's knights when she rides out on May Day (a journey that begins the episode dealt with in the film).
* Conversely, the 1995 movie ''[[First Knight]]'' presents Agravaine as heroic, an atypical treatment which can be traced to a curious anomaly in Malory; though consistently depicted as an outspoken enemy of the queen, Agravaine is nonetheless chosen as one of Guinevere's knights when she rides out on May Day (a journey that begins the episode dealt with in the film).


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 00:24, 26 August 2014

Sir Agravain /æɡræveɪn/ (sometimes spelled Agravaine) is a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian Legend. In Chrétien de Troyes, the Vulgate, Post-Vulgate cycles and Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, he is the second eldest son of King Lot of Orkney with Anna/Morgause (Arthur's sister), thus nephew of King Arthur, and brother to Sir Gawain, Gaheris, and Gareth, and half-brother to Mordred.[1][2]

He is described as handsome and a capable fighter, and participates in a number of adventures early in the Vulgate Cycle, sometimes even doing heroic deeds. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, where he is called "Agravain of the Hard Hand", he is named in a list of respectable knights; this, combined with his unobjectionable depiction in Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval, suggests his reputation might not have been so negative prior to the Vulgate.

However, unlike his heroic brothers Gawain and Gareth, Agravain is also known for malice and villainy. In some stories, Agravain participates in the slaying of Sir Lamorak and Sir Dinadan, and in most cyclical Arthurian literature, he plays an important role by exposing his aunt Guinevere's affair with Sir Lancelot. Though Gawain, Gareth and Gaheris try to stop them, he and Mordred conspire to catch the adulterers together. In some versions he is killed by the escaping Lancelot, in others he dies defending Guinevere's execution from Lancelot's forces along with Gaheris and Gareth; in either case, it is not his death but those of Gaheris' and Gareth's that inspires Gawain's wrath toward Lancelot, as Gawain had warned Agravain not to spy on Lancelot.

Modern adaptations

By and large, modern works based on Arthurian legend continue to villainize Sir Agravain.

  • Agravaine, not Gaheris, as in Malory, is the Orkney brother responsible for the murder of his mother in what may be the most widely read 20th-century adaptation of the Arthurian legend: T. H. White's The Once and Future King series of books, first released in 1938. White portrays Agravaine as a drunken, bloodthirsty coward, the "bully" of his family (even guilty of killing a unicorn as a child), but also intelligent and not altogether unsympathetic.
  • The pre-Raphaelite poem "The Defence of Guenevere" (1858) by William Morris also identifies Agravaine as his mother's murderer.

In other media

  • He appears in the British TV series Merlin (2008-2012) in Series 4 as Arthur's contemptuous uncle Agravaine de Bois; while purporting to help guide the prince after his father is incapacitated, Agravaine secretly works with Morgana to overthrow the Pendragons and return her to the throne, presumably acting out of revenge for the deaths of his siblings ("Tristan" and "Ygraine") at hands of King Uther.[3] He is finally killed by Merlin in the Season 4 Finale after he helps Morgana attack Camelot.
  • Conversely, the 1995 movie First Knight presents Agravaine as heroic, an atypical treatment which can be traced to a curious anomaly in Malory; though consistently depicted as an outspoken enemy of the queen, Agravaine is nonetheless chosen as one of Guinevere's knights when she rides out on May Day (a journey that begins the episode dealt with in the film).

See also

References

  1. ^ An enumeration of the four brothers (excluding Mordred) can be found in Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval, the Story of the Grail when Gawain tells the "white-haired queen" (his grandmother Igraine) the names of the four brothers ("Gawain is the oldest, the second Agravain the Proud [...], Gaheriet and Guerehet are the names of the following two." (verses 8139-8142 in the Dufournet edition; verses 8056-8060 in the Méla edition)); a brief portrait of the five brothers (including Mordred) can be found in the prose Lancelot (see: Norris J. Lacy, ed., Lancelot-Grail: Lancelot Parts III and IV, Volume 4 of Lancelot-Grail: The Old French Arthurian Vulgate and Post-Vulgate in Translation, Boydell & Brewer Ltd, 2010, pp. 392-4. ISBN 9781843842354.)
  2. ^ "Family of Gawain".
  3. ^ Storr, Will (30 September 2011). "Merlin, BBC One: behind the scenes". Telegraph.
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