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 reached such heights in the middle ages
that Tennyson thought himself at liberty to paint the Flos Regum；
〃the blameless King。〃 He followed the Brut ab Arthur。 〃In short；
God has not made since Adam was； the man more perfect than Arthur。〃
This is remote from the Arthur of the oldest Celtic legends； but
justifies the poet in adapting Arthur to the ideal hero of the
Idylls：…
〃Ideal manhood closed in real man；
Rather than that grey king； whose name； a ghost；
Streams like a cloud； man…shaped； from mountain…peak；
And cleaves to cairn and cromlech still； or him
Of Geoffrey's book； or him of Malleor's； one
Touched by the adulterous finger of a time
That hovered between war and wantonness；
And crownings and dethronements。〃
The poetical beauties of The Coming of Arthur excel those of Gareth
and Lynette。 The sons of Lot and Bellicent seem to have been
originally regarded as the incestuous offspring of Arthur and his
sister； the wife of King Lot。 Next it was represented that Arthur
was ignorant of the relationship。 Mr Rhys supposes that the mythical
scandal （still present in Malory as a sin of ignorance） arose from
blending the Celtic Arthur （as Culture Hero） with an older divine
personage； such as Zeus； who marries his sister Hera。 Marriages of
brother and sister are familiar in the Egyptian royal house； and that
of the Incas。 But the poet has a perfect right to disregard a
scandalous myth which； obviously crystallised later about the figure
of the mythical Celtic Arthur； was an incongruous accretion to his
legend。 Gareth； therefore； is merely Arthur's nephew； not son； in
the poem； as are Gawain and the traitor Modred。 The story seems to
be rather mediaeval French than Celtica mingling of the spirit of
fabliau and popular fairy tale。 The poet has added to its lightness；
almost frivolity； the description of the unreal city of Camelot；
built to music； as when
〃Ilion； like a mist； rose into towers。〃
He has also brought in the allegory of Death； which； when faced；
proves to be 〃a bl