LANCELOT ( lan'se-lot) OF THE LAKE.
A character in the Arthurian romances. The oldest extant form of the Lancelot story is con tained in the German poem Lanzelet (before 1200), by Ulrich von Zatzikhoven. According to this account, a fairy called the Lady of the Lake carries him away when only a year old to her castle on an island in the sea. At the age of fifteen he sets out on his knightly exploits, in the course of which he is victorious in a tour nament held by Arthur, enters the castle of the dead. where he is enchanted, kills a giant, wins the domain of Iweret and marries his chaste daughter The best criticism holds the tale, as thus related, to be Celtic in the main essentials. It had probably been the subject of some Anglo-Norman poem that found its way into (ternmny. It may have been brought by Hugh Morville. King Richard's hostage in Ger many ( 1194 ) . Somewhat earl ier than the German poem. the French trouvere Chrestien de Troyes (q.v.) made use of the Lancelot story for a love romance. In his Conte de la eharrette (o• Story of the Cart) (about 1170), Lancelot appears as the lover of Guenevere. The Queen is carried away by Meliagraunee to his castle, whence no one ever returns. Lancelot hastens in pursuit ; but, losing his horse, he is fain to ride in a cart driven by a dwarf. He defeats the ravisher in single combat, and brings back the Queen. Throughout this adventure, the passion of Lancelot. and Guenevere is kept prominent as the ruling motive. For following in further detail the development of the Lancelot story, there is not sufficient material. No doubt it continued to be the theme of many Anglo-Norman poets. Ear ly in the thirteenth century it was expanded and thoroughly• woven into Arthurian legend. in the French prose romances Lancelot, consisting of four parts: the Lancelot proper. the Queste del Saint Graal. the Grand Saint Gran!. and La mort du roc Artus. The manuscripts of this immense prose romance commonly ascribe the authorship to Walter Map (q.v.) ; hut this is probably a fiction. Alai) may. indeed. have written of Lancelot in Norman-French verse, from which the later prose writers drew. Tf so. his work is merged beyond recognition in that of several other hands. The authorship of the prose Lancelot. as it now stands, is unknown. From the French the story passed into the llnrte d'Arthur of Sir Thomas Malory printed by Cax ton in 14S5.
Of the romance thus fully developed, the situa tion and the main incidents are well known.
Lancelot, of royal lineage, is brought to Arthur's court by the Lady of the Lake to be dubbed a knight. He proves his valor in the King's wars and tournaments. The Most beautiful and gen erous, as well as the bravest knight in all the world, he is beloved by the Queen, with whom he carries on an intrigue. In course of time, Elaine, or the fair maid of Astolat, becomes enamored of him and dies for her love. With Galahad, Perceval, and other knights, he seeks the adven ture of the holy Grail (q.v.), but fails in the quest because of his sin. Be is discovered in the chamber of the Queen, with whom he flees to .Joyous Gard. On the intervention of the Pope, Lancelot surrenders Guenevere to the King and departs over the sea. Arthur, leaving his nephew :Modred in charge of his realm, pursues Lancelot. In his absence Modred is crowned Icing at Canterbury. Arthur returns, slays him in a great battle, but is himself mortally wound ed. In a magic barge he is borne by fairies to the land of immortality, to be healed of his grievous wound. Lancelot, hearing of Ar thur's death, comes to England to seek the Queen, who has retired to the nunnery at Almcs bury. Dismissed by her, he also retires to a hermitage. where he passes the rest of his life in penance and prayer. After the death of the Queen he sickens and dies. His body is laid in the chapel at Jo•mis Card, but his soul is borne to the gates of heaven by hosts of angels. The story of Lancelot and Guenevere has been treated by poets of the first order. According to the romance of the thirteenth century, the passion of these lovers was awakened by a fatal kiss. That incident Dante immortalized in the sinfill love of Francesca and Paolo (Inferno, v.). The love of Lancelot and Guenevere is the centre of interest in Tennyson's idylls of the King. And two motives from it were impressively handled by William Morris in "The Defence of Guenevere" and "King Arthur's Tomb." Con sult especially My's. Studies in the Arthurian Legend (Oxford. 1S91) ; and Sommer, on the sources of Malory's -Norte d'Arthur. in his edi tion of that work (London, 1S91); for abstracts of the early romance, Newell, King Arthur and the Table Round (Boston, 1897) : Weston. The Legend of Sir Launeelot du Lac (London, 1901) ; and for the "Lanzelet" of Ulrich von Zatzik hover). Romania, vol. N. (Paris, ISSI ).