Editing Gareth

{{short description|Knight of the Round Table}}
{{For|the given name and people and fictional characters with that name|Gareth (given name)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox_character
| series = [[Matter of Britain]]
| image = File:Sir Gareth of Orkney.png
| caption = "Sir Gareth of Orkney", [[Howard Pyle]]'s illustration for ''[[The Story of Sir Launcelot and His Companions]]'' (1907)
| first = The First Continuation of ''[[Perceval, the Story of the Grail]]''
| occupation = [[Knights of the Round Table|Knight of the Round Table]]
| title = Prince, Sir
| family = [[King Lot|Lot]], [[Morgause]] (parents) <BR> [[Agravain]], [[Gaheris]], [[Gawain]], [[Mordred]] (brothers) <BR> [[King Arthur]] (uncle)
| relatives = [[King Arthur's family]]
| spouse = [[Lynette and Lyonesse|Lyonesse]]
| home = [[Orkney]], [[Camelot]]
}}
'''Gareth''' ({{IPA|cy|ˈɡarɛθ|lang}}; [[Old French]]: ''Guerehet'', ''Guerrehet'') is a [[Knights of the Round Table|Knight of the Round Table]] in Arthurian legend. He is the youngest son of [[King Lot]] and [[Morgause|Queen Morgause]], [[King Arthur]]'s half-sister, thus making him Arthur's nephew, as well as brother to [[Gawain]], [[Agravain]] and [[Gaheris]], and either a brother or half-brother of [[Mordred]].{{#tag: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."<ref>Verses 8139–8142 in the Dufournet edition; verses 8056–8060 in the Méla edition.</ref> A brief portrait of the five brothers (including Mordred) can be found in the prose ''Lancelot''.<ref>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>|group="note"}} Gareth is particularly notable in ''[[Le Morte d'Arthur]]'', where one of its eight books is named after and largely dedicated to him, and in which he is also known by his nickname '''Beaumains'''.

==Arthurian legend==
=== French literature ===
The earliest role of Gareth, appearing as Guerrehet,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8Ob4EdHr8vkC&pg=RA1-PA52|title=The Openess of Myth: The Arthurian Tradition in the Middle Ages and Today|last=Dentzien|first=Nicole|date=2004|publisher=Königshausen & Neumann|isbn=9783826028113|language=en}}</ref> is found in the First Continuation of [[Chrétien de Troyes]]'s ''[[Perceval ou le Conte du Graal]]'' (in the original ''Perceval'', Chrétien himself had only mentioned [[Gawain]]'s brothers named Agrevain, Gaherriez and Guerrehés<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HSmto0TQZBgC&pg=PA57 | title=The Romances of Chretien de Troyes | isbn=978-0-300-13370-7 | last1=Duggan | first1=Joseph J. | date=October 2008 | publisher=Yale University Press }}</ref>). As the protagonist of the story's final episode, he slays the giant known as "Little Knight", thus avenging the death of fairy king Brangemuer, son of [[Guiomar (Arthurian legend)|Guingamuer]] and the fay Brangepart.

Several of his adventures are narrated in the Vulgate Cycle (''[[Lancelot-Grail]]''). In the Vulgate ''Merlin'', Gareth and his brothers defect from their father [[King Lot]] and take service with [[King Arthur]], participating in the early battles against the [[Saxons|Saxon]] invaders of Britain and in the war against [[Claudas|King Claudas]] on the continent. As the youngest and often most [[Chivalry|chivalrous]] of the [[Orkney]] princes, Gareth later prevents his brothers Gawain and [[Agravain]] from killing their other sibling [[Gaheris]] in revenge for the murder of their mother, the [[Morgause|Queen of Orkney]], condemns his brothers for their killing of [[Lamorak]], and attempts to dissuade Agravain and [[Mordred]] (the youngest of the Orkney brothers) from exposing the secret love affair between [[Lancelot]] and Arthur's wife, [[Queen Guinevere]].

His death at the hands of [[Bors]] (aided by [[Hector de Maris]]) during Lancelot's rescue of Guinevere from being burned at the stake is related in the ''Mort Artu'' (''Death of Arthur''), the final volume of the Vulgate Cycle.<ref>Norris J. Lacy, ed. and trans., ''Lancelot-Grail: The Death of Arthur'', Volume 7 of ''Lancelot-Grail: The Old French Arthurian Vulgate and Post-Vulgate in Translation'', Boydell & Brewer Ltd, 2010, p. 69. {{ISBN|9780859917704}}.</ref> The Vulgate ''Lancelot'' and the Vulgate ''Mort Artu''  differ in their characterisation of Gareth. In the ''Lancelot'', he is portrayed as Gawain's most cherished brother. In the ''Mort Artu'', it is rather his older brother, Gaheris.<ref>Norris J. Lacy, ed., ''Lancelot-Grail: Lancelot Parts III and IV'', pp. 393–4.</ref>

=== ''Le Morte d'Arthur'' ===
Gareth is notably the hero of Book IV (Caxton VII) in Sir [[Thomas Malory]]'s Arthurian compilation ''[[Le Morte d'Arthur]]'', "The Tale of Sir Gareth of Orkney", Malory's own original story of the [[Fair Unknown]] type, which tells how the young Gareth became a knight. It is partially a creative retelling of an episode from the [[Post-Vulgate Cycle|Post-Vulgate]] ''Suite de Merlin'', which featured a considerably older Gaheriet (Gaheris) on his quest to defeat the [[Red Knight|Red Knights]], ending with his knighting.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2BK9DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT96 | title=Malory's Originality: A Critical Study of le Morte Darthur | isbn=978-1-4214-3311-0 | last1=Lumiansky | first1=R. M. | date=December 2019 | publisher=JHU Press }}</ref>

[[File:Arthur Hughes - Overthrowing of the Rusty Knight.jpg|thumb|left|Gareth, Lyonesse and the Red Knight in ''Overthrowing of the Rusty Knight'' by [[Arthur Hughes (artist)|Arthur Hughes]] (c. 1894–1908)]]

In the "Tale of Gareth", the teenage hero seeks to prove himself worthy of [[knighthood]] through his deeds instead of just his lineage. For this reason, he arrives at [[Camelot]] in disguise as a kitchen boy as ''le bel inconnu'', or the [[Fair Unknown]], who comes without a name and therefore without a past. He is set to work by [[Sir Kay]], who always gives him difficult work, teases him as a lowly kitchen boy, and mockingly nicknames him "''Beaumains''" or "Good Hands" (alternatively "Beautiful Hands" or "Fair Hands"). Gareth receives much better attention from Sir Lancelot, who gives him gifts of clothes and gold for spending money. After a year passes, Gareth finally embarks on a knightly quest. He goes to the aid of an unknown woman, later revealed to be the Dame [[Lynette and Lyonesse|Lynette]], to save her sister [[Lynette and Lyonesse|Lyonesse]] (both also appearing under various alternate spellings) from the Red Knight of the Red Lands. Gareth is accompanied by the dwarf Melot, who knows his true identity. However, Lynette takes Gareth as a mere kitchen boy and constantly derides him. On the way, he defeats Sir Perarde, the horrible [[Black Knight (Arthurian legend)|Black Knight]], and takes his armour and horse. He then meets Sir Pertolope, the [[Green Knight]], who mistakes him for his brother, the Black Knight. Lynette tells the Green Knight that he is a kitchen boy and begs him to rid her of him. Gareth overcomes the Green Knight but spares his life in return for the knight's swearing to serve King Arthur. He then in much the same fashion defeats Sir Perymones, the Puce Knight (sometimes the Red Knight, but not to be confused with the Knight of the Red Lands), and Sir Persaunte (Persant of Inde), the Indigo Knight, both of whom also swear loyalty to Arthur. He arrives at Lyonesse's castle, where she is besieged by Sir Ironside, the Red Knight of the Red Lands. Gareth fights him all day and finally prevails, although the Red Knight has the strength of seven men, and intends to slay him just like Ironside had slaughtered all the other knights who came to save the lady Lyonesse. However, the Red Knight explains that he did so because the lady he loved made him swear to kill Lancelot, and the only way to get Lancelot's attention was to first kill these knights. Hearing this, Gareth decides to spare the Red Knight, making him swear to serve Arthur and also go to Camelot and apologise to Lancelot. Lustily in love with Lyonesse, Gareth conspires to consummate their relationship before marrying. Only by the magical intervention of Lynette is their tryst unsuccessful, thus preserving Gareth's virginity and, presumably, his standing with God. Gareth later counsels Lyonesse to report to King Arthur and pretend she does not know where he is; instead, he tells her to announce a tournament of his knights against the Round Table. This allows Gareth to disguise himself and win honour by defeating his brother knights. The heralds eventually acknowledge that he is 'Sir Gareth' right as he defeats his brother Gawain.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sir Gareth |url=http://www.uiweb.uidaho.edu/student_orgs/arthurian_legend/knights/orkney/gareth.html |access-date=27 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005053842/http://www.uiweb.uidaho.edu/student_orgs/arthurian_legend/knights/orkney/gareth.html |archive-date=5 October 2011 }}</ref>

In Malory, there are only two knights that have ever successfully held against Lancelot: Sir [[Tristan]] and Gareth. This was always under conditions where one or both parties were unknown to the other, for these knights loved each other "passingly well". Gareth was knighted by Lancelot himself when he took upon him the adventure on behalf of Lynette. Later, Gareth tells Tristan he had parted ways with his brothers Gaheris and Agravain due to their dislike of him and their murderous ways. Eventually, Lancelot's unintended and brutal killing of his young friend and hero worship follower makes the central event of the final grand tragedy at the end of Malory's tale.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RWfZFUkqTdEC&pg=PA20 | title=Aspects of Malory | isbn=978-0-85991-068-2 | last1=Takamiya | first1=Toshiyuki | last2=Brewer | first2=Derek | date=8 March 1981 | publisher=Boydell & Brewer }}</ref> In this scene (based on the English [[Stanzaic Morte Arthur|Stanzaic ''Morte Arthur'']] rather than on the French original) in Book VII (Caxton XVIII), "The Death of Arthur", Gareth  arrives unarmed in protest after he is ordered by King Arthur to help guard the execution of Queen Guinevere. Nevertheless, he ends up accidentally killed by the battle-mad Lancelot during the rescue of the queen, along with his brother Gaheris. Gawain refuses to allow Arthur to accept Lancelot's sincere apology for the deaths of his brothers. Lancelot genuinely mourns the death of Gareth, whom he loved closely like a son or younger brother, but Arthur is forced by Gawain's insistence to go to war against Lancelot. This leads to the splitting of the [[Round Table]], Mordred's treachery in trying to seize Guinevere and the throne, Gawain's own death from an unhealed wound he suffered in his duel with Lancelot, and Arthur and Mordred slaying each other in [[Battle of Camlann|the final battle]]. {{Clear}}

==Modern versions==
The legend of Gareth and Lynette has been reinterpreted by many writers and poets, the most renowned being [[Alfred Lord Tennyson]] in ''[[Idylls of the King]]'' (1859–1888). In this version the 'colored' knights are replaced by knights associated with various times of day: the final knight is known as Night or Death and is the most feared of the three, though ultimately the weakest. Eventually, Gareth marries Lynette. 

In some other retellings, Gareth marries Lynette's sister, whom he rescues, and Gaheris marries Lynette. [[Theodore Goodridge Roberts]] authored the short story "For to Achieve Your Adventure", in which Lynette knows she is sending Gareth into an ambush in an attempt to make him give up for his own protection.

In the ''[[Fate (disambiguation)|Fate]]'' franchise, Gareth is depicted as a female knight, while keeping much of the legend's original family traits and story; she ends up brutally killed by the mad Lancelot. An alternative Gareth also appears in a faery world in the "Lostbelt 6: Avalon le Fae" scenario of the mobile game ''[[Fate/Grand Order]]''.

* In the film ''[[Knights of the Round Table (film)|Knights of the Round Table]]'' (1953), he was played by [[Anthony Forwood]].
* [[Richard Thorp]] played him in the British film ''[[Lancelot and Guinevere]]'' (1963).
* [[Vera Chapman]]'s novel ''[[The King's Damosel]]'' (1976) gives a complete version of Lynette's life.
* Gareth was portrayed by [[Jonathan Cake]] in the film ''[[First Knight]]'' (1995).
* In the video game ''[[Mega Man Xtreme 2]]'' (2001), Gareth is a knight-like android who serves his creator, the witch Berkana.
* In the novel ''[[Queen of Camelot]]'' (2002) by [[Nancy McKenzie]], Gareth and Lynette formally became betrothed when he first came to Arthur.

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="note"}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Gareth Beaumains}}
* [https://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/theme/gareth-and-lynette.html Gareth and Lynette] at the Camelot Project

{{Arthurian Legend}}

[[Category:Fictional characters introduced in the 12th century]]
[[Category:Fictional princes]]
[[Category:Family of King Arthur]]
[[Category:Knights of the Round Table]]