The Fair Maiden of Astolat
Max Gould
Arthurian Lit. Final Paper
The Fair Maiden of Astolat is the first casualty of unconstrained love in Malory’s
Le Morte D’Arthur. As Malory describes the descent of the Arthurian world, The Maiden
of Astolat episode serves to re-emphasize the essential conflict eating away at the
foundations of Arthurian society. The idea of love as something uncontrollable is
essentially at conflict with the ideals of honor and worship that are at the heart of
Arthurian society. The death of the maid heightens the tension in the scene with Arthur,
Guenevere, and Lancelot, suggesting that the conflict which has been avoided for so long,
must soon be confronted. The Fair Maiden of Astolat emphasizes the conflict of
unconstrained love, heightening the tension between Arthur, Lancelot, and Guenevere in
preparation for the final blow to the Table Round.
The concept of unconstrained love is by no means new to the Arthurian world.
When Arthur falls in love with Guenevere, Merlin says, “But there as a man’s heart is set,
he will be loath to return.” (Book III, Ch I, pg 79) Arthur’s love for Guenevere is the first
evidence of unconstrained love in Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur. Because Arthur receives
the round table as a wedding present from King Leodegrance, the entire Arthurian world
essentially descends from Arthur’s unconstrained love for Guenevere.
Elaine’s love for Lancelot is similarly a case of unconstrained love. Sir Lavaine
says of his sister, “She doth as I do, for sithen I first saw my lord Sir Launcelot, I could
never depart from him.” (Book XVIII, Ch XIX, pg 823) It is clear that Elaine could not
help falling in love with Sir Lancelot. Since Lancelot could not accept Elaine as either his
wife or his paramour without betraying his love for Guenevere (and constraining his own
love), Elaine’s unconstrained love drives her to her death.
The Fair Maiden of Astolat
Max Gould
Arthurian Lit. Final Paper
Initially, when Queen Guenevere learns of how Lancelot bore the sleeve of the
Maiden of Astolat in the tournament, she reacts in her usual manner by spurning
Lancelot. However, when ‘the corpse of the Maid of Astolat [arrives] to-fore King
Arthur’ she seems to take pity on the maiden, saying to Lancelot, “Ye might have shewed
her… some bounty and gentleness that might have preserved her life.” (Book XVIII, Ch
XX, pg 826) This reaction, being somewhat unusual for the queen, calls attention to the
melancholy atmosphere and reminds us that, like the Maid of Astolat, the queen also
harbors an unconstrained love for Lancelot. The death of the Fair Maiden of Astolat is
portentous of the queen’s own unconstrained love for Lancelot, but also serves to portray
Guenevere in a more sympathetic light.
Throughout the Fair Maiden episode, Lancelot acquits himself worshipfully and
cuts right to the quick of the matter in his response to Guenevere, revealing the very
offence that lead to the fair maiden’s death. “For madam, said Sir Launcelot, I love not to
be constrained to love; for love must arise of the heart, and not by no constraint.” (Book
XVIII, Ch XX, pg 826) Lancelot is essentially professing his own unconstrained love for
Guenevere right in front of King Arthur. So long as Arthur remains apparently ignorant
of Lancelot and Guenevere’s love for each other, the Arthurian world is safe. However,
the possibility of this conflict coming to the surface creates a significant amount of
tension in the scene. As Malory slowly unravels the Arthurian world around us, the death
of The Fair Maiden of Astolat reveals the conflict that will eventually doom the Arthurian
world while at the same time conveying its inevitability.
King Arthur’s reaction to Lancelot’s words not only remind us of his own
unconstrained love for Guenevere, but also serve to excuse Lancelot for his. “That is
The Fair Maiden of Astolat
Max Gould
Arthurian Lit. Final Paper
truth, said the king, and many knight’s love is free in himself, and never will be bounden,
for where he is bounden he looseth himself.” (Book XVIII, Ch XX, pg 826) When King
Arthur responded to Merlin saying ‘there as a man’s heart is set’, he also says ‘that is the
truth’. While King Arthur is clearly considering his own love for Guenevere, he is either
forgiving or unknowingly acquitting Lancelot for the love that arose of his heart as well.
In fact, Arthur makes it clear that it would be wrong to constrain one’s love, ‘for where
he is bounden he looseth himself’. Arthur poignantly expresses the conflict, between not
constraining love and sin or adultery. Arthur’s expression of this conflict strangely adds
to, as well as characterizes, the tension between Lancelot, Guenevere, and Arthur
himself.
The Fair Maiden of Astolat episode in Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur gives rise to
one of the most powerful interactions in the book. The result of the Fair Maiden’s own
unconstrained love forebodes the end of the Round Table, a fellowship founded on
unconstrained love. The Fair Maiden of Astolat also emphasizes the unconstrained love
between Lancelot, Guenevere, and Arthur, raising the tension of their interaction. Malory
portrays each of them as honorable characters, each seeking not to constrain the love that
has arisen of their hearts. In the Fair Maiden of Astolat episode, Malory sets up the
ultimate downfall of the Table Round as resulting from the conflict between these three
characters and the destructive force of unconstrained love.