“My lord Gawain”
This isn’t a very poignant or perceptive post, but I have been wondering throughout the two Chretien stories that I’ve read so far why Gawain is always referred to as “my lord Gawain.” He is the only one to receive this strange title, and almost every time his name is mentioned in Erec and Enide or The Knight of the Cart, “my lord” precedes it. Is there a specific reason why this is true? It seems like Chretien is using a possessive title for Gawain. I find it strange because he is not the main character of either of them, and no other knights or central characters receive the title. Some examples of this occur on pages 51, 210.
Agravaine wrote:
Some of the other characters also get that title from time to time, at least in my translation. Even the loathsome Kay gets that title courtesy of a sarcastic Guinevere.
I wouldn’t read too much into it beyond supplicants trying to curry favour with knights who can perform tasks for them.
Posted 24 Sep 2007 at 9:10 pm ¶
Josh wrote:
In my translation as well, other knights receive the “my lord” title. Yvain gets it nearly every time his name is mentioned by Chretien in The Knight with the Lion. Although, I don’t remember Erec getting the title from Chretien very often, so I’m not sure on the purpose behind it. Maybe the foremost knights of the court get the title while lesser knights do not.
Posted 25 Sep 2007 at 1:04 pm ¶
cristinamabob wrote:
Gawain seems to be the most renowned knight. He is Arthur’s nephew, and probably held in higher esteem then the rest of the knights for this. He is also almost always protrayed as the best and the most brave knight among all the knights in King Arthur’s court.
Posted 25 Sep 2007 at 10:41 pm ¶
ajc02005 wrote:
Maybe he gets the respectful yet endearing title because he is apparently connected to everyone in these stories in one of three ways:
~He is related to them, by blood or marriage.
~He killed on of their kinsmen.
~He’s related to someone, by blood or marriage, who killed one of their kinsmen.
Posted 27 Sep 2007 at 11:42 am ¶
koricature wrote:
I agree that it was probably a title for the foremost knights of the court, which would make sense in the sarcastic way that Guenevere spoke to him. Maybe it’s like saying ‘your majesty’ to the King or some similar idea. It tends to represent a celebrity or just some one of a higher social status, or as a term of courtesy or respect when this is not the case.
Posted 27 Sep 2007 at 2:19 pm ¶
Dan wrote:
I would probably agree with Cristina; I think the title underscores Gawain’s prominence. As Arthur’s first knight, he should be given some special reverence.
Other characters get that same esteem probably because the author wants to distinguish them in the same way, as Josh said. It is no surprise that Yvain is “my lord” within the context of his own tale.
Posted 27 Sep 2007 at 2:19 pm ¶