224 Mostly Medieval braves their highest praise of La Beal Isode, envies the latter “her condycions,” and regrets missing the tournament (1971: 466). In brief, Lancelot allowed himself to be deceived by Elaine at a particularly sensitive moment in his beloved’s life. The fact that the other woman bears him a son, combined with the universal praise of her beauty, makes Guinevere “wrothe” (1971: 485). No wonder that, when the two women meet, they make each other “goode chere as by countenaynce, but nothynge wyth there hartes” (1971: 486). Lancelot’s betrayal and Guinevere’s jealousy darken the pair’s heretofore joyful relationship, highlighted by his naming of his castle Joyous Garde and by the humorous finale of the Surluse tournament, where Lancelot disguised as a maiden jousts with Dynadan to cheer the queen: she laughed so much that “she fell downe,” and so did everyone who was there (1971: 410). The women’s rivalry culminates in the grotesque night scene of Lancelot in bed with Elaine pretending to be Guinevere, next door to the queen’s chamber, so that she can hear him sleeptalk and she coughs to interrupt the painful experience. Her fall from laughter at Surluse was evidently symbolic, foreshadowing the gloomy phase of her relationship with Lancelot. Despite their reconciliation and Arthur’s tolerant attitude, mimetic desires of those outside the triangle will continue to undermine its stability, with disastrous consequences for the whole realm. Inasmuch as Malory tries to ennoble courtly love, he repeatedly underscores its unromantic aspects, which are substantially due to its mimetic nature. References Primary sources The Holy Bible. Douay–Rheims Version. (1899) Challoner Revision. ([1609/1610] The Old Testament. English College at Douay. [1582] The New Testament. English College at Rheims. [1749–1752] With Annotations The Whole Revised and Diligently Compared with the Latin Vulgate by Bishop Richard Challoner). John Murphy Company. [Also available as: Douay–Rheims Catholic Bible Online. Retrieved from www.drbo.org] Vinaver, Eugène (ed.) (1971) The Works of Sir Thomas Malory. 2nd ed. in 3 Vols. London, UK | New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Special studies Burnley, David (1998) Courtliness and Medieval Literature. Harlow, UK: Longman. Cooper, Helen (1997) “The Book of Sir Tristram de Lyones.” [In:] Elizabeth Archibald, Anthony S. G. Edwards (eds.) A Companion to Malory. Cambridge, UK: D. S. Brewer; 183–201.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTE5NDY5MQ==