The Depiction of Morgan Le Fay in Various Accounts of The...

The Depiction of Morgan Le Fay in Various Accounts of The Arthurian Legend Morgaine speaks.... In my time I have been called many things: sister, lover, priestess, wise-woman, queen. So begins Marion Zimmer Bradleys account of the Arthurian legend, which places unusual emphasis on the character of Morgaine, otherwise known as Morgan Le Fay. But who exactly is Morgan and how does she vary in the different accounts of the Arthurian legend? In order to assess how Morgan Le Fay is depicted throughout history, it is first important to establish who she is and what part she plays in the legend. Five different texts: Geoffrey of Monmouths The History of the Kings Of Britain,†¦show more content†¦The original full retelling of the Arthur story, Monmouths The History of the Kings of Britain, has few female characters. Morgan Le Fay is once such decided absence. Not only does she play no part whatsoever in the legend, but she is never even mentioned. Mordred, who is often her son by an incestuous relationship with Arthur, is instead the son of Anna and her husband, Loth, the King of Lothian. Anna is as close as Monmouth gets to a Morgan-like character. She is the sister of Arthur, and daughter of Igraine and Uther. She gives birth to Mordred, who is the means by which Arthurs death comes about, and Gawain, one of Arthurs most loyal and trusted knights. Le Morte DArthur by Malory shows an entirely different perspective as to the role and person of Morgan Le Fay in the Arthurian legend. She is one of Arthurs three sisters, the others being Morgause and Elaine. Morgause marries King Lot of Lothian and has four sons including Gawaine while Elaine marries King Nentis. Arthur has an incestuous relationship with Morgause and she gives birth to Mordred. Meanwhile Morgan is continually conspiring against Arthur in an attempt to avenge his fathers poor treatment of Igraine. Morgan steals Arthurs sword Excalibur and gives it to her lover Accolon, who challenges Arthur so that he might become High King. Accolon is fatally wounded. Morgan also attempts to sabotage Arthurs knights several times. Mort Artu, aShow MoreRelated Sexuality in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay5052 Words   |  21 Pagesnormal, while away--the opposing castle of Hautdesert where Gawain perforce spends his Christmas vacation--is other, characterized by unfamiliarity, dislocation, perversity. And in fact the atmosphere at Hautdesert appears somewhat peculiar, with various challenges to normal sexual identity, and with permutations of physical intimacy, or at least the suggestion of such intimacy, that are, to say the least, surprising. The typical journey of medieval romance juxtaposes a real world where things