How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #4
‘And one—they call’d her Fame; and one—O mother,
How can ye keep me tether’d to you?—Shame.
Man am I grown, a man’s work must I do.
Follow the deer? follow the Christ, the King,
Live pure, speak true, right wrong, follow the King—
Else, wherefore born?’
(“Gareth and Lynette,” 113-118)
Gareth would like to travel to Arthur’s court to become a knight, while his mother would prefer him to stay at home and engage in harmless pursuits like hunting. Rather than “follow the deer,” Gareth believes his purpose is to follow Christ and the King, which he understands means to live purely, speak truly, and right wrongs. Gareth calls these things a “man’s work,” which tells us that his idea of man's true nature is right in synch with Arthur's.
Quote #5
‘Thy blessing, stainless King! I bring thee back,
When I have ferreted out their burrowings,
The hearts of all this Order in mine hand—
Ay—so that fate and craft and folly close,
Perchance, one curl of Arthur’s golden beard.’
(“Merlin and Vivien,” 54-58)
Vivien plots to worm her way into Arthur’s court and seduce his knights one by one, proving that the rumor of their purity is a lie. Even Arthur, she believes, is corruptible if the forces of fate, skill, and foolishness align. Vivien reveals herself to be Arthur’s perfect opposite: while he hopes to perfect those around him, Vivien wants to corrupt them.
Quote #6
‘Go, since your vows are sacred, being made:
Yet—for ye know the cries of all my realm
Pass thro’ this hall—how often, O my knights,
Your places being vacant at my side,
This chance of noble deeds will come and go
Unchallenged while ye follow wandering fires
Lost in the quagmire.’
(“The Holy Grail,” 314-320)
Arthur laments his knights’ plan to ride on a quest for the Holy Grail, which to him seems like a useless search for “wandering fires” and shadows. It’s especially disturbing because it means that other noble and just deeds will go undone. Yet Arthur must uphold the sacredness of vows, since they comprise the foundation of the order. He has no choice but to let his knights go.