As I began the Romances, I started with the tale of Dame Ragnelle. I stopped early in, caught by what may be an irrelevant observation. Sir Gromer, having found Arthur alone in the woods, threatens the king with death for having given his lands to Gawain. Gromer could easily accomplish this feat, while Arthur may be a skilled fighter, it is just the two of them alone, without witnesses. This means, especially when coupled with Gromer's rage, that they are two men about to fight, and the winner will be determined by skill, passion, and luck, not by fear of murdering the king. Gromer has the edge, the anger, the opportunity, and he plans to use it. He is made even more angry by the fact that Arthur, who has such control over his fate, does not even know who he is until his name is revealed. A proud man such as Gromer would not want to be unrecognized, and most definitely not by his liege.
The immediacy of the fight is diffused by Arthur's argument that to kill him in this way is dishonorable, and Gromer proves that honor is of more importance than emotion by agreeing. But, Gromer agrees not just because his honor would suffer for such a slaying. He agrees because he believes that if he lets Arthur escape now, without some agreement or compensation, that the next time they meet, Gromer may well be killed for challenging, accosting and threatening Arthur in this manner. Gromer still does not back down. It is Arthur who is the peacemaker, offering "whate thou most crave" to appease his challenger. Arthur probably assumes that Gromer will be appeased by "lond" or "gold," and is willing to make this type of payment for his life. Arthur could even lie, agree to give Gromer what he wants, return to his men and send them out to dispatch Gromer. Gromer has other plans.
Gromer plays on the king's honor just as the king played on his; he asks for Arthur's word that he will "graunt me att a certeyn day...to shewe me att thy comyng whate wemen love best." Arthur is now excused from the fight in exchange for pondering this philosophical question. He has one year to find an answer to this question, or he forfeits his life. For the next year, Arthur's "lyfe is in my hand," and it was at this point where I began to link this year-long contract to the tradition of handfasting. Handfasting links a couple in marriage for a year and a day, so that they may try things out and if they choose in the end to be released, they can do so. Should children result from the union, they are legitimate issue. Setting this contract up in the beginning foreshadows the upcoming marital action, avoids the martial action, and establishes the philosophical terms of the period. Arthur has to answer the question that has plagued men (and women) in all times, a question for the ages, and success will restore his honor and redeem his life. This marriage between Gromer and Arthur will mirror another marriage in the story, and all seek to find mutual understanding and harmony. Gromer may feel that he has given Arthur a Herculean task, and that he is sure to emerge the victor, when really Gromer has bound them both. As our discussions of Beowulf attest, it is often hard to determine what makes a monster monstrous, and this accord proves (to me) that the differences between monster/other and not have less distance to traverse than we may assume.
The immediacy of the fight is diffused by Arthur's argument that to kill him in this way is dishonorable, and Gromer proves that honor is of more importance than emotion by agreeing. But, Gromer agrees not just because his honor would suffer for such a slaying. He agrees because he believes that if he lets Arthur escape now, without some agreement or compensation, that the next time they meet, Gromer may well be killed for challenging, accosting and threatening Arthur in this manner. Gromer still does not back down. It is Arthur who is the peacemaker, offering "whate thou most crave" to appease his challenger. Arthur probably assumes that Gromer will be appeased by "lond" or "gold," and is willing to make this type of payment for his life. Arthur could even lie, agree to give Gromer what he wants, return to his men and send them out to dispatch Gromer. Gromer has other plans.
Gromer plays on the king's honor just as the king played on his; he asks for Arthur's word that he will "graunt me att a certeyn day...to shewe me att thy comyng whate wemen love best." Arthur is now excused from the fight in exchange for pondering this philosophical question. He has one year to find an answer to this question, or he forfeits his life. For the next year, Arthur's "lyfe is in my hand," and it was at this point where I began to link this year-long contract to the tradition of handfasting. Handfasting links a couple in marriage for a year and a day, so that they may try things out and if they choose in the end to be released, they can do so. Should children result from the union, they are legitimate issue. Setting this contract up in the beginning foreshadows the upcoming marital action, avoids the martial action, and establishes the philosophical terms of the period. Arthur has to answer the question that has plagued men (and women) in all times, a question for the ages, and success will restore his honor and redeem his life. This marriage between Gromer and Arthur will mirror another marriage in the story, and all seek to find mutual understanding and harmony. Gromer may feel that he has given Arthur a Herculean task, and that he is sure to emerge the victor, when really Gromer has bound them both. As our discussions of Beowulf attest, it is often hard to determine what makes a monster monstrous, and this accord proves (to me) that the differences between monster/other and not have less distance to traverse than we may assume.
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