Gawain, Sir (Walwain)
Gawain, Sir (Walwain),the eldest of the four sons of King Lot of Orkney and Arthur's sister Morgawse. His wife, in some stories, was Dame Ragnell and their son was Ginglain, the Fair Unknown ( Libeaus Desconus ); he also had two natural sons. In the Arthurian legends he is prominent from the first 12th-cent. stories in which he is the leading knight, courageous, pure, and courteous. In later versions his excellence was surpassed by that of Launcelot and his character becomes harsher, more ruthless, and often philandering. In Geoffrey of Monmouth he is Arthur's ambassador to Rome; in Malory he becomes at the end the bitter enemy of Launcelot who has accidentally killed Gawain's beloved youngest brother Gaheris and who also killed Gareth (who tries to avenge Gaheris) and Agravain, the witness and betrayer of the affair between Launcelot and Guinevere. Gawain is killed when Arthur lands at Dover before the final battle with Mordred. He is related to...
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