Guinevere or Gwenhwyfar, Gwenivar, Guenevere, or Guenever - Queen of Camelot
Infamous adulteress or a woman badly wronged by a chauvinistic society? Historical Guinevere (this spelling will be used throughout this website) is first mentioned in popular literature in the early 12th century, nearly 700 years after the purported times of Arthur.
The Welsh Triads speak of "Arthur's Three Great Queens," all named Gwenhwyfar in the Trioedd Ynys Prydein (Triad 56) and name Gwenhwyfar as "more faithless" than the three faithless wives of the Island of Britain (Triad 80).
Guinevere, the daughter of Leodegrance of Cameliard in late medieval romance, has since been portrayed as everything from a villainous and opportunistic traitor to a fatally flawed but noble and virtuous lady.
The Welsh Triads speak of "Arthur's Three Great Queens," all named Gwenhwyfar in the Trioedd Ynys Prydein (Triad 56) and name Gwenhwyfar as "more faithless" than the three faithless wives of the Island of Britain (Triad 80).
Guinevere, the daughter of Leodegrance of Cameliard in late medieval romance, has since been portrayed as everything from a villainous and opportunistic traitor to a fatally flawed but noble and virtuous lady.
One of the earliest Arthurian stories is about the abduction of Guinevere by Meleagant (or Melyagaunce or Melwas). The story is told in The Life of St. Gildas (c. 1130) by Caradoc of Llancarfan and in the Welsh "Dialogue of Melwas and Gwenhwyfar."
Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae also has a variant of this tale, where she is abducted by Mordred during his ill-fated rebellion against Arthur.
Later Medieval Arthurian romance from France, mainly in de Troyes' poem Lancelot, her prominent arc is as a traitorous figure, caught up in a tragic love affair with her husband's best friend and chief Knight of the Round Table.
These actions indirectly cause the death of Arthur and the downfall of the kingdom.
While de Troyes' poem subsequently expanded into the Lancelot-Grail, it is Malory's English compilation Le Morte d'Arthur that is responsible for the Guinevere most people would think of today.
Later authors use her good and bad qualities to construct a deeper character who plays a larger role in the stories. In de Troyes' Yvain, the Knight of the Lion, for instance, she is praised for her intelligence, friendliness, and gentility.
While in Marie de France's probably late-12th-century Anglo-Norman poem Lanval (and Thomas Chestre's later Middle English version, Sir Launfal), Guinevere is a vindictive adulteress and temptress who plots the titular protagonist's death after failing to seduce him.
She ends up punished when she is magically blinded by his secret true love from Avalon, the fairy princess Lady Tryamour (identified by some as the figure of Morgan le Fay). Guinevere herself wields magical powers in The Rise of Gawain, Nephew of Arthur.
Malory’s Guinevere is jealous and demanding but also a true lover. Her jealousy and anger drive Lancelot mad and lead her to say she wishes he were dead. Nevertheless, she remains true to him. Tennyson makes her an example of an unfaithful wife. His Guinevere believes that "He is all fault who hath no fault at all" and wants her lover to "have a touch of earth."
After Arthur's death, Guinevere retires to a convent at Amesbury in penitence for her infidelity and, after her own death, Lancelot buries her next to Arthur's grave.
Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae also has a variant of this tale, where she is abducted by Mordred during his ill-fated rebellion against Arthur.
Later Medieval Arthurian romance from France, mainly in de Troyes' poem Lancelot, her prominent arc is as a traitorous figure, caught up in a tragic love affair with her husband's best friend and chief Knight of the Round Table.
These actions indirectly cause the death of Arthur and the downfall of the kingdom.
While de Troyes' poem subsequently expanded into the Lancelot-Grail, it is Malory's English compilation Le Morte d'Arthur that is responsible for the Guinevere most people would think of today.
Later authors use her good and bad qualities to construct a deeper character who plays a larger role in the stories. In de Troyes' Yvain, the Knight of the Lion, for instance, she is praised for her intelligence, friendliness, and gentility.
While in Marie de France's probably late-12th-century Anglo-Norman poem Lanval (and Thomas Chestre's later Middle English version, Sir Launfal), Guinevere is a vindictive adulteress and temptress who plots the titular protagonist's death after failing to seduce him.
She ends up punished when she is magically blinded by his secret true love from Avalon, the fairy princess Lady Tryamour (identified by some as the figure of Morgan le Fay). Guinevere herself wields magical powers in The Rise of Gawain, Nephew of Arthur.
Malory’s Guinevere is jealous and demanding but also a true lover. Her jealousy and anger drive Lancelot mad and lead her to say she wishes he were dead. Nevertheless, she remains true to him. Tennyson makes her an example of an unfaithful wife. His Guinevere believes that "He is all fault who hath no fault at all" and wants her lover to "have a touch of earth."
After Arthur's death, Guinevere retires to a convent at Amesbury in penitence for her infidelity and, after her own death, Lancelot buries her next to Arthur's grave.
Guinevere in the TV Show
The show revealed little about Gwen's background, other than she was the youngest child, and only daughter of Tom the Blacksmith.
She had been the personal maidservant of the Lady Morgana since they were young girls. She is an excellent seamstress and has learnt how to mend weapons from her father.
Her mother, who is dead, was a maid in Sir Leon's household and Gwen and her older brother Elyan had grown up with Leon.
She is among the first people who Merlin bumps into on his arrival in Camelot. She praises him for standing up to Arthur Pendragon, the Prince of Camelot, when he was bullying one of the servants.
At first it seems they may have a romance developing but the arrival of Lancelot in the fifth episode of Series One alters her fate. Together with Merlin she helps Lancelot in his quest to join the Knights of Camelot - Merlin by using magic to forge a seal of nobility, Gwen by helping to fit him with chainmail.
After it's discovered the seal was a forgery, Uther throws Lancelot in jail and, after a brief adventure with a griffon where he saves Arthur's life, Lancelot leaves with Merlin forecasting they will see him again.
She had been the personal maidservant of the Lady Morgana since they were young girls. She is an excellent seamstress and has learnt how to mend weapons from her father.
Her mother, who is dead, was a maid in Sir Leon's household and Gwen and her older brother Elyan had grown up with Leon.
She is among the first people who Merlin bumps into on his arrival in Camelot. She praises him for standing up to Arthur Pendragon, the Prince of Camelot, when he was bullying one of the servants.
At first it seems they may have a romance developing but the arrival of Lancelot in the fifth episode of Series One alters her fate. Together with Merlin she helps Lancelot in his quest to join the Knights of Camelot - Merlin by using magic to forge a seal of nobility, Gwen by helping to fit him with chainmail.
After it's discovered the seal was a forgery, Uther throws Lancelot in jail and, after a brief adventure with a griffon where he saves Arthur's life, Lancelot leaves with Merlin forecasting they will see him again.
“Gwen is the most kind, loyal person you would ever meet and she has been more than a friend to all of us.”
— Morgana on Gwen
Falling in love with Arthur
Gwen gets the opportunity to get to know Prince Arthur better when he lives with her for a few days during a jousting competition that he is entering in disguise. She realises her opinions of him had been too harsh and based on shallow conclusions.
She continues to champion him while he struggles with his father, King Uther's, behaviour and reminds him that he will be a great and compassionate ruler when he takes the Throne of Camelot.
She continues to champion him while he struggles with his father, King Uther's, behaviour and reminds him that he will be a great and compassionate ruler when he takes the Throne of Camelot.
Following many trials and tribulations, including the return of a false (shade) Lancelot who Morgana is controlling and who tricks Gwen into kissing him with a magicked bracelet, Arthur and Gwen marry and she is crowed Queen of Camelot.
Peace reigns for three short years (Author Note: Dear writers what exactly happened to the Golden Age of Camelot, I don't think this counts!?) before all goes to rack and ruin. Gwen is captured and tortured by Morgana in the Dark Tower, her brother Elyan is killed, Mordred rebels and joins Morgana and their armies meet on the battlefield of Camlann, where Arthur is mortally wounded in a dual in which he kills Mordred.
The show ends with Gwen knowing Merlin has magic and with her being Crowned as the Ruler of Camelot, Sir Leon at her side.
Peace reigns for three short years (Author Note: Dear writers what exactly happened to the Golden Age of Camelot, I don't think this counts!?) before all goes to rack and ruin. Gwen is captured and tortured by Morgana in the Dark Tower, her brother Elyan is killed, Mordred rebels and joins Morgana and their armies meet on the battlefield of Camlann, where Arthur is mortally wounded in a dual in which he kills Mordred.
The show ends with Gwen knowing Merlin has magic and with her being Crowned as the Ruler of Camelot, Sir Leon at her side.