The Arthurian legend is mainly known for the love triangles. One of the most well known and famous love triangles is among King Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot. In a lot of love triangles, there is always a tragedy. The tragedy could be a death of a member in the triangle or pain from a heartbreak. There are many versions of love triangles with different variations of a certain tragedy, however, a lot of the time, there is a tragedy in love triangles.
In the Arthurian legend, one of many famous love triangles is the one between King Uther, Igraine (Duchess of Cornwall), and Gorlois (Duke of Cornwall). In this story, Uther has Merlin cast a spell to deceive Igraine and make her think he is Gorlois. In order to completely fool Igraine, he needed to kill Gorlois. With the help of Merlin, he forms a plan to kill Gorlois and make Igraine his partner. Merlin’s plan was that …show more content…
Of course, Merlin will only do this under one condition: that he is given Uther and Igraine’s first born child. “The king swore on the gospel that would do so, and Merlin continued: ‘Tonight you shall appear before Igraine at Tintagel in the likeness of her husband, the duke…’”(Anthology 1064). Uther agrees to Merlin’s terms and thus kills Gorlois. He then goes to Igraine disguised as Gorlois and gets Igraine pregnant. Later, Uther tells Igraine that he is not Gorlois and he explains to Igraine what went down between the two. After finding out that Uther was Gorlois, Igraine still gives birth to Uther’s child and is forced to give it up to Merlin because of Uther’s deal. Even after being fooled by Uther, Igraine eventually learns to love Uther. With the death of Gorlois, the tragedies in the love triangles have just begun. The next love triangle is between King Mark, Iseult, and Tristan, however, this love triangle is not as popular as Uther or Arthur’s. In this triangle, Mark, King of Cornwall, sends Tristan, his nephew, to Ireland to battle the Irish knight, Morholt.
In the Arthurian legend, one of many famous love triangles is the one between King Uther, Igraine (Duchess of Cornwall), and Gorlois (Duke of Cornwall). In this story, Uther has Merlin cast a spell to deceive Igraine and make her think he is Gorlois. In order to completely fool Igraine, he needed to kill Gorlois. With the help of Merlin, he forms a plan to kill Gorlois and make Igraine his partner. Merlin’s plan was that …show more content…
Of course, Merlin will only do this under one condition: that he is given Uther and Igraine’s first born child. “The king swore on the gospel that would do so, and Merlin continued: ‘Tonight you shall appear before Igraine at Tintagel in the likeness of her husband, the duke…’”(Anthology 1064). Uther agrees to Merlin’s terms and thus kills Gorlois. He then goes to Igraine disguised as Gorlois and gets Igraine pregnant. Later, Uther tells Igraine that he is not Gorlois and he explains to Igraine what went down between the two. After finding out that Uther was Gorlois, Igraine still gives birth to Uther’s child and is forced to give it up to Merlin because of Uther’s deal. Even after being fooled by Uther, Igraine eventually learns to love Uther. With the death of Gorlois, the tragedies in the love triangles have just begun. The next love triangle is between King Mark, Iseult, and Tristan, however, this love triangle is not as popular as Uther or Arthur’s. In this triangle, Mark, King of Cornwall, sends Tristan, his nephew, to Ireland to battle the Irish knight, Morholt.