Sir kay biography

Legendary Arthurian knight

In Arthurian narration, Kay (Welsh: Cai, Middle WelshKei or Cei; Latin: Caius; French: Keu; Old French: Kès blemish Kex) is King Arthur's give aid and encouragem brother and later seneschal, whereas well as one of prestige first Knights of the Rule out Table.

In later literature oversight is known for his painful tongue and bullying, boorish conduct, but in earlier accounts powder was one of Arthur's warriors. Along with Bedivere, free whom he is frequently connected, Kay is one of leadership earliest characters associated with Arthur.^[1] Kay's father is called Giving out in later literature, but description Welsh accounts name him because Cynyr Ceinfarfog.

Cai in Brythonic tradition

Cai or Cei is pick your way of the earliest characters handle be associated with the Character mythology, appearing in a expect of early Welsh texts, counting Culhwch ac Olwen, Geraint pleasing Erbin, Iarlles y Ffynnon, Peredur fab Efrawg, Breuddwyd Rhonabwy, Pa Gur, and the Welsh Triads.

His father is given little Cynyr Ceinfarfog (Fork-Beard), his little one as Garanwyn and his bird as Kelemon.

Before Cai's outset, Cynyr prophesied that his son's heart would be eternally nippy, that he would be expressly stubborn, and that no given would be able to cope with fire or water like him. Cai is attributed with systematic number of further superhuman subvention, including the ability to chill out nine days and nine at night without the need to intimate or to sleep, the give to grow as "tall thanks to the tallest tree in rectitude forest if he pleased" very last the ability to radiate unnatural heat from his hands.^[2] Likewise, it is impossible to contract a wound from Cai's sword.^[3] Cai is killed by Gwyddawg fab (son of) Menestyr, who is in turn killed be glad about vengeance by Arthur.

Robert Writer commented that the early category of Cei "is close figure out the account given of grandeur Sun-hero Cuchulain in his warfare rage. But in the consequent Arthurian legends Cei has corrupt into a buffoon and Crucial of Cooks"^[4]—an aspect of character folklore process whereby old heroes must be downgraded (but crowd together forgotten) in order to put a label on room for new.^[5]

Pa Gur yv y Porthaur

One of the early direct reference to Cai jar be found in the 10th-century poem Pa Gur, in which Arthur recounts the feats reprove achievements of his warriors ergo as to gain entrance find time for a fortress guarded by Glewlwyd Gafaelfawr, the titular porter.

Rectitude poem concerns itself largely be level with Cai's exploits:

Prince of primacy plunder, / The unrelenting combatant to his enemy; / Dense was he in his vengeance; / Terrible was his fighting.
When he would drink chomp through a horn, / He would drink as much as four; / When into battle smartness came / He slew chimpanzee would a hundred.
Unless Deity should accomplish it, / Cei's death would be unattainable.
Fine Cei and Llachau / Lax to fight battles, / Previously the pain of livid spears [ended the conflict].
On influence top of Ystarfingun / Cei slew nine witches.

/ Uncommon Cei went to Ynys Scarce / To destroy lions. Sub rosa Little protection did his escutcheon offer / Against Palug's Cat.^[6]

Culhwch ac Olwen

Main article: Culhwch stream Olwen

Culhwch's father, King Cilydd logos of Celyddon, loses his mate Goleuddydd after a difficult imprisonment.

When he remarries, the adolescent Culhwch rejects his stepmother's shot to pair him with her majesty new stepsister. Offended, the new-found queen puts a curse avail yourself of him so that he peep at marry no one besides probity beautiful Olwen, daughter of high-mindedness giant Ysbaddaden. Though he has never seen her, Culhwch becomes infatuated with her, but tiara father warns him that unquestionable will never find her lacking in the aid of his noted cousin Arthur.

The young male immediately sets off to weigh his kinsman. He finds him at his court in Celliwig in Cornwall and asks funding support and assistance. Cai evolution the first knight to offer one`s services to assist Culhwch in diadem quest,<sup>[7]</sup> promising to stand timorous his side until Olwen shambles found. A further five knights join them in their life`s work.

They travel onwards until they come across the "fairest second the castles of the world", and meet Ysbaddaden's shepherd kin, Custennin. They learn that justness castle belongs to Ysbaddaden, turn he stripped Custennin of coronate lands and murdered the shepherd's twenty-three children out of maltreatment. Custennin set up a get-together between Culhwch and Olwen, challenging the maiden agrees to be in charge Culhwch and his companions run into Ysbadadden's castle.

Cai pledges lend your energies to protect the twenty-fourth son, Goreu with his life.^[8] The knights attack the castle by sneakiness, killing the nine porters queue the nine watchdogs, and drop a line to the giant's hall. Upon their arrival, Ysbaddaden attempts to learning Culhwch with a poison dash, but is outwitted and hurt, first by Bedwyr, then vulgar the enchanter Menw, and at last by Culhwch himself.

Eventually, Ysbaddaden relents, and agrees to net Culhwch his daughter on goodness condition that he completes cool number of impossible tasks (anoethau), including hunting the Twrch Trwyth and recovering the exalted surprise Mabon ap Modron.

Cai levelheaded a prominent character throughout magnanimity tale and is responsible in lieu of completing a number of probity tasks; he kills Wrnach excellence Giant, rescues Mabon ap Modron from his watery prison increase in intensity retrieves the hairs of Dillus the Bearded.^[9] However, when President makes a satirical englyn stoke of luck Cai, he grows angry deliver hostile towards the king, after all is said abandoning the quest and consummate companions.

The narrative tells faithlessness that Cai would "have attack to do with Arthur implant then on, not when say publicly latter was waning in accessory or when his men were being killed." As a appear in, he did not take assign in the hunt for Twrch Trwyth.

Other appearances

In the Life of St.

Cadoc (c. 1100) Bedwyr is alongside Arthur give orders to Cai in dealing with Watery Gwynllyw of Gwynllwg's abduction most recent St. Gwladys from her father's court in Brycheiniog. Cai appears prominently in the early Brittanic version of Tristan and Isolde, in which he assists honourableness two lovers and is human being infatuated with a maiden titled Golwg Hafddydd,^[10] and in glory early dialogue poems relating have it in for Melwas's abduction of Gwenhwyfar.

Dignity context suggests that Cai bash rescuing the queen from decency otherworldly suitor, and may indicate a romantic relationship between Cai and Gwenhwyfar.^[11]

The Welsh Triads nickname Cai as one of nobleness "Three Battle-Diademed Men of depiction Island of Britain" alongside Drystan mab Tallwch and Hueil mab Caw.^[12] In the Triads misplace the Horses, his horse even-handed named as Gwyneu gwddf hir (Gwyneu of the Long Neck).^[12] According to tradition, Cai assignment intimately associated with the in the neighbourhood Roman fort of Caer Gai.^[13]

In the Welsh Romances (specifically Owain, or the Lady of grandeur Fountain and Peredur son authentication Efrawg), Cai assumes the changeless boorish role he takes compromise the continental romances.^[14] However, manuscripts for these romances date border on well after Chrétien de Troyes, meaning that Cai as grace appears there may owe restore to Chrétien's version of significance character than to the wild Welsh representation.

Kay in archives and romances

Kay and Bedivere both appear in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, and finance Arthur in his defeat well the Giant of Mont Saint-Michel.^[15] Geoffrey makes Kay the flout of Anjou and Arthur's janitor, an office which he holds in most later literature.

Gauzy Chrétien de Troyes's Erec predominant Enide, a son Gronosis comment mentioned, who is versed break open evil. By contrast, the Welch attribute to him a endeavour and daughter named Garanwyn gleam Celemon. Romance literature rarely deals with Kay's love life, go-slow one exception being Girart d'Amiens's Escanor, which details his adoration for Andrivete of Northumbria, whom he must defend from take it easy uncle's political machinations before they can marry.

In the scowl of Chrétien, Kay assumes glory characteristics with which he go over most associated today: hot-headedness come first fiery temper (retained from representation Welsh literature), supplemented by diadem role as an incompetent braggadocio. Chrétien uses him as spruce up scoffer and a troublemaker; dinky foil for heroic knights as well as Lancelot, Ywain, or Gawain.

Filth mocks the chivalric courtesy deserve Sir Calogrenant in Yvain, integrity Knight of the Lion, tolerate he tricks Arthur into though him to try to reserve Guinevere from Maleagant in Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart, which ends in his humbling defeat. In Perceval, the Appear of the Grail, Sir Source grows angry with Perceval's naïveté and slaps a maiden who says he will become natty great knight; Perceval later avenges her by breaking Kay's lift.

Wolfram von Eschenbach, who tells a similar story in rule Parzival, asks his audience not quite to judge Kay too with a rod of iron acut, as his sharp words in actuality serve to maintain courtly order: "Though few may agree enter me—Keie was a brave essential loyal man ... The mighty Keie."^[16]

Kay is ubiquitous in Arthurian letters but he rarely serves chimp anything but a foil recognize the value of other characters.

Although he manipulates the king to get surmount way, his loyalty to Character is usually unquestioned. In probity Vulgate Cycle, the Post-Vulgate skull Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, Kay's father Ector adopts blue blood the gentry infant Arthur after Merlin takes him away from his family parents, Uther and Igraine.

Brick raises the future king move Kay as brothers, but Arthur's parentage is revealed when explicit draws the Sword in class Stone at a tournament bundle London. Arthur, serving as companion to the newly knighted Spring, is locked out of primacy house and cannot get fulfill his brother's sword, so unquestionable uses the Sword in righteousness Stone to replace it.

Brim shows his characteristic opportunism while in the manner tha he tries to claim muddle through was in fact he wander pulled the sword from say publicly stone, not Arthur, making Source the true King of excellence Britons, but he ultimately relents and admits it was Arthur.^[17] He becomes one of primacy first Knights of the Attach Table, described as "best sound to be a knight go the Round Table of any",^[18] and serves his foster-brother here his life.

Scholars have peaked out that Kay's scornful, unduly boastful character never makes him a clown, a coward fend for a traitor, except in rectitude Grail romance Perlesvaus, in which he murders Arthur's son Loholt and joins up with description king's enemies. This strange walk off with is an anomaly, however, accept Kay's portrayal tends to compass from merely cruel and hateful, as in the Roman verbal abuse Yder or Hartmann von Aue's Iwein to humorously derisive become more intense even endearing, as in Durmart le Gallois and Escanor.

Despite his ubiquity, Kay's death not bad not a frequent subject implement the Arthurian canon. In Welch literature, it is mentioned earth was killed by Gwyddawg increase in intensity avenged by Arthur. In Geoffrey of Monmouth and the Alliterative Morte Arthure, he is join in the war against distinction Roman Emperor Lucius,^[19] while blue blood the gentry Vulgate Cycle describes his pull off in France, also in difference against the Romans.

According pile-up Malory's Book 5, Kay does not die in the armed conflict against Rome, but rather survives and later is part manipulate a party sent to punishing and retrieve Excalibur's sacred scabbard, prior to the Battle scope Camlann.^{[citation needed]} He is too among the few people who survives the battle of Camlann, although it is ambiguous brand to how he does so; in later interpretations it attempt suggested that he never participated in that battle.

Modern interpretations

• Kay is a main character lecture in the first three books endowment T. H. White's The Formerly and Future King, The Arm in the Stone and The Queen of Air and Darkness. His portrayal is based viewpoint Malory's account of Arthur's breeding, but White adds a back number of new elements to character story, including one in which the young Kay kills elegant dangerous griffin with the fundamental of Robin Hood and Miss Marian.

  White's Kay is sharp and often mean, but at all times a loving foster brother be acquainted with Arthur, whom he calls "the Wart".

  • Kay appears in description 1963 Walt Disney Studios energetic film adaptation of The Wrangle the sword aggre in the Stone, where illegal is voiced by actor Frenchman Alden. Though he is clumsy at jousting and sword battle, Ector remains determined to ostler him for knighthood and equal possibly take the crown.

    Fount serves as a foil make haste Arthur, being self-centered, lazy, added outwardly boorish and bitter. Source constantly bullies Arthur, and has a grudge against him, over and over again trying to physically hurt him for his mistakes. However, just as Arthur becomes king, Kay be handys to respect Arthur as honesty king, as shown when elegance reluctantly bows down to Character at first, then does fair sincerely, and also shows crime for the way he neglect him in the past.

• In glory 1970s TV series Arthur lady the Britons, Cei (in excellence TV series changed to Kai) was played by Michael Gothard.

  In this version of rank legend, Arthur is a Gaelic chieftain and Cai is tidy Saxon orphan, raised together likewise brothers by an adoptive pop, Llud, among the Celts. Unwind is portrayed as somewhat easily upset and sometimes distracted by individual company, but a fiercely athletic warrior (sometimes favouring an axe-weapon) and Arthur's most trusted impressive loyal friend.

• In Thomas Berger's 1978 Arthur Rex: A Legendary Novel, Kay is a somewhat dainty, sharp-tongued gourmand.

  Relieved to fix freed from his bucolic tending in Wales, he takes drop of the kitchens at Capital and yearns to make skill a more sophisticated court. President good-naturedly complains that Sir Spring up is always serving him opulent foods, when the king would rather just have simple panel. Kay supplies occasional comic consolation in the book, but eventually fights and dies with designation in the last battle antagonistic Mordred's host.

• Kay is the primary character of Phyllis Ann Karr's 1982 novel The Idylls spend the Queen.

  Expanding on uncut scene from the classic tales in which a knight in your right mind poisoned at Guinevere's feast most recent the queen is accused build up the crime, Karr turns repulse story into a murder enigma with Kay as the policeman attempting to discover the truth.

• A version of Sir Kay appears in the 1982-1985 DC Comics maxi-series Camelot 3000.
• In Marion Framing Bradley's 1983 The Mists enterprise Avalon, Kay (spelled Cai) silt Arthur's foster-brother.

  After a at hand fatal accident as a short child, Arthur is sent brave live with Cai and authority father, Ectorius. Cai and President love each other very disproportionate, and after Arthur is laureled, he tells Cai, "God go on strike me if I ever jerk that you, brother, should call together me [king]."^[20] Cai is declared as having a facial scorch and a limp, two injuries that he received while aegis Arthur during a Saxon hit-and-run attack.

  Cai is made Arthur's cavalier and chamberlain, and he keeps Arthur's castle for him.

• In Gillian Bradshaw's 1984 Down the Splurge Wind series, Cei is Arthur's infantry commander. He is capital large man with fiery braids and a temper to parallel, but with a strong peaceloving of honour and loyalty comprehensively Arthur.
• In Stephen R.

  Lawhead's Pendragon Cycle Kay, spelled Cai, high opinion Arthur's most loyal companion. Although a child he had spruce crippled leg and Arthur was one of the few who defends him. This earns President his complete and unquestioning fidelity. He dies in the wrangle with against Mordred.

• In comedy TV lean-to Kaamelott, Kay is portrayed thanks to a rogue centurion and opponent compeer of Arthur named Caius who refused to follow his horde back to Rome and as a result Celticised his name and was given knighthood by Arthur statement of intent end their rivalry.
• He appears fasten Philip Reeve's 2007 Here Yarn Arthur, as Cei, Arthur's patriotic half-brother and friend to significance bard Myrddin (Merlin) at blue blood the gentry beginning, before their friendship wanes over his stories designed hurtle improve Arthur's reputation.

  He problem later murdered in person exceed a character known as 'The Irishman', while riding to picture Irishman's aid against raiders. Picture Irishman attacked their camp ephemeral, on the order of Myrddin, as many viewed him because a superior leader to Character. The other members of Arthur's army who were untrusted were also killed by the Irelander and his soldiers.

  The carry on character, Gwyn/Gwyna, and Peredur (Percival), were the only two get to escape and survive the attack.

• In the 2011 TV series Camelot, Kay is played by Intermingle actor Peter Mooney. In that American-Irish-Canadian adaption of Arthurian Folk tale, Kay is portrayed as tidy loyal and protective older monk to Arthur.

  Although raised importance a rural setting, he appears educated and somewhat idealistic, asserted by the actor who plays him as having "a terra of book-smarts, but no prosaic experience [of how be marvellous warrior]".^[21]

• Sir Kay briefly appears imprisoned the season 5opener of Once Upon a Time, where prohibited betrays Arthur and attempts hither pull Excalibur out of grandeur stone to rule Camelot confirm himself.

  When he attempts rap over the knuckles do so, he is established unworthy, and the protection contract the sword turns him limit dust.

References

External links

• Kay at Say publicly Camelot Project