A Legend

The Lady of the Lake is one of the most powerful women in the Arthurian legends. Even with all the things we know about her, she still seems to be shrouded in mystery. She is known by many names, which makes it harder to divide the truth of the actual character. It also makes it difficult to know if certain events transpired: like bringing up Lancelot. With scholars changing the story and all seeing the story from different point of views, it's hard knowing the actual stand of the character. Even with all different changes and sources, it seems the legend will never die out.
There are recent works that have the legend of the Lady of the Lake. One is a novel that was published a few years ago called Avalon High by Meg Cabot. Not only is it about the Lady of the Lake but it also includes other characters from the Arthurian legend. It takes place during their teenage years. Another is in the television serirs called Merlin, that also takes place during their young years. I recommend both medias. Their very interesting,entertaining, and can learn from them. The Arthurian legend will live on through the decades and new legends will be undiscovered.

Excalibur and Lancelot

The Lady of the Lake is widely known to have given Arthur Excalibur. Arthur needed a new sword after it was broken during battle and was given the magical sword Excalibur. Later Excalibur gets taken by Morgan Le Fay, who gave the sword to Accolon to use against her half brother Arthur, but was thwarfted by Viviane: who saved Arthur’s life. The sword is then retrieved. Viviane saves Arthur a second time, when once again Morgan tries to kill him with a destructive clock she sent him. Excalibur has aided King Arthur many times and has been through quite a few hands, but at the end it is returned to it’s original owner. Arthur gets wounded at the battle of Camlann and tells one of his attendents to throw Excalibur back into the lake. It is said a hand came out and grabbed it, returning to the Lady of the Lake. Some say that the Lady of the Lake is one of the three Queens who take Arthur to Avalon.
Not many people know this but Viviane is said to have taken Lancelot, after his parents died, and became his foster mother. She raised him to become the greatest knight. Others say she kidnapped him to make him strong so he could become a guard for her weak son Mabuz. Lancelot became a great knight and fell in love with the Queen, Gueniviere; which Viviane is said to have known about.


“The Lady of the Lake”. Britannia. 2001. 24 Nov. 2010. < http://www.britannia.com/history/biographies/nimue.html > .

“The lady of the Lake”. Rowan Sterling. 2003. 24 Nov. 2010. < http://members.fortunecity.com/rowansterling/lotl.html >.

Merlin

An Authurian character that Viviane is frequently depicted with is Merlin. It is said Viviane met Merlin at a young age and that he fell in love with her. He taught her a few tricks but then moved off. One day Viviane got abducted and Merlin sent three men to rescue her. Again he was capitvated by her beauty. It was then that she became his pupil so that she may learn everything there is to do about magic. There are mixed tellings of if she loved Merlin or not. She learned magic and became his lover. It's told that Merlin made her a home that was glamoured to look like a lake or under the lake to another relm, so it would not be discovered. After she gained knoweledge of everything, it is said that she imprisoned him. There are different versions as to why she did this. “Some say She imprisoned him in a magical castle in the air, so that only She could love him; or that She shut him beneath a stone or in a tomb, leaving him to slowly die; or that he was imprisoned within a hawthorn tree, forever asleep” (A Museing Grace Gallery). Maybe her actions were out of love, protection, or revenge, no one really knows. Even some say that Merlin could have gone voluntarily. After this event she took Merlin’s post next to Author: becoming his advisor. Viviane is depicted as both good and evil.


“Authurian Women”. Authurian Legends. Ed. Jimmy Joe. 2006. Timeless Myths. 24 Nov2010. < http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/legacylib/mlahcc.html#internet >.

“Viviane”. A- Muse-ing Grace Gallary. 2004. Thalia Took. 24 Nov. 2010. < http://www.thaliatook.com/AMGG/vivian.html >.

Beginnings

The Lady of the Lake appears to have been known by different names: Niniane, Nimue, and the most commonly used Viviane. Others think that the Lady of the Lake were many people composed of the same person. Though she is known for presenting Arthur with Excalibur, in Suite du Merlin, it was another Lady of the Lake(no name) who gave Arthur Excalibur; but was later killed by Balin le Savage. Then later Viviane became owner of the sword. Some also believe that Morgan Le Fay could have been another Lady of the Lake, though she is one of the nine scorceress of Avalon. Depending on the author, it seems the story is spun in many ways to compliment their story.

Viviane, the apparent Lady of the Lake, is a mysterious woman who’s origins can only be guessed at. Though she is not based on a real person, some scholars believe that she was based on a goddess. She could have come from a Celtic water Goddess. In celtic culture, water deities were wide-spread. At rivers or lakes, people would worship them by throwing weapons or other treasures. Her names seems to reveal that she may be based on the Celtic water goddess, Conventina. She was worshipped troughout Europe, and known to the romans as Mnemosyne.



“Authurian Women”. Authurian Legends. Ed. Jimmy Joe. 2006. Timeless Myths. 24 Nov2010.< http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/legacylib/mlahcc.html#internet >.

“The Lady of the Lake”. Britannia. 2001. 24 Nov. 2010. .

“The Lady of the Lake”. King Author and Knights of the Round Table. 2001. 24 Nov. 2010. < http://www.kingarthursknights.com/others/ladylake.asp >.

Who?????

I have never been familiar with or even heard of the Lade of the Lake. Like most people I just know the main characters of the Arthurian legends: Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, and Guinevere. One day I picked up a book called Avalon High by Meg Cabot, which is a modern twist of the legend. In the novel, the main characters, Will and Ellie, who are reincarnations of Arthur and the Lady of the Lake( though in the beginning of the book, she does get mistaken for being The Lady of Shalott), end up falling in love with one another. I did not recall Arthur having another lover, so it got me more hooked on this version of the story. While reading the story, I came upon the Lady of the Lake. I was curious about who she was this was my first time hearing about her. I learned that Arthur got Excalibur, his sword, from the Lady of the Lake. After reading the novel I was fascinated about whom this character was, but I never looked up the character. I guess I forgot or too lazy to search. Writing this blog gives me the opportunity to finally learn more about the mysterious character of The Lady of the Lake.



Cabot, Meg. Avalon High. New York: HarperCollins. 2006. Print.