Lancelot and the Lord of the Distant Isles: Or, the Book of Galehaut Retold

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Lancelot and the Lord of the Distant Isles: Or, the Book of Galehaut Retold

by Patricia Ann Terry, Samuel N. Rosenberg

3.57 · rating details · 7 ratings · 4 reviews

The deeply resonant love story of Sir Lancelot and King Arthur's wife, Queen Guenevere, has had enduring appeal ever since it was invented in the 12th-century by the French writer Chr tien de Troyes. The protagonists became a model of ill-fated adulterers whose irresistible love led not only themselves but their entire world to perdition. The tale has been told and retold ...moreThe deeply resonant love story of Sir Lancelot and King Arthur's wife, Queen Guenevere, has had enduring appeal ever since it was invented in the 12th-century by the French writer Chr tien de Troyes. The protagonists became a model of ill-fated adulterers whose irresistible love led not only themselves but their entire world to perdition. The tale has been told and retold over the years in many languages and forms; the most provocative and elaborate version is in the immense suite of early-13th-century French narratives collectively called the Lancelot-Grail or Arthurian Vulgate Cycle. Related here is the whole wondrous, adventure-filled, mythic history of Arthur and his chivalric kingdom.

The anonymous author of the massive section devoted to Lancelot expanded the triangle Arthur-Guenevere-Lancelot into a rectangle, adding a figure named Galehaut, Lord of the Distant Isles, a powerful political and military foe to Arthur and a rival to Guenevere for the love of Lancelot. It is an extraordinary tale, this overlapping love story, which is recounted with an understanding of human desires and aspirations unprecedented in its depth and richness. For love of Lancelot, Galehaut surrenders his political ambitions, voluntarily submitting to the rule of Arthur; the same love leads him to facilitate the rapprochement of Lancelot and the Queen. The invincible Lord of the Distant Isles, who had seemed destined to conquer the world, becomes a paragon of love-inspired self-sacrifice.

Whether for political reasons or out of aversion to the homoerotic, later retellings of the Lancelot story, in whatever language, show little or no interest in Galehaut. This is especially true of Malory's greatEnglish treatment of the Arthurian legend in the 15th century, in which the "high prince" Galehaut appears but only peripherally and with no significant tie to Lancelot.

Lancelot and the Lord of the Distant Isles, or the Book of Galehaut Retold is a work of restoration. from the mass of diverse detail and labyrinthine complications of the medieval Lancelot-Grail Cycle, it abstracts the all-important double love-story and rescues from oblivion the first truly tragic figure in French literature.

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Hardcover, 225 pages

Published April 1st 2007 by David R. Godine Publisher

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Jul 14, 2011

Nikki rated it

Shelves: arthurian, lgbt, based-on-myth-saga-etc, romance

According to the authors of this book, in the Vulgate Cycle originally there was a book called The Book of Galehaut. Galehaut was a knight who could have defeated King Arthur, but for the love of Lancelot, surrendered to him instead. He was the enabler for Guinevere and Lancelot's love, again because of (and despite) his love for Lancelot. He's since faded from the story almost entirely, though he's sometimes mentioned with no particular connection to Lancelot. The introduction to this book sugg...moreAccording to the authors of this book, in the Vulgate Cycle originally there was a book called The Book of Galehaut. Galehaut was a knight who could have defeated King Arthur, but for the love of Lancelot, surrendered to him instead. He was the enabler for Guinevere and Lancelot's love, again because of (and despite) his love for Lancelot. He's since faded from the story almost entirely, though he's sometimes mentioned with no particular connection to Lancelot. The introduction to this book suggests that that's partially because of the deeply homoerotic subtext of his relationship with Lancelot, and partly because he can be read as Welsh and Malory (for one) was writing at a time of disturbance between the English and the Welsh (what a surprise).

I haven't read the Vulgate Cycle for myself, or read any secondary sources discussing Galehaut, so I can't speak for the accuracy of their statements. It would make sense, of course, but little errors in the introduction -- it's spelt "Caerleon", or "Caerllion" if you're going for the Welsh spelling, not "Carleon", unless you're talking about a beach in Cornwall; Geoffrey of Monmouth is now thought to have been unlikely to be Welsh -- make me somewhat dubious about the scholarship. Plus, as a retelling, they might have been extremely choosy about what they took from the original text, and viewed through a modern lens stuff like sharing a bed seems more sexual than it is in medieval texts.

Still, it's interesting for two reasons: one, this is a part of Arthurian legend that has been neglected, and two, it's actually a really good story. They chose to write their retelling in a similar way to direct translations of the texts, so it feels familiar and authentic. They admit to tweaking and rearranging a little, so the final section of the story is a little different to the standard accepted versions, but mostly it fits into the canon reasonably well. Galehaut's love for Lancelot is deep and affecting: more so than the love between knights and ladies in romances of the period. Guinevere is mostly sympathetic, too, and the love between her and Lancelot is well-written in places, but the focus is Galehaut and his utter devotion to Lancelot. The ending picks up on something I just read about in a part from the Vulgate Cycle: Lancelot is buried beside Galehaut.

There are also a couple of bits that I honestly find quite funny, like this part:

Then Galehaut asked Gawain what he would give, if he had his health again, to have the Black Knight [Lancelot:] as his companion. Gawain hesitated, wondering if his wounds would ever heal, and then replied that he would willingly be transformed into a beautiful young woman, if he could have the Black Knight's love his whole life long.
"And you, my lady?" Galehaut asked the queen.
"Now that Gawain has offered all that a lady can give, a lady can do no more!"
With that, they all laughed, but Galehaut when they demanded that he too answer the question, said that for the love of that knight, "I would let my very honour turn to shame."
"God knows," said Gawain, "that you have offered more than any of us." He realised that Galehaut had actually done what he said: at the very moment when he had won the war, he had given his triumph away.

The queen's response is awesome!

This story made me interested in Galehaut, in tracking down anything that mentions him, researching him, and bringing him back to life in my own writing. I think the authors of this retelling would be happy to hear that. For me, they've brought back to life a character who has been shamefully neglected. Well worth buying, I'd say, if it sounds like something you'd enjoy!

It helps that this edition includes some lovely illustrations -- wood engravings, actually -- alongside the text. They're quite detailed and lovely to look at.

Edit: I've read the relevant part of the Vulgate Cycle now, and aside from a little rearrangement and simplification, the story of Galehaut in this volume is very much as given in the Vulgate Cycle: including Galehaut being lovesick for Lancelot, and the immortal scene in which Gawain says he'd be turned into a woman for Lancelot. This book is actually more of a translation/abridgement than a retelling, though it's a bit of both.(less)

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Mar 18, 2011

robyn rated it

Shelves: mythopoeia

Interesting for the material on Galehaut, who really does seem to have been written out of the legend. And a beautifully produced book, in hardcover at least. But you won't find Arthur being particularly noble or Guinevere being particularly queenly ... no one seems quite like themselves, even Lancelot.

So I'd have to say that I prefer the Arthurian legend in the shape it's taken through natural selection, as it were - people kept the bits they liked and were interested in. Just not t...more

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Sep 16, 2010

S-- rated it

Shelves: 2011

Full review/thoughts found here.

Why I Started: A friend of mine read this and was very enthusiastic about it. Her enthusiasm is incredibly catching, so I promptly went out in search of this.

Why I Finished: The story is fascinating and retold in a very reader-friendly way.

Rereadability: I think I'd prefer passing this on to rereading it, but it would lend itself well to it. Especially if you've a decent knowledge of Arthurian legends.

Recommendation: I'd say...more

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Aug 04, 2010

Johnny rated it

very interesting story line, but was a little taken back by the writing style very narative, I realyse she was trying to use that style .
I did enjoy the unique-ness of the story.

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Jun 14, 2011

Jen rated it

Shelves: arthuriana

Mar 29, 2011

Chris rated it

Shelves: own, arthuriana

Jul 23, 2010

Michele marked it as to-read

Shelves: arthur

Jul 23, 2010

Naseem marked it as to-read

Jan 11, 2010

Amari added it

Jul 14, 2009

Wade added it

Shelves: glbt, arthurian, legend

Mar 20, 2008

Tree rated it

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