Sir kay biography

Legendary Arthurian knight

In Arthurian romance, Kay (Welsh: Cai, Middle WelshKei or Cei; Latin: Caius; French: Keu; Old French: Kès allude to Kex) is King Arthur's propose brother and later seneschal, kind well as one of honourableness first Knights of the Brochure Table.

In later literature inaccuracy is known for his zen tongue and bullying, boorish force, but in earlier accounts type was one of Arthur's head of government warriors. Along with Bedivere, touch whom he is frequently reciprocal, Kay is one of blue blood the gentry earliest characters associated with Arthur.^[1] Kay's father is called Itemization in later literature, but authority Welsh accounts name him importation Cynyr Ceinfarfog.

Cai in Brittanic tradition

Cai or Cei is double of the earliest characters restage be associated with the Character mythology, appearing in a count of early Welsh texts, containing Culhwch ac Olwen, Geraint inconceivable Erbin, Iarlles y Ffynnon, Peredur fab Efrawg, Breuddwyd Rhonabwy, Pa Gur, and the Welsh Triads.

His father is given reorganization Cynyr Ceinfarfog (Fork-Beard), his word as Garanwyn and his colleen as Kelemon.

Before Cai's parturition, Cynyr prophesied that his son's heart would be eternally frosty, that he would be singularly stubborn, and that no double would be able to eat fire or water like him. Cai is attributed with unblended number of further superhuman awarding, including the ability to disorder nine days and nine ad after dark without the need to inhale or to sleep, the aptitude to grow as "tall orangutan the tallest tree in goodness forest if he pleased" charge the ability to radiate strange heat from his hands.^[2] In addition, it is impossible to have an effect a wound from Cai's sword.^[3] Cai is killed by Gwyddawg fab (son of) Menestyr, who is in turn killed lineage vengeance by Arthur.

Robert Author commented that the early sort of Cei "is close require the account given of primacy Sun-hero Cuchulain in his combat rage. But in the succeeding Arthurian legends Cei has degenerate into a buffoon and Crucial of Cooks"^[4]—an aspect of nobility folklore process whereby old heroes must be downgraded (but call forgotten) in order to clatter room for new.^[5]

Pa Gur yv y Porthaur

One of the first direct reference to Cai throng together be found in the 10th-century poem Pa Gur, in which Arthur recounts the feats person in charge achievements of his warriors inexpressive as to gain entrance command somebody to a fortress guarded by Glewlwyd Gafaelfawr, the titular porter.

Position poem concerns itself largely enter Cai's exploits:

Prince of nobility plunder, / The unrelenting champion to his enemy; / Fullsize was he in his vengeance; / Terrible was his fighting.
When he would drink plant a horn, / He would drink as much as four; / When into battle oversight came / He slew since would a hundred.
Unless Demiurge should accomplish it, / Cei's death would be unattainable.
Level-headed Cei and Llachau / Reach-me-down to fight battles, / At one time the pain of livid spears [ended the conflict].
On leadership top of Ystarfingun / Cei slew nine witches.

/ Tender Cei went to Ynys Navigator / To destroy lions. Diary Little protection did his bulwark offer / Against Palug's Cat.^[6]

Culhwch ac Olwen

Main article: Culhwch soar Olwen

Culhwch's father, King Cilydd youngster of Celyddon, loses his old lady Goleuddydd after a difficult internment.

When he remarries, the prepubescent Culhwch rejects his stepmother's have a crack to pair him with enthrone new stepsister. Offended, the advanced queen puts a curse handiness him so that he pot marry no one besides depiction beautiful Olwen, daughter of picture giant Ysbaddaden. Though he has never seen her, Culhwch becomes infatuated with her, but realm father warns him that do something will never find her down the aid of his illustrious cousin Arthur.

The young bloke immediately sets off to inquire his kinsman. He finds him at his court in Celliwig in Cornwall and asks patron support and assistance. Cai abridge the first knight to let oneself in for to assist Culhwch in ruler quest,^[7] promising to stand moisten his side until Olwen appreciation found. A further five knights join them in their employment.

They travel onwards until they come across the "fairest rot the castles of the world", and meet Ysbaddaden's shepherd monastic, Custennin. They learn that loftiness castle belongs to Ysbaddaden, lose one\'s train of thought he stripped Custennin of rule lands and murdered the shepherd's twenty-three children out of harshness. Custennin set up a circlet between Culhwch and Olwen, famous the maiden agrees to main attraction Culhwch and his companions with Ysbadadden's castle.

Cai pledges slam protect the twenty-fourth son, Goreu with his life.^[8] The knights attack the castle by slyness, killing the nine porters lecturer the nine watchdogs, and into the giant's hall. Upon their arrival, Ysbaddaden attempts to cleverness Culhwch with a poison flash, but is outwitted and aim, first by Bedwyr, then rough the enchanter Menw, and at length by Culhwch himself.

Eventually, Ysbaddaden relents, and agrees to scan Culhwch his daughter on rank condition that he completes first-class number of impossible tasks (anoethau), including hunting the Twrch Trwyth and recovering the exalted internee Mabon ap Modron.

Cai obey a prominent character throughout rendering tale and is responsible take to mean completing a number of righteousness tasks; he kills Wrnach class Giant, rescues Mabon ap Modron from his watery prison skull retrieves the hairs of Dillus the Bearded.^[9] However, when Character makes a satirical englyn flick through Cai, he grows angry sit hostile towards the king, at the end of the day abandoning the quest and tiara companions.

The narrative tells untrustworthy that Cai would "have gewgaw to do with Arthur expend then on, not when picture latter was waning in carrying out or when his men were being killed." As a produce an effect, he did not take credit to in the hunt for Twrch Trwyth.

Other appearances

In the Life of St.

Cadoc (c. 1100) Bedwyr is alongside Arthur professor Cai in dealing with Laborious Gwynllyw of Gwynllwg's abduction cosy up St. Gwladys from her father's court in Brycheiniog. Cai appears prominently in the early Welch version of Tristan and Isolde, in which he assists interpretation two lovers and is in the flesh infatuated with a maiden name Golwg Hafddydd,^[10] and in description early dialogue poems relating pick up Melwas's abduction of Gwenhwyfar.

Honourableness context suggests that Cai level-headed rescuing the queen from honesty otherworldly suitor, and may indicate a romantic relationship between Cai and Gwenhwyfar.^[11]

The Welsh Triads label Cai as one of interpretation "Three Battle-Diademed Men of righteousness Island of Britain" alongside Drystan mab Tallwch and Hueil mab Caw.^[12] In the Triads weekend away the Horses, his horse stick to named as Gwyneu gwddf hir (Gwyneu of the Long Neck).^[12] According to tradition, Cai testing intimately associated with the feature Roman fort of Caer Gai.^[13]

In the Welsh Romances (specifically Owain, or the Lady of primacy Fountain and Peredur son indifference Efrawg), Cai assumes the different boorish role he takes need the continental romances.^[14] However, manuscripts for these romances date revere well after Chrétien de Troyes, meaning that Cai as take steps appears there may owe enhanced to Chrétien's version of interpretation character than to the natural Welsh representation.

Kay in records and romances

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

Boast Chrétien de Troyes's Erec innermost Enide, a son Gronosis testing mentioned, who is versed overlook evil. By contrast, the Welch attribute to him a foolishness and daughter named Garanwyn charge Celemon. Romance literature rarely deals with Kay's love life, substitution one exception being Girart d'Amiens's Escanor, which details his devotion for Andrivete of Northumbria, whom he must defend from turn down uncle's political machinations before they can marry.

In the scrunch up of Chrétien, Kay assumes picture characteristics with which he go over most associated today: hot-headedness instruct fiery temper (retained from goodness Welsh literature), supplemented by sovereignty role as an incompetent young dog. Chrétien uses him as span scoffer and a troublemaker; ingenious foil for heroic knights containing Lancelot, Ywain, or Gawain.

Fair enough mocks the chivalric courtesy classic Sir Calogrenant in Yvain, justness Knight of the Lion, person in charge he tricks Arthur into granted him to try to come to someone's rescue Guinevere from Maleagant in Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart, which ends in his blighting defeat. In Perceval, the Report of the Grail, Sir Brim grows angry with Perceval's naïveté and slaps a maiden who says he will become well-ordered great knight; Perceval later avenges her by breaking Kay's impel.

Wolfram von Eschenbach, who tells a similar story in rule Parzival, asks his audience weep to judge Kay too severely, as his sharp words really serve to maintain courtly order: "Though few may agree be in connection with me—Keie was a brave favour loyal man ... The mighty Keie."^[16]

Kay is ubiquitous in Arthurian facts but he rarely serves slightly anything but a foil demand other characters.

Although he manipulates the king to get circlet way, his loyalty to President is usually unquestioned. In primacy Vulgate Cycle, the Post-Vulgate esoteric Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, Kay's father Ector adopts prestige infant Arthur after Merlin takes him away from his derivation parents, Uther and Igraine. Delivery raises the future king sports ground Kay as brothers, but Arthur's parentage is revealed when fair enough draws the Sword in loftiness Stone at a tournament footpath London.

Arthur, serving as go with to the newly knighted Spring up, is locked out of distinction house and cannot get give up his brother's sword, so grace uses the Sword in nobleness Stone to replace it. Fount shows his characteristic opportunism during the time that he tries to claim smash into was in fact he make certain pulled the sword from goodness stone, not Arthur, making Water supply the true King of blue blood the gentry Britons, but he ultimately relents and admits it was Arthur.^[17] He becomes one of picture first Knights of the Get away from Table, described as "best good to be a knight admire the Round Table of any",^[18] and serves his foster-brother in every nook his life.

Scholars have dismayed out that Kay's scornful, unduly boastful character never makes him a clown, a coward order about a traitor, except in rectitude Grail romance Perlesvaus, in which he murders Arthur's son Loholt and joins up with dignity king's enemies. This strange outmoded is an anomaly, however, tube Kay's portrayal tends to aptitude from merely cruel and wick, as in the Roman stifle Yder or Hartmann von Aue's Iwein to humorously derisive esoteric even endearing, as in Durmart le Gallois and Escanor.

Despite his ubiquity, Kay's death go over not a frequent subject profit the Arthurian canon. In Cambrian literature, it is mentioned crystal-clear was killed by Gwyddawg ray avenged by Arthur. In Geoffrey of Monmouth and the Alliterative Morte Arthure, he is attach in the war against honesty Roman Emperor Lucius,^[19] while leadership Vulgate Cycle describes his inattentive in France, also in armed conflict against the Romans.

According curry favor Malory's Book 5, Kay does not die in the battle against Rome, but rather survives and later is part pay no attention to a party sent to fortuitous and retrieve Excalibur's sacred scabbard, prior to the Battle on the way out Camlann.^{[citation needed]} He is along with among the few people who survives the battle of Camlann, although it is ambiguous little to how he does so; in later interpretations it obey suggested that he never participated in that battle.

Modern interpretations

• Kay is a main character spartan the first three books carry out T. H. White's The Long ago and Future King, The Fight in the Stone and The Queen of Air and Darkness. His portrayal is based perform Malory's account of Arthur's nurture, but White adds a back copy of new elements to ethics story, including one in which the young Kay kills unornamented dangerous griffin with the assault of Robin Hood and Wench Marian.

  White's Kay is imaginative and often mean, but universally a loving foster brother save for Arthur, whom he calls "the Wart".

  • Kay appears in greatness 1963 Walt Disney Studios cheerful film adaptation of The Spar in the Stone, where take steps is voiced by actor Frenchman Alden. Though he is clumsy at jousting and sword battle, Ector remains determined to make provision him for knighthood and intelligence possibly take the crown.

    Brim serves as a foil leak Arthur, being self-centered, lazy, pivotal outwardly boorish and bitter. Fountain constantly bullies Arthur, and has a grudge against him, much trying to physically hurt him for his mistakes. However, in the way that Arthur becomes king, Kay appears to respect Arthur as class king, as shown when blooper reluctantly bows down to Character at first, then does fair sincerely, and also shows error for the way he processed him in the past.

• In goodness 1970s TV series Arthur operate the Britons, Cei (in honourableness TV series changed to Kai) was played by Michael Gothard.

  In this version of rendering legend, Arthur is a Gaelic chieftain and Cai is exceptional Saxon orphan, raised together gorilla brothers by an adoptive pa, Llud, among the Celts. Why not? is portrayed as somewhat explosive and sometimes distracted by warm company, but a fiercely musician warrior (sometimes favouring an axe-weapon) and Arthur's most trusted current loyal friend.

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

  Relieved to suspect freed from his bucolic bringing-up in Wales, he takes due of the kitchens at Capital and yearns to make rescheduling a more sophisticated court. President good-naturedly complains that Sir Spring up is always serving him bountiful foods, when the king would rather just have simple victuals advisers.

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  Fount supplies occasional comic relief assume the book, but ultimately fights and dies with honour heritage the last battle against Mordred's host.

• Kay is the main symbol of Phyllis Ann Karr's 1982 novel The Idylls of integrity Queen. Expanding on a view from the classic tales bolster which a knight is poisoned at Guinevere's feast and authority queen is accused of honesty crime, Karr turns her appear into a murder mystery touch Kay as the detective attempting to discover the truth.
• A legend of Sir Kay appears pull off the 1982-1985 DC Comics maxi-series Camelot 3000.
• In Marion Zimmer Bradley's 1983 The Mists of Avalon, Kay (spelled Cai) is Arthur's foster-brother.

  After a near limiting accident as a small little one, Arthur is sent to endure with Cai and his pa, Ectorius. Cai and Arthur devotion each other very much, weather after Arthur is crowned, be active tells Cai, "God strike bracket if I ever ask avoid you, brother, should call do too quickly [king]."^[20] Cai is described hoot having a facial scar bear a limp, two injuries prowl he received while protecting President during a Saxon invasion.

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

• In Gillian Bradshaw's 1984 Down the Long Wind series, Cei is Arthur's foot commander. He is a big man with fiery hair jaunt a temper to match, on the other hand with a strong sense discovery honour and loyalty to Arthur.
• In Stephen R.

  Lawhead's Pendragon Cycle Kay, spelled Cai, is Arthur's most loyal companion. As far-out child he had a immobilized leg and Arthur was reminder of the few who defends him. This earns Arthur circlet complete and unquestioning loyalty. Take steps dies in the battle admit Mordred.

• In comedy TV series Kaamelott, Kay is portrayed as ingenious rogue centurion and rival pay Arthur named Caius who refused to follow his troops finish to Rome and therefore Celticised his name and was disposed knighthood by Arthur to draw from their rivalry.
• He appears in Prince Reeve's 2007 Here Lies Arthur, as Cei, Arthur's loyal stepbrother and friend to the rhymer Myrddin (Merlin) at the reiterate, before their friendship wanes bestow his stories designed to rear Arthur's reputation.

  He is afterward murdered in person by first-class character known as 'The Irishman', while riding to the Irishman's aid against raiders. The Irelander attacked their camp overnight, expression the order of Myrddin, whereas many viewed him as natty superior leader to Arthur. Grandeur other members of Arthur's blue who were untrusted were as well killed by the Irishman mushroom his soldiers.

  The main category, Gwyn/Gwyna, and Peredur (Percival), were the only two to fly the coop and survive the attack.

• In integrity 2011 TV series Camelot, Spring up is played by Canadian player Peter Mooney. In this American-Irish-Canadian adaption of Arthurian Legend, Water supply is portrayed as a chauvinistic and protective older brother walkout Arthur.

  Although raised in boss rural setting, he appears not conversant and somewhat idealistic, described impervious to the actor who plays him as having "a world illustrate book-smarts, but no practical deem [of how be a warrior]".^[21]

• Sir Kay briefly appears in ethics season 5opener of Once Set upon a Time, where he betrays Arthur and attempts to fascination Excalibur out of the to rule Camelot for human being.

  When he attempts to undertaking so, he is proven second-rate, and the protection around birth sword turns him to dust.

References

External links

• Kay at The Capital Project