CHAPTER VII

THE PROSE LANCELOT--THE LOVES OF LANCELOT AND GUINEVERE

Short notice of incidents of frequent repetition in the romance--Impossibility of deciding, with our present knowledge, which belong to original redaction 100-103

Do the mutual relations of Lancelot and Guinevere represent an original feature of the Arthurian story, or are we to consider them a later addition? 103

Early evidence of Guinevere's infidelity--Testimony of the chroniclers--Wace--Layamon 104-107

Mordred not the original lover, but his representative 107-108

Original lover possibly Gawain 108-111

Lancelot story a later development and independent of earlier tradition--Influence of the _Tristan_ legend-- Motive determining choice of lover 111-117

Suggested evolution of Lancelot--Guinevere story 117-118