Pelleas
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- For the character from Victorian drama, see Pelleas and Melisande.
Pelleas is a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. His story first appears in the Post-Vulgate Cycle. Pelleas is knighted by Arthur at a young age. As a young knight, he deeply loves the maiden Ettarre who finds his youthful shyness and stammering bothersome and does not return his affection. She lies to him to induce him to give her a golden arm circlet, the prize of a tournament that he won, as a token of his love.
Ettarre, selfish and having gained the circlet and thus some social elevation, desires to be left alone; but despite her treachery Pelleas cannot forget her. He defeats all knights sent by her but, after each victory, deliberately allows himself to be captured and taken prisoner to her castle, as it is the only way that he can ever see his true love. Unsympathetic, Ettarre takes his horse from him and sends him on his way, only to return again and again.
Gawain, a knight of the Round Table, offers to try to persuade Ettarre to love Pelleas. Gawain instead lies to her, telling her he has slain Pelleas, and betrays him, sleeping with her himself. Pelleas finds the two together sleeping, and leaves his sword on their chests, revealing that he is alive and well, but also as a sign of forgiveness, as he says he cannot kill a knight such as Gawain in his sleep.
Intrigued, Nineve, the Lady of the Lake, enchants both Ettarre and Pelleas (according to Malory's version), making Pelleas fall out of love with Ettarre and in turn making Ettarre fall in love with Pelleas. According to the Post-Vulgate, Pelleas is reconciled with the Lady of the Lake, falls in love with her and remains with her, and forgives Gawain. In Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, a 15th century work that picks up the story, Ettarre dies of grief when her love is spurned, and Pelleas falls in love with Nineve and joins her in her underwater realm.
Pelleas appears throughout the legend, fighting in tournaments, and defending Guinevere from her abductor Maleagant as one of the Queen's Knights. His story was popular with 19th and 20th century writers, the most notable and famous example being found in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King.
