| Elaine of Astolat | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Other Names |
Lady of Escalot, Maid of Ascolot |
|
First Appearance |
Arthurian Legend |
|
Created by |
Unknown |
Origin[]
Elaine of Astolat is a tragic heroine of Arthurian legend, best known for her unreturned love for Sir Lancelot. In Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, she falls for him when he stays at her family’s castle before a major tournament. She convinces him to wear her token, though he must fight in disguise, using her brother’s plain shield to avoid being recognized. Lancelot wins the tournament but is wounded, and Elaine lovingly nurses him back to health.
When he tries to pay her for her care, not understanding her feelings, she’s deeply hurt. After he departs, Elaine dies of heartbreak ten days later. Honoring her final wishes, her body is set adrift toward Camelot in a small boat, holding a lily and a farewell letter. Arthur’s court finds her, and a remorseful Lancelot ensures she receives a noble burial.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Elaine of from before January 1, 1931 are public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances are listed below:
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- La Damigella di Scalot (13th Century)
- Mort Artu (13th Century)
- Le Morte d'Arthur (15th Century)
- The Lady of Shalott (1833)
- A Legend of Tintagel Castle (1833)
- The Lady of Shalott (revised version) (1842)
- Lancelot and Elaine (Idylls of the King) (1859)
- Sir Tray: An Arthurian Idyl (1873)
- Elayne le Blanc (1875)
- Rosenthal's Elaine (1876)
- The Lady of Shalott (1871)
- Elaine and Elaine (1883)
- The Water Carriers (1886)
- The Lady of Shalott (1888)
- Before the Mirror (1895)
- The Book of Romance (1902)
- Lancelot and Elaine: A Play in Five Acts (1909)
- The Camelot Jousts (1910)
- For All Ladies of Shalott (1921)
- Elaine (1921)
Public Domain Film Appearances[]
- Way Down East (1920)
Public Domain Comic Appearances[]
- Robin Hood and His Merry Men #30
Notes[]
- She should not be confused with Elaine of Corbenic, the mother of Galahad by Lancelot. Many modern adaptations tend to conflate her with the other Elaine including in The Once and Future King and the Wheel of Time series.