| Ywain | |
|---|---|
 | |
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Other Names |
Yvain, Owain, Ewaine, Ivain, Ivan, Iwain, Iwein, Uwain, Uwaine, Ywan |
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First Appearance |
Arthurian Legend |
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Created by |
Unknown |
Origin[]
In Arthurian legend, Ywain is a Knight of the Round Table. Tradition often portrays him as the son of King Urien of Gorre and of either the enchantress Modron or the sorceress Morgan le Fay. The historical Owain mab Urien, the basis of the literary character, ruled as the king of Rheged in Britain during the late-6th century.
Ywain was one of the earliest characters associated with King Arthur. He was also one of the most popular, starring as the eponymous hero in Chrétien de Troyes' late-12th-century Yvain, the Knight of the Lion and appearing prominently in many later accounts, often accompanied by his fierce pet lion. He remains Urien's son in virtually all literature in which he appears, whereas other Arthurian-legend characters based on historical figures usually lost their original familial connections in romance literature.
Ywain seeks to avenge his cousin, Calogrenant, who had been defeated by an otherworldly knight Esclados beside a magical storm-making stone in the forest of Brocéliande. Yvain defeats Esclados and falls in love with his widow Laudine. With the aid of Laudine's servant Lunete, Ywain wins his lady and marries her, but Gawain convinces him to leave Laudine behind to embark on chivalric adventure. Laudine assents but demands he return after one year. Ywain becomes so enthralled in his knightly exploits that he forgets to return to his wife within the allotted time, so she rejects him.
Ywain goes mad with grief, is cured by a noblewoman, and decides to rediscover himself and find a way to win back Laudine. A lion he rescues from a dragon proves to be a loyal companion and a symbol of knightly virtue, and helps him defeat a mighty giant, three fierce knights, and two demons. After Ywain rescues Lunete from being burned at the stake, she helps Ywain win back his wife, who allows him to return, along with his lion.
In versions where his mother is Morgan le Fay, Ywain is nephew of Morgause and King Lot, and thus cousin to Gawain, Agravain, Gaheris, Gareth and Mordred. He has a half-brother (with whom he is often confused) named Yvain the Bastard, son of Urien and his seneschal's wife (and also another half-brother named Galeguinant in the Prose Lancelot). In his version, Malory merged Yvain the Great with the character of Yvain of the White Hands, previously an unrelated Knight of the Round Table, and also made him father of Yder.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Ywain from before January 1, 1930 are public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances are listed below:
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- Yvain, the Knight of the Lion
- Historia Regum Britanniae
- Ywain and Gawain
- Sir Perceval of Galles
- Le Morte d'Arthur