Le Morte Darthur, Chapter 17 summary
Chapter 17 of 503 · 3 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 17, King Arthur receives Lot’s wife at Carlion, falls in love with her without knowing she is his sister, and fathers Mordred. After a frightening dream, Arthur hunts a stag, loses his horse, and encounters a strange beast whose pursuit brings King Pellinore to him.
What happens
- King Ban and King Bors depart, and Arthur rides to Carlion, where Lot’s wife arrives secretly to spy.
- Arthur falls in love with her, and Mordred is born; Arthur does not know that she is his sister.
- After her departure, Arthur dreams of destructive griffins and serpents that wound him before he kills them.
- Arthur goes hunting to distract himself, but his horse dies during a long pursuit of a stag.
- Beside a fountain, Arthur sees a beast whose belly sounds like hounds, except while it drinks.
- King Pellinore arrives seeking the beast and asks for Arthur’s horse so he can continue his year-long pursuit.
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In this chapter
What to notice
The narrator makes Arthur’s ignorance explicit. This separates what Arthur understands from the family relationship revealed to the reader.
Quick check
When does the strange beast’s belly stop making noise?
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