# The Return to Court and the Rise of New Knights explained — Le Morte d’Arthur

> Chapter companion for Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory.

## What happens

At the year's end, Sir Gawaine, Sir Uwaine, and Sir Marhaus meet at the fountain with their damosels. They are found by a messenger from King Arthur and return to Camelot, where they recount their adventures. At the feast of Pentecost, the Damosel of the Lake brings Sir Pelleas, who excels in jousting. Both Sir Pelleas and Sir Marhaus are made Knights of the Round Table. The chapter also foreshadows Sir Tristram's future battle with Sir Marhaus and notes Sir Pelleas's role in the quest for the Sangreal.

## Themes in this chapter

### Honor and Reputation

Knights return to court to swear upon a book and tell their adventures, emphasizing the importance of honor and the recounting of deeds.

### Kingship and Governance

King Arthur's role in summoning knights, hearing their adventures, and appointing new members to the Round Table highlights his governance.

### Violence and Vengeance

The foreshadowed battle between Sir Tristram and Sir Marhaus, resulting in Marhaus's death, underscores the theme of violence and its consequences.

## Character check-ins

### Sir Gawaine

Returns to court after a year of adventure; his damosel speaks little worship of him.

### Sir Uwaine

Returns with Sir Gawaine and Sir Marhaus to King Arthur's court.

### Sir Marhaus

Accompanies Gawaine and Uwaine to court; is made a Knight of the Round Table and later slain by Sir Tristram.

### King Arthur

Glad of the knights' return; makes them swear to tell their adventures; welcomes Sir Pelleas and Sir Marhaus to the Round Table.

### Sir Pelleas

Brought by the Damosel of the Lake; wins the prize at jousting; becomes a Knight of the Round Table and later achieves the Sangreal.

### Sir Tristram de Liones

Fights and slays Sir Marhaus in an island battle, but is wounded and recovers at a nunnery.

## Key lines

> Right so at the twelvemonths’ end they met all three knights at the fountain and their damosels, but the damosel that Sir Gawaine had could say but little worship of him

After a year, the three knights and their ladies gathered at the fountain, but Gawaine's lady had little praise for him.

_Highlights Gawaine's lack of honor in the eyes of his damosel._

> And at that next feast Sir Pelleas and Sir Marhaus were made knights of the Table Round, for there were two sieges void, for two knights were slain that twelvemonth

At the following feast, Sir Pelleas and Sir Marhaus were inducted into the Round Table, filling seats left empty by two knights who had died that year.

_Shows the ongoing cycle of loss and renewal among the Round Table knights._

> So Sir Tristram many days after fought with Sir Marhaus in an island, and there they did a great battle, but at the last Sir Tristram slew him

Some time later, Sir Tristram fought a great battle with Sir Marhaus on an island and ultimately killed him.

_Foreshadows a key event in Tristram's story._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xxviii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters