Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1981, Blaðsíða 50
In all fairness to the figure of Arthur in Mottuls saga we would point
out that the king, once reminded of his promise and his obligation to
keep it, does admit the validity of the criticism. Moreover, acceptance of
the royal command by the ladies at court is emphasized by the refrain
that accompanies submission to the chastity test in chapters 8 and 9: ekki
mundi peim tja å mod at mæla (‘they did not dåre gainsay him’). What
the king has commanded must be carried out. Nonetheless, Arthur’s
word is not always effective, especially in the case of the recalcitrant and
foul-mouthed steward Kay. Time and again in Parcevals saga Arthur
chides Kay for his irresponsible and nasty tongue (8:1-2; 11:5-6; 11:25-26;
26:33-35; 37:23-26), but to no avail. Kay is incorrigible, as the queen
herself admits in Ivens saga. Moreover, she is advised not to waste her
breath on rebukes, pviat pat megu menn sjå, at hann spottar jafnan
okunna menn, en hann hropar slna félaga ok eignar brædr (22:6-8 ‘be-
cause everyone can see that he always likes to mock strangers and that he
sianders his own comrades and brothers-in-arms’). On Kay a royal admo-
nition has no effect. Kay’s abrasive conduct is anything but exemplary,
and it comes as no surprise that the fellowship of the Table Round should
exhibit Schadenfreude whenever misfortune befalls the steward. In
Mottuls saga the knights are delighted at Kay’s humiliation when his
lady’s infidelity is exposed (pp. 16-18). Similarly, the glee of the knightly
assemblage, and even of King Arthur, is pronounced in Ivens saga when
Kay is unhorsed in combat:
Enn allir fognudu misforum hans, Jjviat hann åtti ongvan vin 1
kongs hird. Konungrinn sjålfr gerdi sér at gaman, }>viat Kæi
hafdi sjålfviljandi utan nokkurs manns bæn fengit |)essa
svivirding. En herra Valven vard allra fegnastr. (74:9-75:4)
(Everyone else rejoiced at Kay’s mishap, since he had no friends at
the king’s court. The king himself also made fun of him, for Kay
had brought the disgrace upon himself without anyone’s urging. Sir
Gawain was the happiest of all.)
Arthurian society, starting with the king, is seen to be afflicted with the
same petty vices as the rest of humanity.
The emotions most frequently displayed by King Arthur are anger and
irritation. In Erex saga a dispute breaks out among the knights after King
Arthur has announced that the one who successfully hunts the white stag
will receive as reward a kiss from the most beautiful maiden at court.
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