Gawain

Gawain ( GA(H)-wayn, -⁠win, gə-WAYN), whose name is spelled in multiple ways, is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legendary cycle. His prototype appears under the name Gwalchmei in the earliest Welsh sources. He has subsequently appeared in Arthurian tales in multiple languages – Welsh, Latin, French, English, Scottish, Dutch, German, Spanish, and Italian – notably as the protagonist of the Middle English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Other works featuring Gawain as the central character include De Ortu Waluuanii, Diu Crône, Ywain and Gawain, Golagros and Gawane, Sir Gawain and the Carle of Carlisle, L'âtre périlleux, La Mule sans frein, La Vengeance Raguidel, Le Chevalier à l'épée, Le Livre d'Artus, The Awntyrs off Arthure, The Greene Knight, and The Weddynge of Syr Gawen and Dame Ragnell. In Arthurian chivalric romances, Gawain is typically depicted as King Arthur's closest companion and an integral member of the Round Table. Gawain is often depicted as the son of Arthur's sister, Morgause, and King Lot of Orkney and Lothian. In this family, Gawain's younger brothers (or half-brothers) are Agravain, Gaheris, Gareth, and the infamous Mordred, though his family relations and upbringing vary among romances. Gawain is often said to have been raised unknowingly in foster care in Rome, before returning to Britain to reunite with his biological relatives. Of the many children from his numerous wives and lovers, Gingalain (the "Fair Unknown") stands out as a popular Arthurian hero in his own right. In early Welsh texts, Gawain is portrayed as a formidable warrior who is courteous, compassionate, and fiercely loyal to both king and kin. Gawain is known as a friend to young knights, a defender of the poor and unfortunate, and a rescuer of women. Variants on the motif of the Castle of Maidens...