In the Inferno, Canto V, Dante tells the story of Paolo and Francesca, who fell in love while "My
"My lady," said Galehaut, "it's not fitting to speak of this, but take pity on him, for he loves you
reading a book. The book was the story of Lancelot and Guinevere, who in their turn fell in
love through an external stimulus: a knight encouraging them to kiss.
Love beginning as play or as a theater play is the subject of Wong Kar Wai’s film In the
Mood for Love, and the subject is as old as literature itself. It dates back to mythology, one
obvious example being Eros, the god of love in Greek mythology, who with his honeyed or
poisoned arrows would make people fall in love happily or desperately. It was then a
favorite topos in medieval literature: Tristan and Isolde fall in love because they drink a
love potion and Siegfried from the Song of the Nibelungs falls in love with Kriemhilda only
by hearing stories about her beauty.
Below you will find the story of how Lancelot and Guinevere fell in love and that is in its
turn the stimulus for the romance between Paolo and Francesca. As you watch Wong Kar
Wai’s film, think about the role of theatricality, play and the external stimulus of a
heartbreaking love story.
From The Prose Lancelot7UDQVODWLRQE\&DUOHWRQ:&DUUROO
How did the affair of Lancelot and Guinevere begin? The Vulgate authors answer that question
through a very elaborate series of stories. They tell of Lancelot's birth to King Ban of Benoic
(anglicized as Benwick) and his queen Elaine (one of several Elaines or Helaines, including the
daughter of King Pelles and the Fair Maid of Astolat); his adoption by the Lady of the Lake after
Ban is killed by a usurper; his youth; his knighting at Arthur's court; and his falling secretly in
love with Arthur's queen. The queen is aware of his love, but the affair is not consummated until
Galehaut (not to be confused with Sir Galahad) intervenes. In the Vulgate, Galehaut, the King of
the Long (i.e., distant) Isles and Lord of Surluse is a character of nobility and magnanimity. In
the Inferno Francesca tells Dante, "Our Galehot was that book and he who wrote it," meaning
that the romance was a pander, but perhaps she and Paolo did not read very extensively in the
Prose Lancelot. Galehaut makes war upon Arthur, who would have lost his kingdom except for
the feats of arms by an unknown knight in black armor who comes to aid Arthur's army in the
nick of time. Galehaut is so impressed by the Black Knight that he befriends him and, at the
knight's request, agrees to make peace with Arthur. Because the knight is often red-eyed from
weeping, Galehaut eventually extracts from him the secret of his love for Arthur's queen and, out
of love for the knight, whose name he still does not know, arranges a meeting, of which only the
climax is given in this selection. The translation is by Carleton W. Carroll.
The Meeting of Lancelot and Guinevere
more than himself; God help me, when he came I knew nothing of his thoughts except that he
was afraid of being recognized, and he never revealed anything else to me."
"I'll take pity on him as you wish, for you have done what I asked of you, and I must do what
you wish, but he asks nothing of me."
"My lady," said Galehaut, "surely he doesn't have the power to do so, for one cannot love what
one doesn't fear. But I ask something of you on his behalf, though even if I didn't ask anything of
you, you should nevertheless take steps to win him, for you could conquer no richer treasure."
"Truly," she said, "I know that well, and I'll do whatever you direct."
"My lady," said Galehaut, "many thanks; I ask that you give him your love, and that you take
him as your knight forevermore, and become his loyal lady for all the days of your life, and you
will have made him richer than if you had given him the whole world."
"In that case," she said, "I grant that he should be entirely mine and I entirely his, and that any
breach or violation of our compact should be repaired by you."
"Thank you, my lady. But now there must be a preliminary pledge."
"Whatever you stipulate," said the queen, "I will do it." "My lady," said Galehaut, "many thanks.
Therefore, give him a kiss, in my presence, to mark the beginning of a true love."
"This is neither the time nor the place for kissing," she said. "Have no fear, I'm as eager for it as
he is, but those ladies there >> note 1 are already wondering that we have done so much, and
they would necessarily see it. And yet, if he wishes, I will most willingly give him a kiss."
Lancelot was so joyful and also so dismayed by this that all he could reply was, "Thank you, my
lady."
"Ah, my lady," said Galehaut, "have no doubt about his wishes, for that's all he thinks of. And be
assured that no one will know, for we will withdraw, the three of us, as if we were conferring
together."
"Why should I need to be urged?" she asked. "I wish it more than you or he."
Then all three withdrew together, as if they were conferring. Seeing that the knight dared do no
more, the queen took him by the chin and gave him a prolonged kiss in front of Galehaut.
Then the queen, who was a most wise and worthy lady, began to speak: "Dear friend," she said
to the knight, "I'm yours, because you have done so much, and this gives me great joy. Now take
care that this be kept secret: this is necessary, for I'm one of the ladies in all the world about
whom the greatest good has been said. If my reputation were to suffer because of you, it would
be a base and ugly love. And I ask the same of you, Galehaut, who are so wise, for if harm came
to me from this, it could only be because of you; but if it brings me benefit or joy, you will have
bestowed it."

"My lady," said Galehaut, "he could do you no wrong, but I've merely done what you ordered me
to do. Now you must hear a request from me, for I told you yesterday that you could soon do
more for me than I for you."

"Speak confidently," she said, "for there's nothing you could request that I wouldn't do."

"Then you have accepted, my lady," he said, "to grant me his companionship."

"Indeed," she replied, "if you didn't have that, then you would have profited little by the great
sacrifice you made for him."

Then she took the knight by the right hand and said, "Galehaut, I give you this knight
forevermore, except for what I have previously had of him. And you," she said to the knight,
"give your solemn word on this." And the knight did so. "Now do you know," she said to
Galehaut, "whom I have given you?"

"My lady, I do not."

"I have given you Lancelot of the Lake, the son of King Ban of Benoic."

And in this way she revealed his identity to Galehaut, whose joy was the greatest he had ever
known, for he had heard many rumors that this was Lancelot of the Lake and that he was the
finest knight in the world, though landless, and he knew well that King Ban had been a very
noble man.

Thus was the first tryst between Lancelot and the queen brought about by Galehaut. Galehaut
had known him only by sight, and for that reason Lancelot had made him promise that he would
not ask him his name until he himself revealed it or another did so for him.