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Arthurian Characters Moodboards: ———— Mordred

“By my head, said sir Mordred to the damosel, ye are greatly to blame so to rebuke [Sir La Cote Male Taile], for I warn you plainly he is a good knight, and I doubt not but he shall prove a noble knight, but as yet he may not yet sit sure on horseback, for he that shall be a good horseman it must come of usage and exercise. […] But for the most part they will not light on foot with young knights, for they are wight and strongly armed. For in likewise Sir Launcelot du Lake, when he was first made knight, he was often put to the worse upon horseback, but ever upon foot he recovered his renown, and slew and defoiled many knights of the Round Table. And therefore rebukes that Sir Launcelot did unto many knights causeth them that be men of prowess to beware, for often i have seen the old proved knights rebuked and slain by them that were but young beginners” (Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur IX, 4)

Mordred—confused between the loves and hatreds of his frightful home—had at the time been a party to her [Morgause] assassination. Now, in the court of a father who had been considerate enough to hide the story of his birth, the wretched son found himself the acknowledged brother of Gawaine, Agravaine, Gaheris and Gareth—found himself lovingly treated by the King-father whom his mother had taught him to hate with all his heart—found himself misshapen, intelligent, critical, in a civilization which was too straightforward for purely intellectual criticism—found himself, finally, the heir to a northern culture which has always been antagonistic to the blunt morals of the south. (T.H. White, The Once and Future King, The Candle in the Wind)