Ah yes, I can see that now that you pointed it out Frybabe - the stories are told like a modern novel with several stories going on at once.
Ha funny to me - a different way to understand guys not wanting un-asked for advice - I do it at times with my son who bristles, mostly when in his vehicle and I'm telling him to turn here or there since I use shortcuts with no traffic and he has not lived in Austin now for at least 25 years - here I think I am being helpful but Sally, my daughter-in-law has a fun way of reminding me he is grown man, independent and capable and does not need me to take care of him, that we all make our own choices in life. With a quick intake of breath I get it - I don't want anyone telling me what to do either - my only wish is I had to same ability as Sally to explain in a fun, wink of the eye way. Ah so... we all react differently don't we.
In the story Geraint is being rather masterful, to the point of being obnoxious however, I saw it as a retaliation for her believing the court gossip causing her to shed her tears where as, he was fully enjoying being in her company - I think he was more than annoyed that she was grieved over the gossip rather then enjoying the life they were living so that he had to prove himself again.
She did not stand up for him but instead reacted to court gossip that he was a has-been, taking advantage of his past and no longer capable because he locked himself up in her presence - but then he thought his early declaration of what was important was understood - "And unto him he represents that it was better for him to spend the flower of his youth and the prime of his age in preserving his own boundaries, than in tournaments, which are productive of no profit, although he obtains glory in them."
And so he did not see himself ignoring the court of knights and others - He sees they want the glory of a constantly winning leader - He sees how their desire has taken hold, even affecting Enid, so he goes forth. I also think he felt betrayed by Enid that she fell for the gossip and did not value him enough to stand up for his principle about fighting; that he made his decision to spend his life with her enjoying each other and then, when she reacts so strongly to the court gossip he had no alternative but to play the glory game but also, Enid was going to learn what the glory game entailed and learn to trust he could handle whatever comes because that is what a well trained knight does.
For her to be on the look out is fine but to trust he was a capable well trained knight which meant, ready or not, forewarned or not, he engaged in whatever danger presented itself and won - part of proving your worth was to win regardless the circumstances or what to others looks like a surprise attack but in reality, was the practiced skill of a well trained knight. He had trained so that his senses picked up the danger before it arrives. He did not need anyone to tell him how to do his job or prepare him to do his job, especially someone who was not a trained knight. I just saw him as pissed that others would not respect him and his choices and now he had to go out and prove himself all over and take on the Glory game and it was about time Enid saw what was really involved so that he was being stubborn about taking care of himself.
I thought Arthur's men realized what he was doing and made it appear easy for him to get help without his seeking it or without the feeling someone was coming to rescue him but rather, by moving the tent near the road he would, in affect bump into it. He was a proud knight and took his physical damage and pain as part of the job plus I thought he was so pissed that this unnecessary foray into the kingdom was him having to show he was a winning glory seeking knight which he saw nothing noble about it - he was not protecting anyone or fighting for Arthur - sure he found a couple of bad guys along the way but then there is always bad guys and his statement about his 'flower of youth' questions, was his life enjoying Enid having to be questioned over, others who wanting a man's man seeking glory with and for them with their expectation he should rooting out all the bad all the time?
An aside, are we expected to spend our life rooting out bad hmm an interesting question about life - listening to the priests and nuns as a kid that seemed to be their take on life - in order to get to heaven you were to root out all the bad so that guilt is right around the corner when time is taken for moments of pleasure much less living life seeking how to intensify moments of pleasure for yourself and for others. The French are good at intensifying pleasure, believing that care be taken for instance with food because it is a pleasure and with clothes on and on.
Back to the story, since he was not on a noble journey but only seeking glory he was embarrassed for Arthur to see him in his weakened state and just wanted to get on with it... Arthur made it easy and does not chastise him for taking on the quest. Arthur was able to crack through his stubborn anger. Interesting, while healing he does not tell Enid she is forgiven and continues on his journey seeking "tournaments, which are productive of no profit" till again, he is wounded and standing beneath the shade of a tree.
This last encounter he bullies himself into the fight. This was not his land, it was the kingdom of Gwiffert Petit and he says to Gwiffert Petit - "Nay," answered Geraint, "I knew not this road was forbid to any." - Gwiffert Petit was not the dwarf that slapped him in the face at the start of all this. And so is it just because he is a dwarf king?
What I am picking up is - telling these stories everyone knows what aspects of the story stand for -like today, mention Russia and regardless if you agree or not you know they are the bad guys - well there are several dwarfs in the story and a few giants that according the the book on symbols both dwarf and giants represent the amoral forces; primordial power; darkness. The Giant using a Club, the club represents great strength and symbolizes the betrayal of Christ. Those hearing the story or even, up till more recent centuries, those reading the story would knee jerk know what these references mean.
For Celts the deer represents a supernatural animal of the fairy world and they are divine messengers. And a 'white' deer means a terrestrial goddess. However in the Christian mindset 'white' means, a purified soul; joy; purity; virginity; innocence; the holy life; light; integrity. White is worn at all sacraments: baptism, confirmation, first communion, marriage, death. It is the colour of saints not suffering martyrdom and of virgin saints and Easter, Christmas, Epiphany and Ascension. It seems to me the white deer is the core of the story, the holy grail so to speak and Arthur gives it to Enid.
The knight's quest represents the journey of the soul through the world, with its temptations, obstacles, trials, testing and proving of character and development towards perfection. Is Geraint at the end a purified soul that came close but does not suffer martyrdom resting under the shadow of a tree... A Tree is 'The' whole of manifestation; the synthesis of heaven, earth and water; dynamic life as opposed to the static life of the stone. Both an imago mundi and axis mundi, the ‘Tree in the midst’ joining the three worlds and making communication between them possible, also giving access to solar power; an omphalos; a world center.
With that I wonder if the story is telling us the balance of evil versus good in represented by Geraint taking his pleasure versus continuing the journey of a soul through the world till the connection is made between heaven, hell and our life on earth - is his choice of taking pleasure in his home life with Enid allowed if he is a knight - do knight's retire?
From the story --- "Geraint went to bear them company, and Enid also, as far as Diganhwy, there they parted. Then Ondyaw the son of the duke of Burgundy said to Geraint, "Go first of all and visit the uppermost parts of thy dominions, and see well to the boundaries of thy territories; and if thou hast any trouble respecting them, send unto thy companions." "Heaven reward thee," said Geraint, "and this will I do." And Geraint journeyed to the uttermost part of his dominions. And experienced guides, and the chief men of his country, went with him. And the furthermost point that they showed him he kept possession of.
And, as he had been used to do when he was at Arthur's Court, he frequented tournaments. And he became acquainted with valiant and mighty men, until he had gained as p. 162 much fame there as he had formerly done elsewhere. And he enriched his Court, and his companions, and his nobles, with the best horses and the best arms, and with the best and most valuable jewels, and he ceased not until his fame had flown over the face of the whole kingdom. And when he knew that it was thus, he began to love ease and pleasure, for there was no one who was worth his opposing. And he loved his wife, and liked to continue in the palace, with minstrelsy and diversions.
And for a long time he abode at home. And after that he began to shut himself up in the chamber of his wife, and he took no delight in anything besides, insomuch that he gave up the friendship of his nobles, together with his hunting and his amusements, and lost the hearts of all the host in his Court; and there was murmuring and scoffing concerning him among the inhabitants of the palace, on account of his relinquishing so completely their companionship for the love of his wife. And these tidings came to Erbin. And when Erbin had heard these things, he spoke unto Enid, and inquired of her whether it was she that had caused Geraint to act thus, and to forsake his people and his hosts."
