What Is The Story Of Lancelot And Elaine?

This is part of the medieval (rather than the older) Arthurian legend, and was very popular in the 19th century. Lancelot du Lac, King Arthur's best knight, was in love with Arthur's wife Guinevere. Out of loyalty he struggled against this feeling, until one night he receivd a message asking him to follow the bearer to the queen's room. He did so, and spent the night with the woman he met there. He only realised next morning that the woman was not Guinevere but Elaine, a young girl who had fallen hopelessly in love with him after he had rescued her from an enchantment. Lancelot wanted no more to do with her, but when she had a son, Galahad, she insisted on bringing the baby to see him. Lancelot was driven temporarily insane by his conflicting emotions. He left the court, and for a while wandered aimlessly. He later came back to Elaine, but soon left her again. This time she killed herself, giving orders that her body should be placed on a barge and sent down to Camelot, where Lancelot would see it. Their son, Galahad, in later life was the only knight allowed to touch the holy grail.

In Idylls of the King by Alfred Tennyson, there was a part titled Lancelot and Elaine. Here, it explains the story about Lancelot's encounter with Elaine of Astolat, also known as "lily maid", "Elaine the Fair" and "Elaine the White". A long time ago before Arthur became King, he had found a crown that had nine diamonds and he decided to use the diamonds as prizes during yearly competition. Each year, Lancelot won and was rewarded with a diamond. On the ninth year, he decided to win the last one and represent all of them to Queen Guenevere, who at the time was his secret lover. There was a confrontation that she would not be attending the ceremony and Lancelot also decided not to. Guenevere also went on that she could not love Arthur because he was too perfect. When Lancelot travelled to Astolat, where the competition was to be held, he met the King of Astolat, his two sons and his only daughter Elaine. Lancelot had planned to compete in the tournament disguised and he was helped by the king. Elaine, who had become quite enamored by the knight, begged him to wear a token for her. He did this, seeing it could add to his disguise. During the competition, Lancelot was injured by Bor and Elaine nursed him well. Once Lancelot was healed, he planned to leave, but Elaine begged him to marry her. Lancelot declined this saying he could not because he was deeply in love with Guenevere. Ten days after this, Elaine died of heartbreak and per her instructions had her lie down in bed on a large barge that was to float from Thames to Camelot while holding a letter in one hand and a white lily in the other. When the people of Camelot found her, Lancelot was summoned. Guenevere out of pure jealousy then got mad and threw the diamonds out a window where one fell in Elaine's grasp but slipped into the water. After this, Lancelot thinks about how Elaine loved him more than Guenevere and wishes he was never born.