Igraine

she's big and red-haired and she has got pale liquid eyes. she never meant much to me actually, although she always left me a bit uncomfortable. until i noticed that.

[...]


[Igraine, a major character in Bradley’s Mists of Avalon, exemplifies the theme of duty against personal desire perfectly. She is but a young girl of fifteen when she is wedded to king Gorlois, as a gift from Avalon. Igraine is faced with following her duty or her personal desire, when the Merlin and her sister, Viviane visit her with some foreboding news. They tell her, that it is her fate to have an affair with a king known as Uther Pendragon, and bare the Horned One. Igraine is outraged and refuses to believe what they say. She claims that she will never cheat on her husband, because he was good to her all her days in his kingdom, and that it was her duty to bare him a son, as was expected of a wife. It is after accompanying her husband on a venture to a royal meeting, that she is acquainted with Uther. When Uther’s brother dies, Igraine comforts him by sitting and talking with him in a tree. Igraine learns of his kindness and realizes he is not a bestial man in the least bit. However, Igraine is soon charged with adultery by her husband, although she had committed nothing of the sort, and kept to her duty as a good and pious woman. Nevertheless, after this ludicrous accusation, Igraine wishes she had pursued her personal desires and is infuriated be on reason. She wants nothing to do with her husband, and refuses to wear the dresses and jewelry he gave her as gifts. Upset and confused, Igraine is bewildered by an onslaught of dreams with herself and Uther, indulging in each other. She wants to be with Uther evermore. However, it would be very difficult for her, because Gorlois initiates a war with Uther shortly after his accusation of infidelity. He locks Igraine within the palace walls and forbids her to leave. Igraine is puzzled, angry, and lusting for Uther. She forgets her duty to Gorlois, and calls upon the Sight to warn Uther of an ambush that is waiting for him and his troops. This heeding saves Uther from his sure demise, and further helps Uther win the tumultuous war. Weeks later, she is visited by Uther, disguised as her husband. Igraine once again follows her desire, and Uther plants the seed of Arthur this very night. Later that day, Gorlois dies in warfare, and Uther and Igraine marry and live happily. from here]