Tristram

Also known as: Sir Tristram / Sir Tristram of the Woods · Family: Arthur's Table Round · Role: knight · First appears: Gareth and Lynette 3

Tristram was Arthur’s cousin, and Arthur made him a knight. Later, Tristram returned from overseas to Brittany after marrying Isolt of Brittany, a princess of that realm: “Tristram—late / From overseas in Brittany returned, / And marriage with a princess of that realm, Isolt the White.” At the tournament he defeated his opponents and received the gems from Lancelot, who had once struggled to overcome him; he was also a friend to Dagonet.

Tristram courted Isolt and opposed Mark, declaring that his hatred for Mark matched his love for her. He and Isolt were brought to full accord, and Tristram gave her a ruby carcanet as a love-offering and peace-offering, but Mark killed him as their lips touched: “Mark’s way,” said Mark, and clove him through the brain.” Elsewhere, Tristram and Isolt are named in connection with a sin.

Relationship record

Life events

• Arthur made Tristram a knight.(Gareth and Lynette 3)
  • With: Arthur
  • “For having heard that Arthur of his grace Had made his goodly cousin, Tristram, knight,”
• Tristram returns from overseas after marrying Isolt the White, a princess of Brittany.(The Last Tournament 1 · 📍 Brittany)
  • With: Isolt of Brittany
  • “Tristram—late From overseas in Brittany returned, And marriage with a princess of that realm, Isolt the White”
• Tristram wins the tournament and receives its gems.(The Last Tournament 2)
  • “So Tristram won, and Lancelot gave, the gems,”
• Isolt of Britain and Tristram are brought to full accord.(The Last Tournament 4)
  • With: Isolt
  • “So then, when both were brought to full accord,”
• Tristram gives Isolt of Britain a ruby carcanet as a love-offering and peace-offering.(The Last Tournament 4)
  • With: Isolt
  • “And hither brought by Tristram for his last Love-offering and peace-offering unto thee.”
• Mark kills Tristram by cleaving through his brain.(The Last Tournament 4)
  • With: Mark
  • “Behind him rose a shadow and a shriek— ‘Mark’s way,’ said Mark, and clove him through the brain.”

Gareth and Lynette 3

• cousins with Arthur “For having heard that Arthur of his grace Had made his goodly cousin, Tristram, knight”
• knighter: Arthur “For having heard that Arthur of his grace Had made his goodly cousin, Tristram, knight”

The Last Tournament 1

• rivals with Lancelot “Whom Lancelot knew, had held sometime with pain His own against him, and now yearned to shake The burthen off his heart in one full shock With Tristram even to death:”
• married with Isolt of Brittany “Tristram—late From overseas in Brittany returned, And marriage with a princess of that realm, Isolt the White—Sir Tristram of the Woods—”

The Last Tournament 2

• married with Isolt of Brittany “For when thou playest that air with Queen Isolt, Thou makest broken music with thy bride, Her daintier namesake down in Brittany—”
• friends with Dagonet “Friend, did ye mark that fountain yesterday”

The Last Tournament 3

• married with Isolt of Brittany “The sweet name / Allured him first, and then the maid herself, / Who served him well with those white hands of hers, / And loved him well, until himself had thought / He loved her also, wedded easily”
• courtship with Isolt “My God, the measure of my hate for Mark / Is as the measure of my love for thee.”
• enemies with Mark “Who hates thee, as I him—even to the death.”

The Last Tournament 4

• courtship with Isolt “And therefore is my love so large for thee, Seeing it is not bounded save by love.”
• courtship with Isolt of Brittany “Grace, Queen, for being loved: she loved me well. Did I love her? the name at least I loved. Isolt?—I fought his battles, for Isolt!”
• enemies with Mark “Behind him rose a shadow and a shriek— ‘Mark’s way,’ said Mark, and clove him through the brain.”
• sworn: Arthur “Far other was the Tristram, Arthur’s knight!”
• married with Isolt of Brittany “Isolt of Britain dashed Before Isolt of Brittany on the strand, Would that have chilled her bride-kiss? Wedded her? Fought in her father’s battles? wounded there?”
• knighter: Arthur “Far other was the Tristram, Arthur’s knight!”

Guinevere 3

• with Isolt (Adulterous love affair.) “Then came the sin of Tristram and Isolt;”
• courtship with Isolt (Arthur identifies Tristram and Isolt as participants in an illicit love relationship.) “Then came the sin of Tristram and Isolt;”

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Extracted from the original text of Idylls of the King. Made with Rho MD.