The Candle in the Wind
| Author | T. H. White |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Collins |
|
Publication date
|
1940 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 208 |
| ISBN | (paperback edition) |
| OCLC | 35661057 |
| 823/.912 21 | |
| LC Class | PR6045.H2 O5 1996 |
| Preceded by | The Ill-Made Knight |
| Followed by | The Book of Merlyn |
The Candle in the Wind is the fourth book from the collection The Once and Future King by T. H. White. It deals with the last weeks of Arthur's reign, his dealings with his son Mordred's revolts, Guenever and Lancelot's demise, and his perception of right and wrong.
The story begins with Mordred and Agravaine, both discontented. Mordred hates his father, King Arthur, and Agravaine hates Sir Lancelot. Their views are not shared by Gawaine, Gareth, or Gaheris. The relationship of Lancelot and Guinevere has gone on for some time, and everyone in the court knows of it. No one, however, publicly speaks of it, as the law would require Lancelot to be killed and Guinevere to be burned at the stake.
In order to wreak their revenge Mordred and Agravaine decide to go to the king and charge the Queen with adultery. Troubled by this, King Arthur agrees to leave on a hunting trip to give the knights a chance to catch the Queen with Lancelot, although he does say that if they are caught, he hopes that Lancelot will be able to kill all witnesses and adds that if the two fail in backing their claims, he will see to it that they are pursued by the law themselves.
At the same time Arthur confesses to Guinevere and Lancelot a terrible secret: when Mordred was born, Arthur had been told by many people that the child would be evil, as a result of the incest. Pressured, the king commanded all babies born in the approximate month that Mordred would be born to be placed on a boat, which was then sunk. Mordred managed to survive, however, and Arthur lived with the guilt of causing the death of the other babies.
The king leaves to go hunting and Lancelot prepares to sneak over to Guinevere's room. Before he can leave Gareth visits him, and warns him of Mordred's and Agravaine's plot. Lancelot receives Gareth warmly, but does not take the threat seriously as he does not believe that Arthur would entertain such an idea. He leaves for the Queen's room without weapons or armour, assuring Gareth that they will all laugh together when the king returns.
In Guinevere's room Lancelot laughingly tells her of Gareth's warning. Unlike him, however, the Queen takes the threat seriously and tries to convince him to leave before they are caught. A group of knights attempts to break into Guinevere's room. Lancelot manages to kill one of them, later revealed to have been Agravaine, and takes his weapon and armour to defeat the rest. Mordred escapes to tell Arthur of the Queen's faithlessness. Lancelot is forced to flee Camelot, but promises to return to rescue Guinevere.
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