Did Sir Bedivere Fulfill King Arthur's Request?

The question of whether Sir Bedivere honorably heeded King Arthur's final request has long been a topic of debate among scholars and enthusiasts of Arthurian literature. In Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, King Arthur's dying moments are marked by a poignant ritual involving Excalibur, the legendary sword that King Arthur wielded. This ritual is not only a central part of the narrative but also a symbol of honor, sacrifice, and the cycle of life and death in the Arthurian legend.

The Final Farewell

Amidst his dying moments, King Arthur urgently calls out to his trusted knight, Sir Bedivere, and implores him to carry out a final and solemn duty. The King instructs Sir Bedivere to cast Excalibur into the lake. This act is not merely a disposal of an object; it is the culmination of a lifetime of struggle and the banishment of a symbol that once brought power and glory to the realm of Camelot. However, Sir Bedivere's reaction during this critical moment reveals a layer of character that complicates his actions.

The Doubt in Sir Bedivere's Heart

Initially, Sir Bedivere brings the sword back out of the water, adhering to the King's command. Yet, his conscience causes him to reconsider, and he fails to carry the sword back into the lake. This hesitation is not merely a lapse in honor but a deep-rooted fear of change and abandonment. The King, aware of Sir Bedivere's reaction, asks him what he saw each time he approaches the water, but the Knight, seeing nothing, lies to the King. The second time, Sir Bedivere breaks his lie and actually fulfills the King's request. This act of final truth transforms the sword from a symbol of doubt to one of pure redemption. As the sword disappears into the lake, a miraculous sight occurs: an arm emerges from the water, seizing the sword, sealing the destiny of the weapon and the first hero.

Post-Death of King Arthur

Following the King's death, tales and legends surrounding Sir Bedivere diverge. Some versions of the story maintain that he returned the sword to the Lady of the Lake, the enchantress from whom it was first taken. Other legends suggest that Sir Bedivere, feeling condemned for his earlier lies, retreated to a solitary life in a hermitage, carrying the unfinished sword as a daily reminder of his past deeds.

In this solitary life, his presence became known for the strength and durability of the sword, which earned him a reputation for extraordinary and near-mythical fortitude. Over time, rival raiders sought the sword, believing its unbreakable quality gave it blessed power. On one fateful day, a group of raiders attempted to steal the weapon, and in a heroic act of defense, Sir Bedivere drove the sword into a nearby stone, splitting it almost entirely in two. He then passed away, leaving the sword where he had left it.

Another version of the story suggests that Sir Bedivere did indeed throw Excalibur back into the lake but died there, right by its banks. Yet, another legend proposes that the sword was taken to another land to serve another hero in a different era, which aligns with the notion that the sword’s true purpose was to arise and answer the call for a great hero when the fate of the world rested in the balance.

Conclusion

The story of Sir Bedivere and his relationship to Excalibur encapsulates the themes of honor, redemption, and the lasting impact of symbols. Whether he threw the sword back into the lake or took it elsewhere, the act of fulfilling the final command of King Arthur has far-reaching implications. Sir Bedivere's journey from a man of doubt to a hermit, to a sword-bearing legend, to perhaps a new symbol of power in another time, underscores the enduring power of such a simple act in shaping a knight's legacy.