The Once and Future King Love Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph.)

Quote #1

"Only I do feel sad sometimes," [Pellinore] added, before they could stop him, "about the Queen of Flanders' daughter. She was not beautiful, Grummore, but she understood me. We seemed to get on together, if you see what I mean. I amn't clever, perhaps, and I may get into trouble when I am by myself, but when I was with Piggy she always knew what to do. It was company too. It is not bad to have a bit of company when you are getting on in life, especially when you have been chasing the Questing Beast all the time, what?" (Q.9.242)

Pellinore doesn't exactly strike us as one of the red hot Arthurian lovers, but he definitely gives a more mature view of relationships than we see in the typical medieval romance's couples always sighing, pining, and weeping over each other. Piggy isn't your typical romance heroine who is young and beautiful; Pellinore loves her for her personality and qualities other than her looks. And good on T.H. White for giving us this alternative view.

Quote #2

"All the world loves a lover." (Q.11.33)

People like to be around those who are in love. It rubs off on them and sometimes makes them happy by association.

Quote #3

The way to use a Spancel was this. You had to find the man you loved while he was asleep. Then you had to throw it over his head without waking him, and tie it in a bow. If he woke while you were doing this, he would be dead within the year. If he did not wake until the operation was over, he would be bound to fall in love with you. (Q.13.41)

Of course, this raises the obvious question: Is this really love? Just as Merlyn says ideas should not be imposed, neither should love. The magic Morgause uses here is a type of violence—violating the free will of the victim.