# Dame Guenevere — Jurgen character guide

> Dame Guenevere in Jurgen by James Branch Cabell.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Guenevere, Queen Guenevere, Madame Guenevere, young Guenevere

**First appearance:** 0013-ix-the-orthodox-rescue-of-guenevere

## Snapshot

The princess Jurgen loved hopelessly at Gogyrvan's court, now a queen who does not remember him and offers herself as his wife.

## Who they are

Guenevere first appears as the fairest and most perfect of mortal women, whose thick gold hair and small proud head reduce Jurgen to making sirventes in praise of his Phyllida. Later, with Lancelot turned monk and Arthur gone to Avalon, she greets Jurgen as a stranger and offers marriage, and he finds he cannot accept — desire and knowledge press him too sorely. Her failure to remember him measures how far the pawnbroker has traveled from the scapegrace of twenty-one, and her chivalric reproaches give the book its sharpest argument about what men have made of women.

## In the story

### [IX: The Orthodox Rescue of Guenevere](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/ix-the-orthodox-rescue-of-guenevere)

Daughter of King Gogyrvan, found enchanted in Thragnar's cave, awakened by Jurgen's kiss.

### [X: Pitiful Disguises of Thragnar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/x-pitiful-disguises-of-thragnar)

Accompanies Jurgen, encourages him to slay the disguised Thragnar, and later rides the horse of their defeated assailant.

### [XI: Appearance of the Duke of Logreus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/xi-appearance-of-the-duke-of-logreus)

Returned to Cameliard by Jurgen, she is betrothed to King Arthur.

### [XII: Excursus of Yolande's Undoing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/xii-excursus-of-yolande-s-undoing)

Princess whom Jurgen loves; his thoughts and actions are driven by his desire for her.

### [XIII: Philosophy of Gogyrvan Gawr](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/xiii-philosophy-of-gogyrvan-gawr)

The subject of the conversation; Gogyrvan discusses her betrothal to Arthur and her flirtation with Jurgen.

### [XIV: Preliminary Tactics of Duke Jurgen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/xiv-preliminary-tactics-of-duke-jurgen)

The beautiful young princess of Glathion, with corn-floss yellow hair and gray eyes, whom Jurgen loves hopelessly and who is soon to be married to another.

### [XV: Of Compromises in Glathion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/xv-of-compromises-in-glathion)

She meets Jurgen at night in the Hall of Judgment, revealing a curious and knowledgeable side she hides by day, but shows little contrition for their secret meetings, treating them almost as a matter of course.

### [XVI: Divers Imbroglios of King Smoit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/xvi-divers-imbroglios-of-king-smoit)

Unable to converse with Jurgen for three nights, leading to his carouse with barons.

### [Why Merlin Talked in Twilight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/xviii-why-merlin-talked-in-twilight)

Jurgen tells her he will not accompany her to London; she weeps heartbrokenly.

### [XX: Efficacy of Prayer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/xx-efficacy-of-prayer)

Rides past the cathedral on her way to marry King Arthur, not noticing Jurgen.

### [XXV: Cantraps of the Master Philologist](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/xxv-cantraps-of-the-master-philologist)

Mentioned as the wife of King Arthur, who receives Caliburn from Anaïtis.

### [In the Manager's Office](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/xliv-in-the-manager-s-office)

Mentioned in relation to the stairway Jurgen and she ascended.

### [XLV: The Faith of Guenevere](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/chapters/xlv-the-faith-of-guenevere)

Queen Guenevere appears, not recognizing Jurgen, and offers to marry him. She speaks of her divine beauty and the faith of knights, then departs forever.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/characters/guenevere
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jurgen_se/characters