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<H2><FONT size=3>Folks,</FONT></H2>
<P><FONT size=3>I am new to </FONT><A href="http://urth.net/" target=_blank><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_0><FONT size=3>Urth.net</FONT></SPAN></A><FONT size=3>, so my observations are original (to me) and not based on reading your threads (although I have perused them). </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3> </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3>I am working on some onomastics of major characters in <EM>The Knight</EM>. </FONT></P>
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<P><FONT size=3>Below are speculations of Ravd of Redhall. Any feedback you have is appreciated.</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT size=3></FONT> </H2>
<H2><FONT size=3>Ravd of Redhall</FONT></H2>
<H5><FONT size=3>Background</FONT></H5>
<P><FONT size=3>Sir Ravd of Redhall appears in Chapter 4 of <EM>The Knight.</EM> Ravd is a knight in the service of Duke <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_1>Marder</SPAN> ("marder" is German for marten, a solitary carnivore related to the weasel). Able describes Ravd in his list of characters as, "The best knight I ever saw" (p. 13). 'Best' probably refers to Ravd's strict adherence to the <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_2 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed">code of chivalry</SPAN>. </FONT></P>
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<H5><FONT size=3>Onomastics</FONT></H5>
<P><FONT size=3>The term "ravd" appears to be a variant of "red" in Old Norse, which was the language spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia during the <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_3>Viking Age</SPAN> </FONT><A class=urllink href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Norse_language" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT color=#5a3696 size=3><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_4>[5]</SPAN></FONT></A><FONT size=3>. </FONT></P>
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<DIV class=indent><FONT size=3>"The word / ravd /in the context you mention is just a spelling variant of the colour adjective /rauğr/ m in Old Norse, meaning "red". As an anthroponym it refers, in all probability, to the colour of a (male) persons hair." (Hagland, personal communication; 2009) </FONT></DIV>
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<P class=vspace><FONT size=3>The epithet "red" appears in both <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_5>Norse Mythology</SPAN> and <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_6>Arthurian Legend</SPAN>. </FONT></P>
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<DIV class=indent><FONT size=3>1. Norse Mythology. The god Thor possessed red hair and a <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_7>red beard</SPAN>. <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_8>The Viking</SPAN> chieftains <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_9>Erik the Red</SPAN> and <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_10 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed">Thorstein the Red</SPAN> conquered lands during the Viking Age. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=indent><FONT size=3>2. Arthurian Legend. <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_11>The "Red Knight</SPAN>" is an appellation referring to 3 major knights, depending on the source materials, including <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_12>Percival</SPAN>, <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_13>Gawain</SPAN>, and <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_14>Galahad</SPAN> </FONT><A class=urllink href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Knight" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT color=#5a3696 size=3><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_15>[6]</SPAN></FONT></A><FONT size=3>. </FONT></DIV>
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<H5><FONT size=3>Interpretation</FONT></H5>
<P><FONT size=3>The interaction between Able and Ravd in Chapters <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_16 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed">4-6 may</SPAN> represent early passages in <EM>'Percival, the Story of the Grail</EM> </FONT><A class=urllink href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceval,_le_Conte_du_Graal" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT color=#5a3696 size=3><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1234540293_17>[7]</SPAN></FONT></A><FONT size=3> . Percival is a naive lad of 15, ignorant in the code of chivalry. He encounters a group of knights, and is so impressed by them, resolves to become a knight himself. Percival travels to King Arthur's court, but due to his crude clothes, naive manner, and lack of training, is not well received by Arthur's knights. Outside of Arthur's castle, young Percival bests a knight in red armor. Claiming the armor and charger, Percival is knighted and earns the appellation of the <SPAN class=yshortcuts
id=lw_1234540293_18 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed">Red Knight</SPAN>. </FONT></P>
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<P class=vspace><FONT size=3>If Able in some ways represents Percival, the Red Knight, then Ravd of Redhall is the exemplar on which Able models his behavior. "Ravd of Redhall" is therefore a clue inserted by Mr. Wolfe to look to the story of the Red Knight for insights into Able's motivations and development. </FONT></P><BR><BR><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV></div></body></html>