Dagonet
Encyclopedia
Sir Dagonet was King Arthur
's well-beloved jester, and a Knight of the Round Table
of Arthurian legend. He saw himself as a courageous warrior and would present himself as such. Yet, in reality, he would flee at the slightest provocation. He often battered his own shield so that it appeared that he had been in a fight - telling all that he emerged victorious of course.
Dagonet’s tom-foolery was legendary. He once playfully “captured” Sir Lancelot
by leading his horse to Queen Guinevere
and the noble knight was dubbed "Dagonet’s Prisoner" to great hilarity. During the False Guinevere’s reign, the jester took on the administration of the Royal Court and bankrupted the household. Yet, the unfortunate treasurer, Pole, was killed for reproving him. Sir Gawain
even adopted the name Dagonet as an ironic alias during one of his adventures.
The Knights of the Round Table often used Dagonet to play practical jokes on their rivals or their enemies. Sir Kay
arranged for Sir Breunor
to joust with Dagonet at his first tournament, in order to deprive him of the honor of defeating a true knight. On another occasion, Arthur's men pointed out Dagonet to King Mark of Cornwall
and told him he was Sir Lancelot. The cowardly monarch fled screaming into the forest. Sometimes however, the jester came off a little worse for wear during these episodes. The poor man was beaten by the temporarily insane Sir Tristan and went mad himself, when his wife was abducted by Helior of the Thorn. Sir Dagonet, however, tracked him down and killed him.
In Thomas Malory
's Le Morte D'Arthur
, he is mostly portrayed as a buffoon who has been knighted as a joke.
's "Henry IV, Part 2
," Master Shallow boasts of portraying Sir Dagonet in "Arthur's play." This identifies the character as a buffoon.
In Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King
"Sir" Dagonet appears in "The Last Tournament." The jester is the only one of the court who could foresee the coming doom of the kingdom. He mocks the faithless knights who have broken their vows, and declares that although he and Arthur could hear the music of God's plan, they can not.
In Howard Pyle
's The Story of the Champions of the Round Table, Sir Dagonet, called Arthur's fool, is dim-witted yet noted for his knightly deeds. He bears the heraldic
device of a cockerel's head.
In the 2004 film King Arthur, the character, portrayed by Ray Stevenson
, is depicted as a brave, self-sacrificing warrior whose actions save the rest of Arthur's knights.
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
's well-beloved jester, and a Knight of the Round Table
Round Table (Camelot)
The Round Table is King Arthur's famed table in the Arthurian legend, around which he and his Knights congregate. As its name suggests, it has no head, implying that everyone who sits there has equal status. The table was first described in 1155 by Wace, who relied on previous depictions of...
of Arthurian legend. He saw himself as a courageous warrior and would present himself as such. Yet, in reality, he would flee at the slightest provocation. He often battered his own shield so that it appeared that he had been in a fight - telling all that he emerged victorious of course.
Dagonet’s tom-foolery was legendary. He once playfully “captured” Sir Lancelot
Lancelot
Sir Lancelot du Lac is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He is the most trusted of King Arthur's knights and plays a part in many of Arthur's victories...
by leading his horse to Queen Guinevere
Guinevere
Guinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur. In tales and folklore, she was said to have had a love affair with Arthur's chief knight Sir Lancelot...
and the noble knight was dubbed "Dagonet’s Prisoner" to great hilarity. During the False Guinevere’s reign, the jester took on the administration of the Royal Court and bankrupted the household. Yet, the unfortunate treasurer, Pole, was killed for reproving him. Sir Gawain
Gawain
Gawain is King Arthur's nephew and a Knight of the Round Table who appears very early in the Arthurian legend's development. He is one of a select number of Round Table members to be referred to as the greatest knight, most notably in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight...
even adopted the name Dagonet as an ironic alias during one of his adventures.
The Knights of the Round Table often used Dagonet to play practical jokes on their rivals or their enemies. Sir Kay
Sir Kay
In Arthurian legend, Sir Kay is Sir Ector's son and King Arthur's foster brother and later seneschal, as well as one of the first Knights of the Round Table. In later literature he is known for his acid tongue and bullying, boorish behavior, but in earlier accounts he was one of Arthur's premier...
arranged for Sir Breunor
Sir Breunor
Sir Breunor le Noir, , nicknamed La Cote Mal Taillée by Sir Kay after his arrival in his murdered father's armor at King Arthur's court, is a character mentioned in Arthurian legend. He receives his knighthood after saving Guinevere from an escaped lion...
to joust with Dagonet at his first tournament, in order to deprive him of the honor of defeating a true knight. On another occasion, Arthur's men pointed out Dagonet to King Mark of Cornwall
Mark of Cornwall
Mark of Cornwall was a king of Kernow in the early 6th century. He is most famous for his appearance in Arthurian legend as the uncle of Tristan and husband of Iseult, who engage in a secret affair.-The legend:Mark sent Tristan as his proxy to fetch his young bride, the Princess Iseult, from...
and told him he was Sir Lancelot. The cowardly monarch fled screaming into the forest. Sometimes however, the jester came off a little worse for wear during these episodes. The poor man was beaten by the temporarily insane Sir Tristan and went mad himself, when his wife was abducted by Helior of the Thorn. Sir Dagonet, however, tracked him down and killed him.
In Thomas Malory
Thomas Malory
Sir Thomas Malory was an English writer, the author or compiler of Le Morte d'Arthur. The antiquary John Leland as well as John Bale believed him to be Welsh, but most modern scholars, beginning with G. L...
's Le Morte D'Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur is a compilation by Sir Thomas Malory of Romance tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table...
, he is mostly portrayed as a buffoon who has been knighted as a joke.
In later fiction
In William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's "Henry IV, Part 2
Henry IV, Part 2
Henry IV, Part 2 is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed written between 1596 and 1599. It is the third part of a tetralogy, preceded by Richard II and Henry IV, Part 1 and succeeded by Henry V.-Sources:...
," Master Shallow boasts of portraying Sir Dagonet in "Arthur's play." This identifies the character as a buffoon.
In Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King
Idylls of the King
Idylls of the King, published between 1856 and 1885, is a cycle of twelve narrative poems by the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson which retells the legend of King Arthur, his knights, his love for Guinevere and her tragic betrayal of him, and the rise and fall of Arthur's kingdom...
"Sir" Dagonet appears in "The Last Tournament." The jester is the only one of the court who could foresee the coming doom of the kingdom. He mocks the faithless knights who have broken their vows, and declares that although he and Arthur could hear the music of God's plan, they can not.
In Howard Pyle
Howard Pyle
Howard Pyle was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, he spent the last year of his life in Florence, Italy.__FORCETOC__...
's The Story of the Champions of the Round Table, Sir Dagonet, called Arthur's fool, is dim-witted yet noted for his knightly deeds. He bears the heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
device of a cockerel's head.
In the 2004 film King Arthur, the character, portrayed by Ray Stevenson
Ray Stevenson (actor)
George Raymond "Ray" Stevenson is a Northern Irish-born English film and television actor. He is known for playing Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series Rome , and in film as Dagonet in King Arthur and as Frank Castle/The Punisher in Punisher: War Zone and The Super Hero Squad Show...
, is depicted as a brave, self-sacrificing warrior whose actions save the rest of Arthur's knights.