Hellawes

Lesserwell-documentedArthurian literary traditionMiddle English romance (Malory)England (Arthurian literary geography)

Hellawes is a sorceress in Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur associated with the Castle Nigramous and the episode set at the 'Chapel Perilous'. She attempts to seduce Sir Launcelot and, in the narrative, obstructs the healing of a wounded knight until specified quest actions recover items from a corpse.

Origin

There is no genealogical origin or mythic provenance for Hellawes in the supplied sources; she appears as a character in Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, identified as the sorceress and lady of the Castle Nigramous and placed within the narrative episode that gives the locale termed 'Chapel Perilous'.

Appearance

Primary sources provided here give minimal physical description. Malory names her and records her fate (noting that "she died within a fourteen night" after an episode), but does not supply detailed bodily features or clothing in the cited extracts.

Abilities

In the Malorian episode Hellawes is described as a practitioner of sorcery and enchantment: she attempts to seduce Sir Launcelot and is said to be preventing the healing of the wounded Meliot until a knight enters Chapel Perilous and recovers specified objects (Gilbert's sword and a piece of the silk wrapping cloth from a corpse) so the wound may be healed. The sources characterize her powers functionally within the story (seduction, enchantment, and conditioning of a healing) rather than providing technical descriptions of her methods.

Weaknesses & Wards

Weaknesses

  • condition
    overcome by narrative quest action (recovery of Gilbert's sword and a piece of the silk wrapping cloth from his corpse by a knight entering Chapel Perilous)

Wards

  • other
    no traditional charms or formulae recorded; in the narrative her obstruction is countered by a knightly retrieval of specific items (see weaknesses)

Community Record

Sources
  1. [1]
    Chapel perilous (Wikipedia). "Chapel perilous is a term best known from Thomas Malory's Arthurian compilation Le Morte d'Arthur as the setting for an adventure in which the sorceress Hellawes unsuccessfully attempts to seduce the knight Lancelot"wiki
  2. [2]
    Le Morte Darthur - Chapter XV (telelib excerpt). Quoted line: "And as the book saith, when Sir Launcelot was departed she took such sorrow that she died within a fourteen night, and her name was Hellawes the sorceress, lady of the castle Nigramous."literary
  3. [3]
    Hellawes (Wikipedia). Summary entries discussing Hellawes as the Malorian sorceress of the Castle Nigramous who attempts to seduce Lancelot and is associated with the Chapel Perilous episode.wiki
  4. [4]
    Synoptic summary referencing healing episode (source list). "The sorceress Hellawes of the Castle Nigramous is preventing his healing until a knight enters Chapel Perilous, and takes Gilberts sword and a piece of the silk wrapping cloth from his corpse to heal Meliots wound."literary
  5. [5]
    Aselia Wiki — Hellawes (Fandom entry). Modern/adapted references noting reuse of the name Hellawes in contemporary fandom contexts.wiki
well-documented