CHAPTER I PAGE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 1-4 Lancelot not a character of primitive Arthurian tradition 4 First recorded mention by Chrétien de Troyes and sudden growth in popularity 5-7 CHAPTER II THE 'LANZELET' OF ULRICH VON ZATZIKHOVEN Lancelot--Theories as to origin of name--M. de la Villemarqué-- Professor Rhys--M. Gaston Paris--Professor Zimmer--Professor Foerster--Proposed Celtic derivation unsatisfactory 8-10 Summary of poem 11-17 Discussion of poem--Contradictory character of contents; not necessarily proof of late origin 18-21 Process of evolution sketched 23-25 Connection between _Lanzelet_ and _Parzival_ of Wolfram von Eschenbach--Not merely a superficial borrowing of names-- Necessity for critical edition of the _Lanzelet_, and careful comparison of the two poems 25-29 CHAPTER III LANCELOT ET LE CERF AU PIED BLANC Summary of poem 30-32 _Lai de Tyolet_--Older variant, but real nature of story even then obscured 32-34 'False Claimant' _motif_ foreign to original _Lai_ 34-35 Influence of _Tristan_ noticeable in the _Morien_ variant-- Possible connection with _Lai_ 35-38 Reasons for omission of adventure in later versions 38-39 CHAPTER IV LE CHEVALIER DE LA CHARRETTE Summary of poem 40-42 Structure of poem confused and unsatisfactory--Probable reasons for this 42-46 Versions of Guinevere's imprisonment--Comparison with Siegfried-Brynhild story--Legend primitive and in earliest form unlocalised--Localisation points to an insular redaction 46-49 Relation between Chrétien's poem and other versions--Malory's version cannot be proved to be drawn from prose _Lancelot_-- _Iwein_ certainly independent of _Charrette_--_Parzival_ doubtful--Two latter possibly represent earlier version, imperfectly known by Chrétien 49-53 CHAPTER V THE POSITION OF CHRÉTIEN DE TROYES IN THE ARTHURIAN CYCLE Source of Chrétien's poems an important problem 54 Professor Foerster's views summarised--The Arthurian legend partly historic, partly romantic--Latter of exclusively continental origin 55-56