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Bedivere

Arthurian Legend
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Loyal knight who returns Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake after Arthur’s death

Detailed Definition
Bedivere’s final act of obedience underscores themes of duty and faith. In poetry, he embodies the tension between human hesitation and divine command, serving as a bridge between mortal frailty and mythic destiny in Arthur’s legendary departure.
Example
Example in poetry:
Bedivere faithfully returns Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake in Malory’s account; Tennyson’s “The Passing of Arthur” portrays Bedivere’s internal struggle before obeying Arthur; Bedivere embodies loyalty and sorrow in elegiac poetry; Modern poets use Bedivere as a witness to Camelot’s end; His hesitation humanizes the knight in poetic retellings; Bedivere’s final act becomes a metaphor for relinquishing power.
Additional Notes
Bedivere is one of Arthur’s earliest and most loyal knights, famed for returning Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake at Arthur’s deathbed; his moment of hesitation humanizes him, making him a powerful figure for exploring themes of duty, grief, and faith—poets often contrast his loyalty with the betrayal of others like Mordred.
Also Known As
Sir Bedivere Bedwyr
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