Me
Yvain is a valiant knight of King Arthur's Round Table. He has a strong sense of loyalty and wants to avenge his cousin single handed, not keen to accompany the King and the other knights but striking out on his own. He is a knight who feels extremes of emotion; he falls wildly and passionately in love with Laudine the moment he sees her; he becomes so euphorically caught up in the success of his tournament performance that he forgets the promise he made his wife; he is so distraught at her rejection of him that he loses his mind and lives in the woods as a naked hermit. This is probably why he is so successful because he fights without apparent fear. He is courageous and valiant and seemingly unbeaten in battle. He is loyal to the King and to those from whom he has received kindness.
Me
Lady Laudine is a strong woman who puts aside the anger and grief she is feeling about her husband's death and recognizes that she needs to find a way to live his killer because her domain needs protection and leadership. She is definitely not the subordinate in the relationship and is a woman who takes no nonsense, holding Yvain to his promise and making him pay the consequences for failing to do so.
Lunete
Lunete is a damsel serving Lady Laudine and is an important confidante whose counsel is welcomed and taken seriously. She is Yvain's chief supporter when he first meets Laudine and consequently the one one punished when he does not return. She is the catalyst for the relationship between Yvain and Laudine both when they first meet and when they are estranged.
Sir Gawain
One of the more famous of King Arthur's knights, Sir Gawain is pivotal in the story because he asks Yvan to return to Britain with him and participate in tournaments. He believes that it is important to show that even when married a knight remains strong. He is a renowned knight and a confidante of the king.
Calogrenant
A Knight present at the Pentecost celebration, Calogrenant is the catalyst for Yvain's adventures as the telling of his story prompts Yvain to want to avenge his cousin. Calogrenant is a German knight and apparently older hat Yvain as his exploits take place seven years previously.
Sir Kay
Sir Kay is a braggart and a bigmouth. He is obnoxious and his only contribution to the table seems to be to make fun of his fellow knights. He jeers Calogrenant after the Knight tells his story and then makes fun of Yvain when he declares his intention to avenge his cousin. He is always over-keen to prove the knightly skills of which he is disproportionately proud and is easy to defeat when he meets Yvain in disguise after the storm.
King Arthur
King Arthur is the King of Britain and presides over his Knights of the Round Table. He is the most well known legendary king and his adventures and exploits are well documented in literature, history and folklore.
Lady Guinevere
Guinevere is King Arthur's queen and present at both feast occasions and also around the Round Table. She is another example of strong women who are powerful in this period of history.
Lady Noroison
Lady Noroison is the noblewoman who restores the balance of Yvain's mind using a potion. It is she who is championed by him in order to save her domain and also the person who reignites Yvain's precious passion for gallantry.
