The second and probably the most unpleasant son of King Lot and Queen Margawse of Orkney, brother of Gawaine, Gaheris and Gareth. The romances seem agreed that, although a good knight of arms, he was not a likable character. Vulgate IV characterizes him as envious and evil-disposed, without love or pity; he was very handsome, but his beauty was the best part of him. Maybe he was spoiled in his childhood because of his beauty. At the same time, he was a member of the Round Table, and got around quite a bit on adventures.

There seems some dispute as to whether Agravaine or Mordred was the more culpable in the conspiracy against Lancelot and Guenevere.

In Malory, Mordred seems to emerge as the chief force, especially since - in Malory - Agravaine is killed during Lancelot's escape from the Queen's chamber. In the Vulgate, where Lancelot's escape is not so bloody, Agravaine, not Mordred, seems the chief villain until he is killed when Lancelot rescues the Queen from the stake. Agravaine is motivated chiefly, however, by a desire to hurt Lancelot, while Mordred is motivated by a desire for the throne.

Chrétien shows Agravain the Arrogant holding his brother Gawaine back from responding too hastily to Guigambresil's accusation of treachery. Here, despite his soubriquet, Agravaine seems to appear to rather good advantage, even offering to fight on his brother's behalf.

Later in the same romance, Gawaine lists Agravaine as the second oldest son of King Lot and his lawful wife. The contrast between Agravaine's surname of "Arrogant" or "Proud" and the seemingly sympathetic nature of his cameo appearance in this romance suggest to me that Chrétien had found his usual characterization already established in Arthurian lore. Perhaps, also, he would have come back into the action had Chrétien finished the story.