In “Knight of the Cart,” Chretien presents several conflicts between virtues and between virtues and vices; generosity and compassion clash in the episode when Lancelot must repay a maiden’s favor by giving her the head of a defeated foe who begs for mercy, and throughout the work Lancelot must balance love and reason as he proves himself a true lover. Chretien further explores the complexities of virtues and vices through paralleling the father-son relationships of the suitor knight and his father and of Bademagu and Meleagant. Beyond simply depicting the relationships as representations of rashness versus reason, Chretien humanizes the father-son interactions by suggesting the sons’ motivations and positive qualities, as well as the protective …show more content…
The suitor knight’s father immediately rejects, though not unkindly, his son’s boast that he “can bring any knight to quick submission,” declaring, “I have no doubt, dear son…that you believe this, so greatly do you trust in your own strength. But I do not consent and will not consent this day to have you test yourself against this knight” (229). While he recognizes his son’s need to prove himself, he also recognizes that Lancelot is very skilled – or, more likely since he didn’t know Lancelot, perhaps knows that his son is not skilled enough to fight any knight – and is trying to prevent his son from earning disgrace through defeat. The suitor knight’s father gets his knights to restrain his son, despite the son’s protests, and thus prevents him from fighting Lancelot, demonstrating the triumph of reason over …show more content…
Chretien’s word choice is significant: Bademagu is first described as “most scrupulous and keen in every matter of honour and right and who esteemed and practiced loyalty [emphasis mine] above all other virtues” (246). Bademagu’s loyalty is what makes him unwilling to take his disapproval of Meleagant’s actions to the next step and truly act against him, even as he claims that “if you [Meleagant] ignore my advice, I won’t care if he gets the better of you” (247). In fact, Bademagu protects his son from the consequences of his actions, firstly by keeping Guinevere “securely confined, safe from the lusts of men, even from that of my son” (249), and secondly by relentlessly trying to restrain and dissuade Meleagant, even if he cannot stop Meleagant from fighting Lancelot. By keeping Guinevere from Meleagant (with the implication that Meleagant has considered raping her), Bademagu ensures that Meleagant does not incur the king’s wrath in a rash action that likely would lead to a more severe punishment than a humiliating defeat in combat. Additionally, by intervening to end the fight once Lancelot puts down his sword, and getting the barons to restrain Meleagant, Bademagu ensures that Meleagant will not get himself killed, because he knows very well that Lancelot has come too far to show mercy and will “kill his son if he were to let them
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight along with The Canterbury Tales features impressive knights that all boast a chivalric code. As Sir Gawain and the Green Knight unfolds, we readers are led to look beneath the attractive surface of chivalry and question exactly what chivalry is through examples such as: Sir Arthur , Sir Gawain, the Green Knight, Palamon, and Arcite.
The historian Richard Kaeuper notes that prowess being crucial to honor may have contributed as much to the ‘problem of violence as it provided a solution’. Therefore, this appears to convey why the concept of chivalry began to be associated with violence and warfare as knights, in the pursuit of honor, became reliant on violence and battle to prove their aptitude. This idea is supported by a medieval knight Sir John Chandos, who stated that men brought up for martial calling ‘cannot live without war and do not know how to’. Maurice Keen argues that ‘chivalry was quintessentially bellicose’ as it presented those who fought has having a ‘pinnacle of honor’. As a result, the use of force by knights as a way of denoting their gallantry led to the belief that violence was intrinsic to the notion of chivalry.
Sir Lancelot is the dominant figure in Le Morte D'Arthur who presents us with the theme of sin and redemption. Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred expose the courtly romance or otherwise adulterous affair between Sir Lancelot and Queen Guenever. This sets in motion the conflicts and other events leading up to the death of Sir Lancelot and many other noteworthy characters. Sir Lancelot betrays both King Arthur and Queen Guenever. If he is truly a noble character as Sir Gawaine, Sir Gareth, and Sir Gaheris describe, would he have involved himself in such a treacherous act? Sir Agravaine says, “I marvel that we all be not ashamed both to see and to know how Sir Launcelot lieth daily and nightly by the queen, and all we know it so; and it is shamefully suffered of us all, that we all should suffer so noble a king as King Arthur is so to be shamed” (Location 12810). Sir Lancelot’s betrayal raises opposition between the knights and breaks up that which should remain united. His betrayal reaches beyond the king and queen. Thus, it is not a surprise that the consequences of his sin affect the lives of so many.
Loyalty is very necessary for a knight, and Lancelot shows it vividly. Lancelot is not in a position that he is proud of when the problem comes, but he still works for what he believes in. Lancelot is facing a public trial in Camelot. Suddenly, Camelot is surrounded by the army of Malagant. He threated King Arthur to give him the city, or everybody will die. King Arthur starts the battle with Malagant’s army, and he gets shoots in his chest four times by crossbow. Lancelot goes into the crown, and he fights with Malagant who is also really good at sword. It is a really tough fight, so both of them gets injured. He does not give up, and he kills Malagant eventually. Lancelot is not trusted by King Arthur at the time when Camelot is invaded, because he is caught kissing Guinevere. He may be killed by King Arthur, and he can just run away due to the enormous chaos in the city at that tie. But he remembers that he is a knight, and he cannot fail the people in Camelot. So he picks up a sword, and helps people to defend their city. When he is fighting with Malagant, he tries to save an old man under the brutal broadsword of a knight of Malagant. He gets injured because of this action. All Lancelot has done shows everyone that he has loyalty to the city, Camelot, and his lord, King Arthur.
It is interesting to note that King Arthur's life depends on two things: his remaining faithful to his word, and Sir Gromer, also a knight bound by the code of chivalry, remaining true to his word. If Arthur does not trust that Sir Gromer will honor the code and spare his life, it would seem unreasonable for him to agree to such a deal. In the end, we find that both men remain honorable, thus upholding this aspect of the code of knighthood.
A knight was expected to have not only the strength and skills to face combat in the violent era of the Middle Ages but was also expected to temper this aggressive side with a chivalrous side to his nature. The ideals described in the Code of Chivalry were emphasised by the oaths and vows that were sworn in the Knighthood ceremonies of the Middle Ages and the Medieval era. These sacred oaths of combat were combined with the ideals of chivalry and with strict rules of etiquette and codes of conduct towards
Obedience is another factor that constitutes courtly behavior in the story. Lancelot battles arduous combats and suffers severe wounds for the love of Guinevere. However, once throughout his voyage he falters in his obedience to her love, when he comes across a dwarf, driver of a cart, the dwarf tells Lancelot to ride in the cart in exchange for information on Guinevere’s whereabouts; Lancelot hesitates momentarily before leaping into the cart. Lancelot regrets this moment of hesitation and scolds himself, he argues “…Reason, who does not follow love’s command, told him to beware of getting in and admonished him…Love ordered and wished [he would ride in the cart]…; since love ruled his action, the disgrace should not have mattered.” 2 Lancelot is deeply ashamed and never falters
While the theme of love itself, may it be positive or negative, is reoccurring, Marie’s presentation of romantic relationships and their differing qualities can be considered a theme alone. In “Guigemar”, the relationship between the knight and his lady represents loyalty, and an ability to heal or cure. Yet, the relationship between the beast and his wife in “Bisclavret” demonstrates the selfish and traitorous behavior that can occur between partners, especially if one has proved to be adulterous.
An act of chivalry is described as the qualifications or character of the ideal knight. Knights were expected to uphold this code of conduct. In the English literature Le Morte d?Arthur, French for ?The Death of Arthur?, by Sir Thomas Malory, the characters display acts of chivalry from beginning to end. Though the code of chivalry contains many qualities or acts, nevertheless bravery, loyalty, and courtly love are demonstrated more throughout this literature.
Over the past month, we read the Story of the Grail by Chretien de Troyes. This poem details the progression of the knight Perceval. In the beginning, Perceval is not called by his name, instead he is referred to as “the youth”. This is an important detail to stress, because the poem is a coming of age story. As the poem progresses, the reader is able to see definitive changes in Perceval’s character. For example, in the beginning of the poem Perceval uses the limited knowledge that was bestowed upon him by his mother in order to complete his “knightly” duties. To make it worse, Perceval feels the need to tell everyone he meets that his mother is the one that taught him everything he knows. Eventually, Perceval outgrows this behavior and becomes a suitable knight. Throughout the poem, Perceval goes through many trials and tribulations, but for the purpose of this essay I will unravel the allegorical meaning of Perceval’s fight with the Red Knight using all four levels of interpretation.
In the Medieval Period, knights dedicated their lives to following the code of chivalry. In Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, a number of characters performed chivalrous acts to achieve the status of an ideal knight. Their characteristics of respect for women and courtesy for all, helpfulness to the weak, honor, and skill in battle made the characters King Arthur, King Pellinore, and Sir Gryfflette examples of a what knights strove to be like in Medieval society. Because of the examples ofchivalry, Le Morte d’Arthur showed what a knight desired to be, so he could improve theworld in which he lived.
In Geoffrey Chaucer’s poem, The Knight’s Tale, the author encapsulates chivalrous characteristics in his telling of a battle for love. In its fundamental form, chivalry idealizes a knight’s conduct, both on and off the battlefield (Gregory-Abbott). Chaucer employs this “heroic code [of] bravery, loyalty, and service to one's lord” to illustrate the idillic knight throughout the narrative (Rossignol). Chaucer’s poem, The Knight’s Tale, exhibits the ideals of chivalry in the form of two knights, desperately in love with the same woman, and a wise Duke who embodies the voice of reason. Each knight upholds honor through compassion, troths, and heroism on the battlefield, despite their afflictions with each other.
To start, the two royal knights were acting like children fighting over the same girl. At one point, Palamon claims that he “loved her first, and told you [Arcite] of my woe” (1146). This reaction of the ‘I saw it first’ variety is one that is expected from children who are fighting over something, rather than that of two stately knights. Using honorable methods means that both knights should have worked to settle their quarrel in a civil manner, rather than resorting to childish behavior. In addition, both are caught by Theseus arguing over Emily, something that Theseus believes is punishable by death. As a knight, it is expected that you follow the law, so being caught committing a crime is known to be very bad. Although Theseus did not sentence them to death, he does tell them they need to “bring a hundred knights, / Armed for the lists, prepared to fight, / Ready to lay claim to her in battle.” (1851-1853). Therefore, their non-chivalric behavior led them to duel each other over a woman. Andreas Capellanus defined the eighteenth rule of love as “Good character is the one real requirement for worthiness of love.” By engaging in criminal behavior, they violated this important rule and thus upended the values of chivalric love.
In The Canterbury Tales, the knight is a modern type of knight. Although the description of this character’s personality is vague, it is not hard for modern day people to visualize him. In the prologue, it mentions that the knight follows the five basic ideals that a good knight should possess: “chivalry, Truth, honour, generousness, and courtesy” (Chaucer 4). The knight fought in the Crusades, wars in which Europeans traveled by sea to non-Christian places and tried to convert people’s culture by brute force, which was considered noble and brave hearted. From his love of the five basics ideals previously mentioned to his impressive military career, the knight is a perfect example of how a knight should be represented. Indirectly, the tale is discussing both the knight and the idea of how a knight should be. The tale does not describe much about the knight as in physical appearances and characteristics of this knight but as the tale comes to an end, the book starts to unfold how this story connects with this character. The tale itself is not important yet it’s what the tale represents that is important, such as pursuing courtly love, risking death, and respecting women. All of the previously mentioned attributes are ones that knights should possess to achieve expected standards.
The debate on whether to sanction Queen Guinevere by death, or not, takes place between the Pope, King Arthur and Sir Lancelot through letters. Men who are the source of women’s suffering are the same ones to redeem them from their bondage.