In the story “The knight in the Cart” by Chrétien de Troyes we are taken through the journey of Lancelot. The quest motif tells us that one who goes on a quest is growing from a child to a man. The quest of Lancelot follows this motif heavily. During any kind of quest, you age and grow. You grow physically and you grow mentally. However, I believe you grow mentally a lot more than physically. You get to experience things you never have before. Your views change. What you think you know turns out be something completely different.
During Lancelot’s quest he met various people and did things other knights would not do when given the chance. Which showed how Lancelot was already showing signs from the very beginning of the maturing as a person.
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In the tower Lancelot is sitting alone and starving. This is his rock bottom and this is where he learns what I mentioned in the beginning of this composition. During a quest you age and grow. Your views on certain things change. Lancelot as frail as ever and entombed in a tower, is then saved. By the daughter of King Bademagu. We read “Now Lancelot was free, but he was still so weak that he staggered on his feeble limbs. Gently, so as not to cause him injury…they finally reached a retreat where, because of its because of its beauty and charm, she had often stayed…As soon as he has arrived she had him undressed and gently stretch out upon a beautiful, thickly cushioned couch. She then bathed and cared for him…she handled and treated him gently as she would her own father, completely healing him and giving him new life…She gave him the most marvelous horse that anyone had ever seen, and he leapt swiftly into the saddle without even touching the stirrups…I am free in spite of him! Exclaimed Lancelot” (175-176) Lancelot is taken care of for a long time and he has learned what it is like to be pathetic. He learns it is acceptable to get assistance from others. He was born again, his child like ways was over Lancelot is a changed man and now is ready to finish his