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Essay On The Bedtrick Trope In Le Morte Darthur

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Authors often forget how real literary characters are which results in Malory uses the birth of great legends though rape. This essay will explore Malorys mistreatment of women through the characters of Igraine and Elaine and their rape scenes. Camparing malorys rape scenes and his depiction of women. Victimization. My thesis examines the literary trope of the bedtrick through the critical lens of Judith Butler’s performativity theory, and the motives behind this form of deception and the modern implications. Furthermore, the bedtrick trope is explored in Malory’s Le Morte Darthur and Gottfried’s Von Strassburg’s Tristan, along with the gender roles prescribed in each performance. The results provided support for viewing the bedtrick …show more content…

Nonetheless, the questions that the bed-trick motif raises are expansive, encompassing the relational aspects of sex, gender, power, identity and the intimate nature of sexual encounters between two individuals. Mistreated by male …show more content…

Lancelot promptly discovers he has been deceived and steps his sword back and calls her a "traitress"(284), while Igraine discovers six months after the fact that it was Uther that has deceived her and reacts with satisfaction and serenity. In any case, they have the same disgrace on various levels be that as it may while Igraine's disgrace depends on ensuring her ethics Lancelot's depends on Courtly love which obliges him to dependably please Guinevere. Despite the fact that he was deceived into laying down with Elaine, he has still sold out Guinevere.

While Uther does not have to defend his reasons for tricking Igraine Elaine must. She proclaims “slay me not; for I have in my womb begotten of thee that shall be the most noblest knight of the world” (). Lancelot therefore cannot hate her any longer as she continues to explain “for I have obeyed me unto a prophecy that my father told me. And by his commandment to fulfill this prophecy I have given thee the greatest riches and the fairest flower that I ever had, and that is my maidenhood that I shall never have again; and therefore, gentle knight, owe me your good

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