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First Knight Launcelot Character Analysis

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Launcelot is not deserving of the title “greatest night of the round table” because he does not follow many aspects of the Medieval Chivalric Code, most prominently he does not respect women and he does not maintain his principles. In the book, “Le Morte D’Arthur” by Keith Baines, and the movie, “First Knight”, Launcelot does not show respect the women he meets. In First Knight, when Launcelot first meets Gwynevere, he immediately starts to harass her saying that the only prize needs for saving her life is her. He continues to tell her this even after she has told him that she is engaged, and on her way to see King Arthur, the man she is marrying. Launcelot still pursues her and kisses her even though she clearly does not want him to. If Launcelot respected Gwynevere, he wouldn’t have continued to harass her and, ultimately kiss her against her protests. In Le Morte D’Arthur, Launcelot …show more content…

In First Knight, Launcelot explains to Gwynevere that he likes to be on his own because he lets him be free and control his life. Then King Arthur asks him to become one of the knights of the round table. Launcelot accepts even though this would require him to stay in Camelot, even though he doesn’t believe in staying in one place. This choice rejects one of his main principles, and one of the most important aspects of the Medieval Chivalric Code is staying true to one’s principles. Another example of Launcelot abandoning his principles is when he wears Elaine’s token to the tournament in Le Morte D’Arthur. Launcelot is known for not wearing a token, but in order to achieve a disguise, Launcelot wears the token: “‘My fair lady, I have never worn a taken at a tournament! You ask me to do what I have never done before.’” (Baines, 441). Launcelot wouldn’t have worn the token no matter what if he truly followed his principles, but because he did, it shows that he does not follow the Chivalric

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In “Gawain and the Green Knight”, and “Morte D'Arthur”, two knights disobey a grand code which was followed in the middle ages, this code was called chivalry, this behavioral code was mainly followed by knights and nobles who showed; honest, loyalty, and a well-known code for courtesy to women, and respectful nature as the most important is to not have an romantic affair towards married woman. This code was highly valued to the people of England, but the two knights, Sir Gawain and Sir Bedivere both went away from tradition for the their own good and the moral good, but they also shown their good share of chivalry. In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” a knight of the round table was challenged by the Green Knight who disrespected his King and the Kingdom on which they reside, after completing the challenge he went in search of the Green Chapel where he would complete the other part of the challenge. Instead, he found lord who gave him refuge inside he’s on castle with one unusual proposition he gave to him, which was to exchange what

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Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere have been sleeping together this makes both him and the queen unloyal to King Arthur. Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere’s sin could have had them both killed for adultery. Sir Launcelot made it his very priority to protect the queen.

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During the Medieval times chivalry was one of the most important characteristics a knight could display. Chivalry was viewed as a moral obligation that involved bravery, honor, respect, and gallantry. Knights were expected to uphold this code or face social consequences for any infractions, with punishments ranging from humiliation to termination of their knighthood. “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” presents the struggles knights faced with honoring the chivalrous code at all times. Sir Gawain, while imperfect, exhibits qualities expected of knights and embodies the internal struggle between honoring the chivalrous code and giving into selfish desires.

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A desire for vengeance brings about many of the conflicts that drive the plot in Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur. Sir Gawain in particular stirs up a lot of drama with his endless quarrel with Sir Launcelot. The knights of the round table are seemingly infatuated with the concept of seeking revenge on behalf of their brothers and comrades, but could this infatuation be more harmful than honorable? Perhaps the knights would have been better off without such vengeful inclinations behind their actions.

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Gawain is courteous to no end, even asking for permission to “abandon [his] bench and stand by [Arthur]” (Pearl Poet l. 344) so he may risk his own life instead of his kings to abide by the Green Knights game. He even humbly states that he “[is] the weakest” (l. 354) and that it would be the least lost of he was to parish which is untrue. Gawain is also extremely courteous when he is denying the wife’s attempts to seduce him saying he is “a knight unworthy” (l.1245). He plays a game of wits as he must not offend her advances but at the same time must not let the wife win the “game” because then he would have to lay with her and that would be uncourteous to his host, Lord Bertilak. The only time Gawain faults in his courteousness is when he refuses to acknowledge the agreement he made with Lord Bertilak which was “whatever [Lord Bertilak] win[s] in the wood shall at once be [Gawain’s] and whatever gain [Gawain] may get [he] shall give in exchange” (ll. 1107-08).

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Even when Sir Lancelot told her that King Arthur found out about their relationship, she said to Lancelot, “Lancelot, I am not going to have you talking about Arthur if he were a go between” (White 547). She wanted to keep peace between the men, and she did not want their relationship to be broken. There were many people in the story who were fighting with each other and Guenever always wanted to make sure that there was not any extra fighting, so would try to maintain order between

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Because of Arthur’s denial of Guinevere's affair with Lancelot, Mordred seizes his opportunity to accuse Guinevere, which causes Arthur to stage her “execution” and her rescue. Because of this, Gaheris and Gareth are placed in danger, and killed by Lancelot in his rampage, as well as many other soldiers who were only doing their duty. “” (White #) However, this has wider repercussions, and Mordred and Agravaine use Lancelot’s crime of “treason” to persuade some of the knights of the Round Table to follow his ideas. This culminates in a battle between his followers and Arthur’s, and ultimately ends in Arthur’s death, marking the end of his kingdom. “” (White #) All of Mordred’s actions would never have occurred if not for Guinevere’s affair. The chain of events causing Camelot’s collapse would never have happened if Guinevere had not loved both Arthur and

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