Negative and Positive Role
Modelling in the King Arthur Unit
Historically knights were
likely far from the most ideal of people. Such men were, after all, warriors
trained to excel in combat and a code like chivalry—at least as it is conceived
in modern times—was more likely to be an ideal followed in literature than in
reality. Nevertheless, fiction as it was preferred in medieval times was more
didactic than focused on the accurate representation of reality. As a result, Arthurian romances give us mostly positive role models in the form of righteous knights like
Galahad. At the same time there are also more negative figures who, while not
necessarily being wholly immoral, struggle with the sins they have committed in the past, as is the case with Lancelot.
Galahad is throughout the unit
portrayed as being the absolutely ideal knight. He makes no moral mistakes
throughout the grail quest arc, and is even able to prevail in combat over the
likes of Percival and his own father Lancelot. This is no small victory, and it
is indicative of Galahad’s character since I have found that in most cases in
Arthurian mythology, the better person also inevitably ends up becoming the
best warrior. In addition, Galahad is awarded special equipment during the
grail quest. He is given a shield in “Sir Galahad and the White Knight” that is
said to only be able to worn by the worthiest knight in the world. Later Galahad
proves able to draw a magical sword from a scabbard where his fellow good
knights Percival and Bors could not. Finally Galahad is granted the honor of
having his soul taken directly to heaven by some angels. In this particular story arc, Galahad is
shown to be the greatest of all knights, someone who’s humble, courteous, and
thoroughly devoted to God. He thus also serves as the greatest role model in
this particular series of stories.
Although the father of Galahad,
Lancelot does not share his son’s near perfection as a person. Lancelot is, of
course, that famous knight known for his passionate affair with Guinevere.
Although the two often seemed to be portrayed sympathetically in many versions
of the tale, in the grail quest Lancelot’s adulterous relationship becomes an
obstacle to Lancelot’s quest for the grail. Lancelot is a figure who desires to
do good and indeed comports himself very well throughout his grail quest, but
because of his past sin that he will inevitably return to later, he cannot
overcome the guilt that haunts him on his adventure. “Sir Lancelot and the Five Hundred Knights” is a particularly compelling story that serves thoroughly expose
to Lancelot his earthly, sinful condition. Although the sins of Lancelot’s past
make him a good example of a negative figure whose example readers should not
follow, he also was probably a very relatable figure whose repentant attitude
throughout the grail quest would show people who are wrestling with past sins that
they need to be suitably contrite for what they have done.
This unit features a lot of
knights in the story, most of which are on the whole positive figures. However,
because of the successes he has on his quest and the great death that he is
granted in the end, Galahad stands above the rest as the best role model that
medieval readers would have looked to in order to learn how to conduct
themselves. On the other end of the
spectrum, the sinful and guilty Lancelot would serve as a negative role model
in some ways, but also as an example of a person who has a soft conscious and
desire for penance.
 |
| Galahad by Edwin Austin Abbey (Un-textbook) |
No comments:
Post a Comment