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| Lancelot from Arthur (2004) |
In creating the Morte, Malory drew on several sources,
including various parts of the Vulgate and Post-Vulgate cycles, the Prose Tristan, and the Alliterative Morte Arthure and the Stanzaic Morte Arthur; but he was not a slavish
translator. He reshaped his originals, omitted much that was not relevant to
his purpose and even created new sections to advance his themes. One of the
ways that Malory reworked earlier texts was by bringing Lancelot into
prominence and making him the central character, more important even than
Arthur in the overall scheme of the book.
One of the things that makes
Lancelot such a significant and interesting character is that, in his attempt
to live up to his reputation as the best of knights, he strives for perfection
in all of the codes that a knight should be subject to. He is more chivalric
and courtly than any other knight; he seeks adventure, champions women and the
oppressed, acts in a courtly manner and serves his king at home and abroad to a
degree unachieved by anyone else. He is the truest of all lovers never even
considering another woman. And he strives to perfect himself spiritually as he
seeks the Holy Grail. Of course he fails to be perfect in all these areas –
partly because they place conflicting demands on him. By being a true lover to
Guinevere he fails in the quest for the Grail and he is less than loyal to his
king. But the attempt to adhere to the conflicting codes is what gives Lancelot
his grandeur; and the very fact of those conflicts is what makes him the sort
of character with whom readers for centuries have been able to identify, even
as they recognise his failings – or perhaps because they recognise his failings
– in the great enterprise he has undertaken. Lancelot’s prominence does not
negate the centrality of Arthur or the roles of the vast cast of other
fascinating characters in the Morte.
Indeed, it is the wealth of characters and tales in the book that has made it
such a treasure trove for future artists. But Lancelot’s character and conflict
are central unifying elements in the book; and he is the one against whom all
the others are measured. [Lupack, Guide
to Arthurian Literature and Legend, 2007, pp.134-135]
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| Lancelot and Guinevere |
Blog question: Do you identify with Malory’s Lancelot? If so, why? And,
if not, why not?
I don't really identify with Malory's Lancelot because he is so over the top trying to be perfect. As an individual I tend to be quite observant of my failings balanced against my virtues. I cannot say that I am better than anyone else, I believe that we all have aspects to our characters that build to a whole. Lancelot is too perfect, his failings are sort of glossed over and his triumphs are glorified over the top and somewhat unrealistic. He is too riteous for my liking. I could relate better to characters that struggle in their life and constantly to and fro with challenges in their lives.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone can relate to Lancelot in a way. Of course everything in these days is written in the way of grand gestures and over the top writing so if we are to compare ourselves to Lancelot, we cannot do it so literally or directly. Lancelot, like all of us, is striving to be validated and accepted in the eyes of his lover, his king and the people. He is trying to be perfect, or at least be a great man, but naturally falls short in some areas. He is trying to be the best he can be and is constantly trying to better himself. Yes, there are parts of Lancelot we cannot relate to, but we are not living in those times. I can however relate to his strive to be validated in society, seen as a good person by those I love, and failing a lot of the time. I think Lancelot's failings are what makes him someone people can relate to.
ReplyDeleteI think what makes Lancelot a character people, regardless of the time they live in, can relate to is the fact that he embodies the gap between ambition and reality everyone experiences in one way or another. Even though the nature of his triumphs and failings might not be encountered in the 21st century that much, the emotions those cause are the same.
ReplyDeleteThe Steinbeck quote in the reader "If I could not choose my way at the crossroads of love and loyalty, neither could Lancelot" seems very appropriate here as it also deals with the aspect that Lancelot is the glorified hero of a story and thus his adventures obviously can't be taken as literal or guidelines for one's own life while still retaining a relatable core.
I do not quite live up the high expectations set by Lancelot but can see areas within him that I am like. I do try to strive to be as best as possible at virtually everything I do, I respect people and am loyal to the people that are close to me so in some aspects I am similar but by no means Lancelot in a modern form.
ReplyDeleteIn contrast I believe that Lancelot is a character not mean't to be someone whom people can relate to rather he is a character whom people should strive to be like. No one can be perfect at everything if not anything they do but they should strive to be the best they can be. Lancelot sets great examples of how people should treat one and other especially in his treatment of women and the ones he hold close to his heart, a quality that everything should at least attempt to posses. Finally and arguably his most famous quality is his loyalty to his friends typified by Malory when he describes Lancelot freeing King Arthur's sixty-four knights purely because it's in the best interest of his closest friend Arthur.
Ollie
On the whole I don't identify with Mallory's Lancelot. For a start, Mallory's Lancelot is too good, he seeks to be virtuous in all aspects as a knight. The status he has as Arthur's right hand man so to speak put him on a pedastool above ordinary people, so in that regard I do not assimilate myself to him. I think everybody can however identify with his conflicting feelings as he has high ambitions and also meets failure. He shows that even the glorious humans of fairy-tales have faults and flaws. As mentioned by rmgra3, he is a little to virtuous, and therefore he is not a character I identify with.
ReplyDelete