Chretien De Troyes Lancelot
Throughout the years, there have been numerous accounts of knights, chivalry, and heroism. Except up until the new age of action heroes, one man stands out as one of the well-known heroes, Sir Lancelot of the round table. Wither or not King Authur, Lancelot, or the Knights of the Round Table even existed is irrelevant, because the story of Sir Lancelot is more powerful than the truth can ever be. Lancelot has had more than his share of stories, and now even has cartoons, and movies. Why are people so obsessed with Lancelot? Because he is what most men would like to be like, and most woman try to find. A man who will go to any lengths for the one he loves. When I initially read Troyes' story of Lancelot, I thought that it was a story of heroism and chivalry. When I reread it I realized that it seams more like a Romeo and Juliet love story. Queen Guinevere and Lancelot are a love that can never be. It also seams to be a story of questions. What should Lancelot do, be faithful to his King or his love? I believe that the best part of Troyes' story is that it is left open to be interpreted many different ways. Lancelot is a man's man. He fights a lot, gets the best girl (Queen Guinevere),
but is still able to be loyal and friends with his girl's husband. Any man that is tough and smart enough to lead a husband to believe that you would never betray him, especially with his wife, is a true pimp. Throughout this story, Lancelot goes around beating up and killing people and horses. " Lancelot approaches and, unlacing his helmet, cuts off his head. Never more will this man trouble him: it is all over pity at the sight (Troyes 51)." When he faces off with Meleagant in the end, he accepts the challenge to fight with no delay. "You need never use arguments with me. May it not please god that either you or he should be thus discredited! I am ready to fight and to prove to the extent of my power that he never was guilty of such a thought. I am ready to employ my strength in his behalf, and to defend him against this charge (Troyes 49)." Troyes' leads the reader to believe that Lancelot knows that he will win, because he swears to the relic that he is telling the truth (which he is), so Meleagant must lose because he is lying. I believe that he also knows that he will win, because He is cocky, and knows that he is the best in the land. If you are going to fight someone, what better way to go into the fight than cocky, because you know that you can't lose. He doesn't know, but he also must win because it is a story. I personally believe that there never was a round table and perhaps not even a Lancelot. With this in mind, it was not popular for the hero to die in a story like they may do today. Parts of this story are so similar to that of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, that it borders on plagiarism. Just like in Romeo and Juliet, Lancelot hears that the Queen is dead, so then tries to kill him
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1166
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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