The Court of King Arthur in the Tales of Lanval and Sir Gawain the Green Knight
King Arthur shows to be a very provident king who treats his people with a large amount
of his riches and fortune. Additionally, the people of his court show to be honest, full of chivalry,
and trustworthy. There would seem to be a sort of contract between the king and his subjects: he
provides for them, and they, as his most loyal subjects, keep to his standards of honor and
civility. The court of King Arthur as described in the tale of Lanval by Marie de France shows to
be actually quite similar to the court described in the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Although the characters themselves are in different situations and are treated differently by the
king, the principles of the court remain the same.
As any great king would do, King Arthur shares and rewards his gold, riches, property,
and material wealth to the members of his court. However, in the tale of Lanval, Arthur tends to
ignore Lanval and give him nothing. The people of his court tend not to like Lanval because they
envy his beauty and "feign[…] the appearance of love" for him (Marie 24). Although the king
tends to pay very little attention to Lanval, he continues to be presented as a king of great fortune
and who shares –– for the most part –– with the people of his court, rewarding all of the other
knights and courtiers in his court, but he neglects to accept the fact that Lanval is even in his
presence: "[Arthur] gave out many gifts: / to counts and barons, / ………. / to all but one who
had served him. / That was Lanval; Arthur forgot him, / and none of his men favored him
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either." (Marie 13-20). Be this as it may, Arthur is still...
... middle of paper ...
...ity between the courts of Arthur as presented in
the stories of Lanval and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. It is important to note the amount of
love and charity that King Arthur shows for his subjects. And likewise, it is important to note the
amount of respect that have for the codes of chivalry and honor, which is often rewarded in the
long run with forgiveness for their transgressions or breeches of contractual obligations.
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Works Cited
Marie de France. Lanval. Trans. Robert Hanning and Joan Ferrante. The Longman Anthology of
British Literature. Eds. David Damrosch and Kevin J. H. Dettmar. 4th ed. New York:
Longman, 2010: 1A: 203-219.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Trans. Brian Stone. The Longman Anthology of British
Literature. Eds. David Damrosch and Kevin J. H. Dettmar. 4th ed. New York: Longman,
2010: 1A: 222-277.
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Malory, Thomas. King Arthur and His Knights: Selected Tales by Sir Thomas Malory, ed. Eugene Vinaver (London: Oxford UP, 1975) 124-25.
The Arthurian cycle shows a sporadic awareness of the impossibility of mere humans fulfilling all the ideals that Arthur and his court represent. The story of Lancelot and Guenevere, Merlin's imprisonment by Nimu‘, and numerous other instances testify to the recognition of this tension between the real and the unrealistic.
Marie De France’s Lanval is a remarkable short narrative that engages the reader into a world filled with unrealistic elements, but enhances on the true meaning of romance, chivalry and nature during the years that King Arthur reigned. “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight” unfortunately does not have an author that can be recognized but this epic poem demonstrates the ghastly adventure of a knight who decides to defend the honor of young King Arthur against a supernatural being in this malicious game of cat and mouse. Both of these pieces of literature have enchanting characteristics that define them as a masterpiece of their era and that’s why they both are easily compared and contrasted. In addition, both Lanval and “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight” can be classified as similar through their themes, style and plots, although they are different through their language and diction. Even though both of these literatures can be viewed as similar as well as contrasting, in the end, each of these tales have illuminated the realm of fantasy throughout the court of King Arthur.
The evolution of human society consists mainly of ineffective ruling regimes and oppressed peasants. Medieval Europe falls into this same pervasive cycle. Social and political hierarchies intertwine which creates a grossly inefficient system. Hereditary lineage determines nobility. Commoners possess no hope of social mobility. Every aspect of life is virtually preordained. These circumstances revolve around the figure Lanval by Mari de France. Mari de France introduces Lanval as a courteous and distinguished knight of King Arthur’s court. Lanval possesses the most moral nature of all of King Arthur’s knights, yet even so, the other knights of King Arthur’s round table despise him. The many knights neglect acknowledgment of his nature as does
It has been shown again and again throughout history and literature that if there is a perfect human he is not also the perfect ruler. Those traits which we hold as good, such as the following of some sort of moral code, interfere with the necessity of detachment in a ruler. In both Henry IV and Richard II, Shakespeare explores what properties must be present in a good ruler. Those who are imperfect morally, who take into account only self-interest and not honor or what is appropriate, rise to rule, and stay in power.
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accept his terms. He mocks Arthur, who is silent, and before the king can accept,
Thesis Statement: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight shows the struggle between a good Christian man against the temptations of this world.
... Monarchy and the traditions of the past which he had a deep appreciation for.
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Although King Arthur is one of the most well-known figures in the world, his true identity remains a mystery. Attempts to identify the historical Arthur have been unsuccessful, since he is largely a product of fiction. Most historians, though, agree that the real Arthur was probably a battle leader of the Britons against the Anglo-Saxons in the sixthth century. In literature, King Arthur's character is unique and ever changing, taking on a different face in every work. There is never a clearly definitive picture that identifies Arthur's character. It is therefore necessary to look at a few different sources to get better insight into the character of Arthur, the once and future king.
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legendary Arthur and the real Arthur have been presented, and the two have been compared for the purpose of drawing conclusions as to why, perhaps, this mortal man was personified as a legendary warrior and king of his people. Now, with both the legendary Arthur and the "real" Arthur discussed, perhaps a new outlook on the Arthurian legends can be taken when a person hears about Arthur and his knights of the Round Table.