Father son relationship

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Recommended: Different classes of society in the middle ages

In Middle Ages literature, the relationship between a son and his guardian plays a huge role in the advancement of the novel. Three writings in particular prove how this relationship is beneficial to showing the responsibilities of a father and son in the novel. The relationship between a father and song can be seen in the Song of Roland where Roland is the nephew of the King Charlemagne. Roland is given the responsibility of guarding the back flank of the army and refuses to show his weakness to Charlemagne when he dies defending it. In the story of Beowulf, Hrothgar acts as a father figure toward Beowulf. Hrothgar cannot successfully defend his kingdom from Grendel and despite being senior to Beowulf, issues Beowulf to help get rid of the monster. In the story of Lancelot, the relationship between Meleagant and his father shows how despite being connected by blood, what is right prevails. The relationships of father and son in these texts are prevalent in revealing family relations during the time.
From the beginning of Beowulf, we learn of the connection between Beowulf himself and Hrothgar. Hrothgar had saved Beowulf’s father from a blood feud and that is what makes Beowulf have trust in Hrothgar from the beginning. He states that he ”knew him (beowulf’s father) when he was a child!” and that because of this Beowulf is a “proven ally!" (Beowulf, pg. 62-63). The relationship between the two gives the story more importance and significance, as there is a dependence on one another to succeed.
When Beowulf first arrives to meet Hrothgar, we believe that Hrothgar is still a strong powerful king as he was in times past. However, we discover that he is actually "old and gray-haired among the guard of earls." (Beowulf, pg. 62) Beow...

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...was killed.
In Lancelot, the relationship between King Bademagu and Meleagant shows how in the Middle Ages family meant a lot. Despite knowing what Meleagant was doing was wrong, he still looked out for his safety and prevented his death in the first fight against Lancelot. The relationship also shows how a son’s purpose in life is to live up to his father’s standards and become a respectable and formidable knight or warrior.
In all three stories, we learn how the relationship between the father and the son furthers the novels plot and context as we learn more about the socioeconomic culture in the middle ages. Both authors use the relationship between father and son to give more depth to their novels and to show the reader how life was in the middle ages. Through these novels can we see how relationships were in the middle ages and how proper debts were paid.

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