The Betrayal Of Lancelot In The Once And Future King

“The merits of loyalty are often debated – anyone who has ever been hurt by someone they considered a true friend can attest to the fact that loyalty is a double edged sword.”

- Anonymous

Perhaps one of the reasons loyalty is such a rare quality these days, is that loyalty is so easy to misplaced in the ones we take as dare. Lancelot is infamous for his skills and for being King Arthur's best knight. Although, T.H. White depicts Lancelot from his accomplished book, The Once and Future King, as more of a darker character with wicked betrayals and adultery acts. Throughout the book he is unable to fight his uncontrollable feelings and only acts for his own selfish needs. Needless to say, Lancelot is characterized more as a human than a hero.

Despite the many critics who argue that Lancelot’s internal conflict is lust versus loyalty; however, countless times Lancelot breaks the sacred bond.

Call of Adventure BEST BODY

T.H. White’s portrayal of a dismal Lancelot begins at castle Benwick. Throughout England the “Ill-Made Knight” is the ugliest knight that is seen, as the author puts it “African Ape”. Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler spent many years on the psychology behind compensation. He believed “if a person feels inferior, he is likely to compensate to hide the weakness by doing something else very well” (Isaksen “Compensation”). Adler would claim Lancelot is overcompensating for his face, which leads him to train harder and to become the best knight in Europe. His “call to adventure” happens during a dinner party, where King Arthur takes notice of him. He imposes a question to get young Lancelot to join the round table, “I was wondering whether you would care to help, when you are old enough?” (White 316). With his uncle’s help for the next several years he does nothing but train to overcompensate for his apelike features, which leads him to possess unnatural skills. In addition, it can be explained by his inferior complex that can be rooted

from his childhood (Isaksen “Compensation”). Over several years he finally forget his pain of inferiority; though it immediately returns after hearing about another squire joining the Round Table. Believing this newly made knight would take his place, Uncle Dap and him rush to Camelot to join Arthur; “I must go to England as quick as I can” (White 327). Some critics may overlook what I have said and argue that Lancelot’s only motivation to go to Camelot is his sense of loyalty to Arthur. While this may look true, those unfamiliar will be educated that his action was to compensate for his inferior feeling. Nonetheless, his loyalty is similar to Macbeth’s, who at first seems to be as loyal as the Lance, yet his loyalty changes as his lust for power intensifies. Similarly, Lancelot’s power for the crown is his desire to be with Arthur’s wife, Guenever. In spite of their love, it did not start like a stereotypical love story. At first, Lancelot hates her for stealing Arthur and he tries to hurt her emotionally; contrary, this leads him to be kind to her. “She was not a minx… not designing and heartless. She was pretty Jenny, who could think and feel” (White 334). Hurting her becomes the catalyst for their love affair.
Refusal of the Call
At first, it seems Lancelot detests his feelings towards “Jenny”, so he leaves the kingdom fearing his emotions for her will get stronger. But in a new perspective, psychologist-psychoanalyst Melissa Ritter has some new insight. With her P.h. D. in psychology, she knows a great amount of information on relationship. Ritter believes Lancelot focuses on fighting other knights because that is the most favorable condition where he feels a sense of well being. The new territory he is in with Jenny is too much and by avoiding her he feels like he is in control (Ritter “Why We Cannot Keep Promises). Surely, some still disagree with Ritter’s assumption, however it is quite justifiable his fleet was a selfish reason. As a result, he goes around fighting knights who do not uphold the same beliefs as Arthur’s Round Table. Indeed, the “Ill-Made Knight” has known from the beginning his illicit love is forbidden and his would only lead to betraying Arthur. Therefore, he leaves the royal couple for a year, as Lancelot remarks “I ought to go away” (White 339) in hope to avoid seeing Guenever again. Regardless, this only makes Lancelot think about her more. Ultimately, on his trip destroys the two who do not endorse the same beliefs as Arthur; “These two conservative barons had never yielded to Arthur, and they did not believe in any form of government except the rule of force” (White 341). Granted, by defeating Sir Turquine and Sir Carados; the “loyal” knight stands firmly with Arthur’s rule. Of course on his long journey he defeats many more knights; though, back then, the defeated were sent to king to ask for pardons. However, Lance sends them back to Guenever, not Arthur. “These people gave themselves up, not to King Arthur, but to Guenever” (White 362). This is a subtle hint, Lancelot begins to care more for Guenever more than his king. Furthermore, “Lancelot had kept himself away for a whole year, but there was a limit to his endurance… longing to be back with her” (White 362). Though Ritter believes he was uncomfortable with her by seeking refuge in battles; Lance begins to allow himself some sweet indulgence by sending all his captives to her knees as a token. At this point he has accepted her in his life and becomes more comfortable with her. The year he spent in isolation only made him more madly in love with her, thus beginning of his betrayal.
Crossing the First Threshold
By crossing the threshold, Lancelot loses what is most dare. In modern day, psychologists calls it losing the “safety blanket”: security. According to British psychoanalyst D. W. Winnicott puts it “The loss of a “safety blanket” would cause catastrophic events” (Goleman “Security Blanket”) . As the year ends, Lancelot ventures back to Camelot to be near Jenny. Nevertheless, Arthur abruptly sends Lancelot to investigate castle of Corbin in hopes his best knight will find a way to solve a mystery. Lancelot only hears rumors of a girl stuck forever in boiling tub, unless a hero can save her. To the knight saving her would be a holy act a knight could do. “Lancelot gave her his hand, and she stood up, and got out of the bath, and all the people outside began cheering…” (White 371). For once he had a purpose and God gave him the power to do miraculous things. Unfortunately during the night, Elaine has different plans for Lancelot into by pretending to be Guenever in bed. As morning comes Lancelot finds this betrayal unsettling; “It was treachery! You have betrayed me... - taken from me - stolen” (White 376). As a devoted christian; to him, Elaine stole his virginity his prize possession. “I prayed to god that he would let me work a miracle. Only virgins can work miracles. I wanted to be the best knight in the world… When I got you out of the water. I did not know it would be my last as well as my first” (White 376). Lancelot’s safety blanket was his virginity; the unsettling loss left him to act reckless. In distress, “Straight from Elaine, straight from her robbery, Lancelot came like an arrow to heart of love” (White 379). Another psychologist named Richard Sackett helped explain Winnicott’s theory on security blankets. According to him, “When people are upset about something, they develop tunnel vision, magnifying their feeling that this is catastrophic, and will be so forever” (Goleman “Security Blanket”). Thus, after losing his most valuable possession, doomed, crosses the sacred line into Guenever’s bed. While some critics believe Lancelot’s loyalty is one of his better qualities, it was very easy for him to cross the line after his most important thing was stolen. This creates a more human side to Lancelot, although he is a devoted Christian, his latest action are sinful. This contradiction proves the divided loyalty was not difficult to break.
Approach
As news spreads across England of Elaine giving birth to Lancelot’s son, Guenever believes Lancelot tricked her into sleeping with him.

As the next morning progress Guenever confronts Elaine and Lancelot for being in a relation. Both ladies viciously exchange words, “The queen opened her mouth… he gave a loud shriek, and jumped straight out of window” (White 396). The aftermath leaves Lancelot in shambles, the traumatic stress is too much for him to handle. Months later, there are rumors of a madman running throughout the forest. This correlates at the same time Lancelot has gone missing. “It was proved that Lancelot ran mad in his shirt and breeches… about the same time that Wild Man away” (White 398). The traumatic experience leads the hero to completely change himself. Therapist, Dr. Seline Cooper says “some symptoms of ptsd are anger, nervousness, fear, and guilt” (PTSD 1), all which Lancelot has. “He was like a man… His eyeballs were bright red. He was nervous when I was wearing my armor” (White 398). So Lancelot, unable to comprehend everything that happens completely shuts down, and what is left is mentally traumatized man. Unintentionally, the hero is found by Elaine; after a few months of care, Lancelot is restored to his normal mental health. However, he finds himself unable to go back to Camelot in fear of seeing Guenever again, so he promises to stay with Elaine for the rest of his life. Yet again, this seems like Lancelot turning a new leaf as a changed man.

On the contrary, according to Web M.D., a site filled with medical information, states “The person may avoid people, places, thoughts, or situations that may remind him or her of the trauma” (PTSD 1). Therefore, Lancelot hasn’t changed, it is only the thought of seeing Guenever which makes him stay with Elaine. Along those lines, the promise of Lancelot staying is short lived; “recieved a verbal message… in any case, rode to Camelot the next morning” (White 477). Once again, Lancelot’s loyalty is too himself, as he leave Elaine to meet Guenever.
Ordeal and Reward
The years Lancelot has been away left Guenever to become extremely bitter and untrusting of others. When he arrives to the kingdom, Guenever and him make no effort to reconcile. “When the Ill-Made Knight came back from Corbin, Guenever was still in a rage… determined to believe that Elaine had become his mistress” (White 493). The bitter tension between the two causes a drift in their relationship. During his disappearance new knights joined the Round Table. One especially, Sir Meliagrance was deeply “desperately, hopelessly - and had been ever since he could remember - in love with Guenever” (White 497). Similarly to Lancelot, both knights have a fondness towards the queen; however, apart from the fact Meliagrance’s relationship is one sided. In his attempt to win the queen, Sir Meliagrance abducts Guenever and bringing her to his castle. This is the ordeal Lancelot must face; moreover, Melissa Ritter is able to give insight of the reward. She states “Promises require us to declare a conscious objective… But people have so many out-of-awareness thoughts and feelings, we may not “know” of our unconscious feelings” (Ritter “Unconscious Brain”). That being said, when Lancelot hears new of the disappearance, his stubbornness fades as he rushes to find her. As a boy, witness to the abduction tells the Ill-Made Knight the news, “halfway through… was already shouting for his armour” (White 499) with no knight or even Arthur to aid him. Some critics would weakly argue his actions to run after the queen, shows his faithfulness to King Arthur; regardless, as this conflict enters his conscious mind, he realizes how much he still cared. Immediately, when Lancelot barges into Meliagrance’s castle, the kidnapper begs Jenny to save his life from Lancelot. In Jenny’s eyes, the single handed rescue restored her faith back into Lancelot. “When Guenever saw him, and he saw her, the old electric message went between their eyes before they spoke a word” (White 502). As if all the bad years were just bad dreams, their love was rekindled at that moment. During the night, Lancelot sneaks into her room, leaving evidence of his cut hand as he crawls into her bed. The “lost beauty in the bed… The blood of Lancelot’s cut hand was all over the sheets” (White 504). In short, the ordeal created a way for Lancelot to look like hero to Guenever, as well as repair the broken relationship. Again, it is seen Lancelot crosses the line fulfilling his own desire above anything else. In the same way, Claudius killed his brother to get the throne. Both manipulated their ways into getting what they wanted. By contrast Lancelot is able to keep his throne all the way to the end.
Resurrection Of Hero
Contrastly Lancelot is able to save his entire kingdom, where Claudius could not because of Hamlet’s interference. Even though, arguably we can say say Meliagrance is Hamlet who tries to tell the truth about the affair. Once finding blood in the queen’s bed, Meliagrance accuses Guenever of being an adulteress, a crime punishable of death. The “heroic” knight quickly steps in to protect her honor by challenging Meliagrance into a duel; it is the only way to keep the relationship from being unearthed. “If you want to fight about it, I will fight you” (White 505). Regardless, before the fight can even start, the knight falls for another trap of Meliagrance, “Meliagrance led him all over the castle, from room to room, until they came to a chamber with a trap-door” (White 506). His over confidence. Only seconds to spare, Lancelot makes it to the duel to face Meliagrance. Unfortunately, “Meliagrance, she thought, was a dangerous man to keep alive” (White 507), forcing Lancelot to kill his Hamlet, to protect their secret from ever being known to the public. This final action silenced Meliagrance, allowing for Lancelot to keep his crown a secret.
Conclusion
Lancelot is not a stereotypical hero, who does good, he’s a dysfunctional character who gives into his temptation. Though, it may seem he struggles from loyalty to lust, he is very corruptible. To sum it up, Lancelot is psychologically insecure about his face and as emotionally hurt he is - he finds love with the king’s wife. His desperation for love blindsides his loyalty countless occasion. Surprisingly, he sees he has broken the same beliefs Arthur holds dear by committing adultery; yet, the knight succumbs to his sinful acts and falls easily to his lust.