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Chivalry in arthurian legend
Arthurian chivalry
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Gender Roles in Arthurian Literature: The Rise and Fall of an Era
Queen Guinevere is a strong presence in the Arthurian Legends. She is not only the mighty Queen of the infamous King Arthur, but she is also the lover to one of the most renowned knights of that time, Lancelot. She is also a perfect example of the juxtaposition of that society’s expectations and beliefs of women and men, and how that both shaped Guinevere as well as those who were around her. Her growth as both the Queen in King Arthurs court as well as the consort to Lancelot has aided in her development as a not only a majestic queen worthy of praise but also the alleged destructive force that caused the ruin and fall of the Round Table. I want to explore the dynamic of gender roles in Arthurian Literature, namely in Tennyson’s Idylls, and how those gender roles have influenced the rise and fall of an era.
Queen Guinevere is mentioned in many of the idylls in Idylls of the King. Her role through most of those times focuses on her role as an adulterer. The Queen is held above all else, she is the most noble, the most pure, the so called moral measuring stick that all other men hold to their own wives, and all other women hold themselves and each other to. However, the Queen has begun to forfeit that right. By continuing this affair with Lancelot (and at one time Modred), she is sullying the one aspect of her character that was to remain blameless. It will become her noose. In this fall, the Queen represents not only the folly of man, but also of Tennyson’s own failing culture and its anxieties (Mcclain).
To understand why the Queen is becoming morally corrupt and why this is an issue, we must understand what world she lived in and what roles she was to play. W...
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...of men who believe and live under the chivalric code can fall victim (McClain).
This fall from victory, from blamelessness can be seen in many instances through Tennyson’s Idylls. Merlin is a legendary wizard whose name resonates throughout Arthurian legends. Known for orchestrating Arthur’s magical birth, Merlin is regarded as one of the most powerful sages of his time. Regarding women, Merlin tried his best to find a balance between the idealism that surrounded the chivalric code and the realism of the times.
…judge all nature by her feet of clay
Without the will to lift their eyes, and see
Her godlike head crowned with spritiual fire
And touching other worlds. (833-36)
Merlin had all the makings of being an icredible wizard who would have had the opportunity and the skills to help revitalize and save the declining society that he lived in.
In Chapter 5, the role of social stratification and power struggle are shown. Social stratification is shown in the quote “Merlin, in his malice, had woven a spell about this dungeon, and there bides not the man in theses kingdoms that would be desperate enough to essay to cross it lines with you!” (Twain PG 22). This shows how Merlin is feared by many. A power struggle is also shown by the quote “He was frightened even to marrow, and was minded to give order for your instant enlargement, and that you be clothed in fine raiment and lodged as befitted one so great; but then came Merlin and spoiled it all.” (Twain PG 24). This shows the power struggle between Hank and Merlin, which will be more in later chapters.
Traditional female characteristics and female unrest are underscored in literary works of the Middle Ages. Although patriarchal views were firmly established back then, traces of female contempt for such beliefs could be found in several popular literary works. Female characters’ opposition to societal norms serves to create humor and wish- fulfillment for female and male audiences to enjoy. “Lanval” by Marie De France and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer both show subversion of patriarchal attitudes by displaying the women in the text as superior or equal to the men. However, “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” also incorporates conventional societal ideas by including degradation of women and mistreatment of a wife by her husband.
... La Faye, Guinevere, and Lady Bercilak were all important factors in making Gawain realize that he is not perfect and that his pride overtakes all aspects in his life. Different characteristics of the women showed how no matter what beauty, magical powers, and obedience they had, they all shared the same goal to influence the men and play a large role in their everyday lives. Without women during the middle ages and also in the present time, society would not be what it is today, because women play very important roles that benefit and influence men.
In terms of gender ideals of medieval society, the main characters in the story are very conventional. To begin with the story meshed nicely with the social conventions that Gayle Rubin explains in Traffic of Women. Accor...
All three of the main women’s roles are marginalized and reduced in importance, the entire plot of the poem rests on Morgan le Fay, who is introduced at the end of the play with a handful of lines, Lady Bertilak, who is reduced to how the men around her feel about her, and Guenevere, who is another extremely important character mentioned only in a few lines. Morgan le Fay is the single most important character in SGGK. Even though she is an absolutely vital character, she is named exactly once. It is at the end of the poem that the Green Knight (Lord Bertilak) reveals to Sir Gawain that everything in the poem, from the main challenge to the smaller tests, was Morgan’s idea and should be credited to her ingenuity and magic (SGGK, l. 2445-2470). Part of
Guinevere from the very beginning of the legend is portrayed as a passive, typical lady of the court. In stanza four, the author describes Guinevere almost as a trophy or ornament of the court: "Queen Guinevere very gaily was gathered among them/....The prettiest lady that one may describe/She gleamed there with eyes of grey/To have seen one fairer to the sight/That no one could truly say" (74-84). Guinevere does not take an active role in the court. She does not have speaking role and basically just sits among the knights of the Round Table. Her passivity and silence could be the result of medieval anti-feminism. According to Bloch in medieval times what a woman wants is to speak. Medieval authors such as Andreas Capellanus, the supposed author of The Art of Courtly Love writes, "Furthermore, not only is every woman by nature a miser, but she is also envious, and a slanderer of other women......fickle in her speech,....a li...
In the Middle Ages, the roles of women became less restricted and confined and women became more opinionated and vocal. Sir Gawain and The Green Knight presents Lady Bertilak, the wife of Sir Bertilak, as a woman who seems to possess some supernatural powers who seduces Sir Gawain, and Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Wife of Bath Prologue and Tale, present women who are determined to have power and gain sovereignty over the men in their lives. The female characters are very openly sensual and honest about their wants and desires. It is true that it is Morgan the Fay who is pulling the strings in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; nevertheless the Gawain poet still gives her a role that empowers her. Alison in The Wife if Bath Prologue represents the voice of feminism and paves the way for a discourse in the relationships between husbands and wives and the role of the woman in society.
Camelot, the musical adaptation of The Once and Future King, allows for an interesting twist on the portrayal of Guinevere’s personality, mindset, and desires. The use of song and excellent acting allows for a unique display of the different aspects that make Guinevere a complex and strong character. Analyzing “The Lusty Month of May” shows Guinevere as a woman driven by her desires for the fantastical aspects of romance. However, contrasting “The Lusty Month of May” with other songs paints her as a more dynamic character and explains her relationship dynamic with Arthur, Lancelot, and other men in the court. This verse by verse analysis characterizes Guinevere as a woman driven by feelings of dissatisfaction and destiny.
As a man fascinated with the role of women during the 14th Century, or most commonly known as the Middle Ages, Chaucer makes conclusive evaluations and remarks concerning how women were viewed during this time period. Determined to show that women were not weak and humble because of the male dominance surrounding them, Chaucer sets out to prove that women were a powerful and strong-willed gender. In order to defend this argument, the following characters and their tales will be examined: Griselda from the Clerk's Tale, and the Wife of Bath, narrator to the Wife of Bath's Tale. Using the role of gender within the genres of the Canterbury Tales, exploring each woman's participation in the outcomes of their tales, and comparing and contrasting these two heroines, we will find out how Chaucer broke the mold on medievalist attitudes toward women.
The story starts with Igraine, Arthur’s future mother accidentally taking Uther, her secret admirer, as Gorlois, her current husband. Igraine conceived as a result and became pregnant with Arthur under Uther. Not long after, Gorlois was slayed and Uther decided to take Igraine as his bride. Since Merlin, the wizard, had helped Uther trick Igraine, Uther promised to hand over his first son if their plan worked. Needless to say, the plan succeeded and Uther fulfilled his promise. Later on, however, Arthur was sent to his foster father, Sir Ector due to constant warfare. He grew up with Ector’s son, Sir Kay not knowing who his real mother and father were.
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.
Women are what bring this story to such cavernous depths. We are not brought into the perspective of the men, we are, however, told about how they are loved, hurt, and manipulated by the women. There is a scale of personality among the ladies which ranges from the pious uncertainty of Gwenyfar to the essence of strength from Morgaine. We are first enthralled with Igraine’s love, repulsed by the sinister Morgause, respectful to the lady Igraine, enchanted by Morgaine’s wisdom and angered by Gwenyfar’s ignorance. The qualities possessed by these woman can be both glorious and destructive.
The satirical novel, Dealing with Dragons, written by Patricia C.Wrede, discusses how a princess named Cimorene, runs away, or better yet, liberates herself from the torment of the “proper” Medieval society. Certainly, Cimorene is an outrageous character, who just simply does not settle for anything less than perfection. For this reason, she thrives for a better life, full of adventures. Cimorene was justified in ignoring the expected social norms of Medieval society because, it is in her best interest to escape women's unequal rights among the society, have the freedom at her own will in the activities and studies she does, and be able to gain knowledge in an unusual field, that many humans do not know about, life with belligerent, equitable
Sir Gawain and the Green knight, one of the fourteenth century Middle English alliterative romances told a story of a beheading game which was used to highlight the importance of honor, chivalry and masculinity. The poem, being one of the Arthurian stories, introduced the character of Morgan le Fay who sets the story in motion (by sending the green knight) by wanting to humiliate Arthur’s court and frighten his wife Guinevere. Morgan Le fay’s Character set a story that survived years and is still revered to be one of the best poems. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Morgan le Fay redefines how masculinity is viewed during the Arthurian period.
In Villandon’s version Finetta, called such because of her genius, was skilled in singing, dancing, and playing music as well as embodying great judgement, presence of mind, and courage. Finetta had saved her kingdom by discovering a trap within a treaty her father was going to sign and helped him edit the treaty in their favor. A discovery no man on either side had found. She again showed her independence by protecting herself with a great hammer against Rich-Craft, rather than having a man defend her. L’heritier in this instance showed that woman can still retain their femininity while also exemplifying masculinity. Illustrated by, “and, though her eyes sparkled with rage, she appeared to Rich-Craft a most enchanting beauty.” In a way Villandon portrays her idea of good versus evil by rewarding those who exemplified good traits, such as Finetta and her husband Bel-a-voir, while punishing those who exemplified bad traits, such as Rich-Craft and the sisters. For example, the sister’s embodied traits such as being a gossip, lazy, and thoughtless. Those traits put the rest of the castle in danger and as a result they were sent away by the king and they eventually died. Rich-Craft came to his end due to his malice and pride, if he hadn’t let these govern him