As I was reading the second half of Chretien de Troyes "Lancelot", I kept thinking of several other stories. The one that would not leave my mind while I was reading was the movie,
A Knight's Tale, with Heath Ledger. This is a film I really do enjoy and have watched often. At first when I was reading and the movie came to mind, I simply put it out as it was the knights making me think of the movie. As I continued particularly during the section with the tournament, I could not stop thinking about the movie. There is one part in particular in the movie where, William alias Ulrich, played by Ledger is at a tournament where his lady love, Jocelyn is in attendance. This is similar to the tournament the maidens put on in "Lancelot", this difference between the two can be seen in that Guinevere is not sure if the red knight is Lancelot and Jocelyn knows which knight is the man she loves. These two women think similarly both asking their beloved to "do their worst", and as these men truly love each woman respectively they do as they are bid. After the women are satisfied they decide it is time for their knights to do their best; Guinevere sends a girl to Lancelot and she tells him "Sir, my lady now orders you to 'do the best' you can." and Jocelyn sends a message to William/Ulrich that if he loves her he will win the tournament for her.
http://weeklyguiltypleasure.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/a-knights-tale/
