Favorite Arthur Text

            As I sit at my desk finishing the last few assignments of the semester, I am amazed at the amount of texts that we've somehow managed to power through, despite the incredible amount of snow days. Though all of these texts are on the same subject (more or less), there are certainly those that stand out against the others. To me, T. H. White's The Once and Future King, was just that. The amount of gorgeous details is what really sold it to me. Anything that is this descriptive is my guilty pleasure, and ultimately what inspires my own writing. As someone in class said, (I apologize for not remembering who) reading this book was like reading a Disney movie. How much better than that can you get?

          I want to thank each and every one of you for making this such a wonderful class, especially you, Dr. MB. I really and truly enjoyed it, and I hope to see many of you in the coming semesters.

5/5

Love, Lancelot, Guinevere, and Fate

So at the beginning of this class, Lancelot was my favorite knight, he was strong and mighty and being a sucker for romance his affair with Guinevere intrigued me. The story of the Knight of the Cart kept this view of Lancelot for me. In a previous post I mentioned the couple reminded me of Will and Jocelyn from the movie A Knights Tale. I loved his devotion to her and how their love was strong and true. As we progressed my opinions began to change. The biggest change occurred when my group did our project on Camelot. Seeing the illicit affair and the hurt it gave Arthur on the screen started to sour me to their epic romance and love. In most tales featuring their affair at the forefront up until I watched that had little to do with Arthur or his feelings. Watching him love both Lance and Jenny and get hurt by both of them made me hate their relationship. I realized as I read the end of Once and Future King that what really made me hate the character of Lancelot and his relationship with Guinevere was not only that I saw its affect on Arthur that made me not like it; it was the songs! They annoyed me with their constant singing and I just wanted them to go away and stop! As we read Once and Future King my warm feelings towards them began to come back, i'm not sure how much of it had to do with the fact that Lancelot was indeed ugly in this, so I saw real true love in their affair. I skimmed some of the chapters before this morning and saw some of the tenderness they felt for each other. I then rethought their on screen love in Camelot, minus the songs, and saw some of the same tenderness. I fully believe as I stated in class that Lancelot and Guinevere are fated and destined to be together, this however does not mean that they do not have free will. They used this free will to make some really bad decisions, they could have run when they fell in love instead of waiting 15 years, but you know what people say "You do stupid things when you're in love". Not only was their judgement blinded by their love, I think they could not leave Arthur. Lance loved Arthur, it was his best friend who had trusted him and they had been friends for years. Guinevere was Arthur's wife, whether she ever loved him, I'm not really sure but she did care for him. I feel like you cannot have some kind of care for the person you have been married to for years and especially if that person has helped you run a kingdom. I think their loyalty to Arthur kept them from running and that shows more about their character than the fact that they did not try and circumvent their destiny, as we saw so many try to do only to end up in the same place.

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Shiny!

Hey, all! Sorry I haven't been blogging lately...registration has been looming over me like a sinister Sword Bridge (yay, references!) but I'd never miss a blog post! What I wanted to talk about today was the parallels between The Lady of Shalott and the Passing of Arthur from The Idylls of the King. 
                First of all, Tennyson's writing is beautiful...so melancholy. There was one line that especially caught me eye from The Idylls of the King (around line 125):

"Thou wouldst betray me for the precious hilt;
Either from lust of gold, or like a girl
Valuing the giddy pleasure of the eyes"

In other words, Arthur is displeased with Sir Bedivere, so he's calling names. (I'm not sure if I'd be much better if my head was split.)

 Here is another section describing the appearance of Arthur's beloved sword (around line 51):


"There drew he forth the brand Excalibur,
And o'er him, drawing it, the winter moon,
Brightening the skirts of a long cloud, ran forth
And sparkled keen with frost against the hilt:
For all the haft twinkled with diamond sparks,
Myriads of topaz-lights, and jacinth-work
Of subtlest jewellery. He gazed so long
That both his eyes were dazzled as he stood..."


As you can see, Excalibur is described as being bright like a star, leaving Bedivere in awe as a girl would be from seeing something pleasurable. (You know how us silly girls are...) 
 
Let's look at a girl he may have parallelism with in The Lady of Shalott:

"The gemmy bridle glitter'd free, 

Like to some branch of stars we see 

Hung in the golden Galaxy. 

The bridle bells rang merrily  85           

As he rode down to Camelot: 

And from his blazon'd baldric slung 

A mighty silver bugle hung, 

And as he rode his armour rung,            

Beside remote Shalott.  90  

All in the blue unclouded weather 

Thick-jewell'd shone the saddle-leather, 

The helmet and the helmet-feather 

Burn'd like one burning flame together,            

As he rode down to Camelot.  95

As often thro' the purple night, 

Below the starry clusters bright, 

Some bearded meteor, trailing light,            

Moves over still Shalott.   

His broad clear brow in sunlight glow'd; 100

On burnish'd hooves his war-horse trode; 

From underneath his helmet flow'd" 

 This is how The Lady of Shalott sees Lancelot. She is as much as in awe of Lancelot as Bedivere is in seeing Excalibur. But is it Excalibur himself (yes...I wrote like Tennyson!) that has Bedivere in awe, or is it what the sword is symbolizing:  King Arthur, The Round Table, and Camelot? Most importantly, King Arthur and his rein. In seeing Escalibur shine bright like a diamond (lol), Bedivere is filled with nostalgia of once was as The Lady of Shalott is filled with a similar emotion upon seeing Lancelot. This, of course, introduces the question on whether one can feel nostalgia for something he or she has never experienced?

Unless you just have a really bad memory like this character.

In seeing the beautiful, curly haired Lancelot, The Lady is filled with the sorrow of what could have been: a life of love, passion, and glory, possibly with him. When Bedivere feels sorrow at the idea of the end of the Round Table, it is because these knights have experienced love, passion, and glory together. While Bedivere may realize that throwing Excalibur in the lake will bring on the death of Arthur, The Lady of Shalott realizes that Lancelot may bring upon the death of herself.

"She has a lovely face."

Well that was philosophical. I feel like Cicero. Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!

 

Is That You, My Dear Sir?

                                             Lancelot in the movie Lancelot du Lac (1974)

I have always been intrigued by Lancelot in the legends of King Arthur. In all the compilations of movies that I have watched it was almost like all of these directors got together and had him drawn out and represented in the same way. He was the best sword fighter and lancer, the noblest of knights, and always had that darned beautiful flowing hair that will always rival all of his brother knights. Since I am very much obsessed with knights and their differences I sort of hone in on abnormalities or lack-thereof.

Although I first began to question everything I have ever known about Lancelot in Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. In the Tale of the Sangreal, Lancelot's image changes drastically because through a series of steps it is shown that he is not  virtuous and sin-free beneath that hunk of shining armor.The people of King Arthur’s court have always been idolizing him; “Oh hey, Lancelot is beautiful, strong, and virtuous in every single way” that Lancelot’s core is never really talked about. I cannot really blame him, if people praised me every day I would probably get a little hot-headed too. The point is that in this tale Lancelot is not a golden pillar of greatness and being able to see his weaknesses helped to change my perspective on the knights I have filed away in my subconscious.

                                              Lancelot in the movie King Arthur (2004)

More recently discussed in class is the Sir Lancelot in regards to the Tennyson poem "The Lady of Shalott" in which he is once again that beautiful knight in shining armor that captures the heart of the lady toiling away in the tower. I know that technically Lancelot has nothing to do with the lady's foreboding death because he cannot help it if women fall for his pretty face and beautiful singing voice; however, it does put Lancelot in a bad light. At the end of the poem, he only glances at the poor lady's corpse which is "pretty" and she is put aside. Yet, he did not know the lady. I suppose Lancelot becomes a regular guy, and that in itself is upsetting because (in my mind) he was previously in a high place that was nearly otherworldly in virtue and bravery.



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Crazy Stupid Love

After reading The Fair Maid Of Astolat, I really come to hate reading stories of Lancelot. They are always the same thing; Lancelot meets a woman and she take one look at him and BAM, she loves him to death -literally in some cases. Lancelot reminds me of Ryan Gosling in the movie Crazy Stupid Love, he's a player that needs to get his heart broken.

"girl, I'll break your heart."

On another note I really like that Malory gave Sir Lavayne some ability. It takes a pretty good knight to take on ten knights of the the round table. Also, I just really like his name it's different, which is cool.

Overall when I think of this story I think of A Knight's Tale and how William Thatcher gets wounded when he takes a token from Jocelyn. I do like this story even though it is painful to read about Lancelot's adventures.

All Play and No Praying Makes Lancelot a Bad Dad

Hello! First post after spring break, so we will see how this goes! And as long as we are talking about spring break, let's talk about what spring break implies for people in their late teens and twenties...

Let's face it, this was all of us during our last class before spring break.

 

...or better yet, let's not. While many of us don't think of partying as an example that can be used in school (I'm taking a risk in doing so), it can be used in this King Arthur course. In fact, we discussed it in class. It is called a "carnivalesque" atmosphere: where societal rules don't apply and everyone can be free for a while. While we experience a carnivalesque atmosphere when we are in the moment (spring break being an example), we must later face the consequences of our actions. (Growing up really stinks sometimes, huh?) However, for the people in Arthur's court, this is not usually so. This past reading has been surreal because it is extremely different: there are dire consequences and people do not embrace a sinner (like those who wore the green sash in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.) 

"Gwen babe, they found us out. So...I need some space."

 

Lancelot, who has been seen as one of Arthur's finest knights, has been having an affair with Guinevere for fourteen years now. He was praised in The Knight of the Cart, and it seemed that his sins (however romantic) were excused because of his great abilities. However, in the Quest for the Holy Grail, he is denied the Grail because he is not worthy. He has sinned in his affair with Guinevere, as well as in seeking for wordily glory and failing to thank God for his abilities. Who is worthy of the Grail, however? Galahad, Lancelot's son, and the product of a union he thought was between himself and Guinevere (this would have been adultery...one of the many times he had committed this). 

Sorry Lancelot, but you'll never be this guy to Galahad.

...Or even this guy.

 

This is very different from the glorious Lancelot we see in The Knight of the Cart, who is admired by young boys. This is a man who is unworthy of the Grail because of his sins, and is surpassed by his son, whose virtuous and good, and is nothing like him. There is something very sad in this...almost a foreshadowing of the end of Lancelot and the rest of Arthur's knights, and the age of worthier knights. Whether this happens, I do not know, but this reading is ominous. It implies a darker future of something yet to come. 

Oh and on another note...the lion in the story reminds me of this guy:

ASLAN!!!

 

I wonder if C.S. Lewis knew? Despite popular belief, his stories were based off of more than just Christianity. He was educated in mythology...I wonder if he was into Arthurian legend! ​

You Can Call Me Al

Ever seen something that you find so humorous, but then you rethink what makes it funny and realize how sad it truly is? The first thing that comes to mind for me is the demon spawn show, Jersey Shore. I once watched fifteen minutes of that show (my other option was watching paint dry), and chuckled inwardly at the stupidity of everybody on that show. However, I soon became disturbed at the fact that people who are so influential in the world are also so ignorant.  
 

Why is this popular? At all.

The Saga of the Mantle was also like this for me. The true corruptness of the characters are what makes it humorous, and at the same this humor is an indicator of the cultural anxieties of the time. The fact that "well respected" people in Arthur's kingdom are full of disloyalty and adultery makes me wonder how much better other kingdoms are (and according to the mysterious visitor who brings the mantle, not by much). It also makes me question the successful-ness of courtly love.

Is Guinevere's affair with Lancelot a reflection of marital problems with Arthur, or is she just greedy with her love? I'm not sure yet.

Let's look at one couple, however, the one who ended up getting the mantle: Karadin and [insert name here]. Did anyone notice how Karadin treats his beloved...can we call her Betty? (A high five for anyone who gets that Paul Simon reference.) When she is asked to put on the mantle he says, "...I love you so profoundly that I don't want to lose your love- not for all the gold in the world, even though I were to be aware of any misdeed of yours." See, unlike the other couples, this mantle is merely a material object, less important than their love. His beloved answers, "...If my beloved does not take it amiss, then I will put on the mantle." The mantle ends up fitting her, and it is safe to say that neither one of them have been cheating on the other. Their love (a two-way street) reminds me of Odysseus and Penelope from The Odyssey. 
 

Odusseus and Penelope by Francesco Primaticco

Odysseus is gone for twenty years on a voyage, and Penelope stays faithful to him, after he is thought of as dead, after suitors enter her home and demand she marry one, after she is bullied time and time again. Odysseus returns, disguised as an old man, and beats Penelope's suitors in an arrow-shooting contest that only he could win. Returning to his normal form, Odysseus remains happily for the rest of his life with Penelope. It is stories like The Odyssey and The Saga of the Mantle that emphasize the importance of loyalty to the one you are betrothed to, and the troubles it can save you from. 

This makes me think...is courtly love good or bad? It gave Lancelot the strength of ten men, but humiliation to the women loved by such men.

Have a good day, fellow Arthurians! And if you never got my reference, this title will be 100% awkward.

Making Love with Sir Lancelot

While reading Knight of the Cart, my heart was full of wishful thinking. Surely you can be passionate about somebody AND marry them? Right...?

*crickets*

Well, apparently in this story, one cannot have their cake and eat it too. Not only do people fall in love with those they are not married to, but those who are betrothed do not love who they are married to as much as they should. What do I mean? While people in this class have been ranting about the hoe-bag Guinevere is (a point that is not altogether untrue), King Arthur does not love his wife nearly as much as he should. He is tricked out of giving away his wife by the evil Meleagant (whose name has an uncanny resemblance to Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty). What does he do? He basically says "my bad," suffers "great sorrow," and then sends Gawain and Lancelot to win her back.

Has Arthur gone soft since he's become king? Is some kind of tradition preventing him from rescuing his own queen? Make excuses all you want, Arthur, but I won't buy it.

I won't buy it.

Now, let's look at Lancelot. He stops at nothing to rescue his lady. He cherishes everything about her, even her hair, and resists the temptations of a woman who literally throws herself at him. Is that not enough for you, ladies? He crawls on a giant sword...yes a GIANT SWORD to get to her, and breaks through iron bars to make love to her (look back at the text: their time together is described as making love, and not just a one night stand). Compare him to Arthur and...

Well...if I were Guinevere, I'd fall for Lancelot too.

Perhaps that is why women identified with this story so much. Guinevere was like them: a woman married to a powerful man, but without the same passion in her marriage she wished for. Lancelot comes along, and not only is that s victory for Guinevere, but the female readers as well.

To wrap things up, I'll reference a story in which courtly love does result in marriage, and that is one of my favorite movies, The Princess Bride. It is because of this that I swoon every time my boyfriend says, "As you wish!"

Lancelot and A Knight's Tale- stories of love

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/

Guinevere's Comb

Valentine's day weekend and courtly love--isn't that like a perfectly exaggerated "Hallmark" greeting card? Reds and pinks, ribbons and lace, hearts and cupids, decorating sentiments of "I'll always love you," or better yet "forever true."  A love like Lancelot's love will suffer, bleed, sigh, and swoon for his true love.  Our recent reading of Chretien de Troyes' Lancelot or The Knight of the Cart arrived with the Mylar balloons,  aisles of chocolates, and fresh cut flowers of Valentine's day.  People still long for romance.

After reading Kellen's  blog, especially her comments on Lancelot's obsession with his beloved's hair,  I couldn't resist posting some pictures of Victorian hair and mourning jewelry.  Hair of a loved one has captured romantic fancies for centuries. The first time  I saw a piece of hair jewelry it looked very much like the plain necklace pictured here.  It was owned by a family member. Imagine wearing a hair necklace, someone else's hair, next to the skin.  How close would you have to be to a person to wear his or her hair--intimate?






Narratives and myths featuring hair have captured the imagination of audiences for thousands of years.  Samson lost his strength when his hair was cut. Rapunzel  had trailing tresses.  Finding Guinevere's comb, Lancelot delights in touching pieces of her hair.   For Lancelot, there is power in her hair.

 Hair from St. Therese of Lisieux 

Saving a lock of a loved one's hair might be considered a sentimental gesture.  A mother might save a lock of her child's hair along with baby teeth the "Tooth Fairy" overlooked.  Celebrity hair clippings sell for high prices at auction.  According to the NY Times, a lock of Abraham Lincoln's hair sold for over $38,000.  In ancient Christianity, the hair from a saint would be considered a  relic--imbued with powers to heal or protect. In recent history a large clump of St Therese of Lisieux hair was saved for posterity (died 1897).  What better way to keep a treasure than in a picture frame or crafted into jewelry?  

Abraham Lincoln's Lock

Some of pieces of hair jewelry are very elaborate others are simple. Keep a piece of your dearly departed close; have jewelry made from a loved one's hair.  Wouldn't Lancelot have taken the hair from his queen's comb and tucked it in a safe place?  Romantic love wouldn't allow Lancelot  to leave Guinevere's comb or  golden hairs behind.