Importance of Honor in Sir Thomas Malory’s King Arthur...

Importance of Honor in Sir Thomas Malory’s King Arthur and his Knights For centuries, the Arthurian legend has captivated an untold number of readers. What is it about Camelot that draws us into its complex code of chivalry and amusingly brute anecdotes? Human nature, as one can surmise from antiquated literature, has still not changed in the least—we still experience the boons and pitfalls of love, joy, envy, lust and sorrow. This certainly explains why the tantrums of Malory’s jealous Queen Guinevere strike chords of familiarity and even evoke an empathetic chuckle. Yet it fails to explain why a certain well-respected knight would receive such acclaim after delivering a ruthless and fatal blow to an innocent man’s head simply for†¦show more content†¦In the aforementioned tale, â€Å"The Knight with the Two Swords,† many forces are at work, including magic and brotherly love, but at its close, honor emerges as the primary reason behind the undoing of the double sword-wielding Balin. The final message is intriguing: pride’s paradoxical traits lead one to glory and avoidable death. Revenge, a perfectly legitimate method of righting wrongs in medieval England, is often a natural avenue to gain recognition and acclaim. Previously a humble knight in the lower ranks, Balin’s name becomes better known when his virtue merits an enchanted sword. With this sword, Balin avenges his mother’s murder by decapitating the Lady of the Lake (the very sorceress who bestowed Excalibur unto Arthur) in front of Arthur’s eyes. Although Balin did this in the name of justice, King Arthur took deep offence and Balin was reduced to travel around the kingdom incognito. Throughout his wandering days, Balin’s single goal is to reestablish the respect the king once had for him. The process of doing so ironically leads to a deadly confrontation with a masked knight (Balin’s brother in disguise) whom no one has defeated. Naturally, Balin instigates a duel with the notorious knight and his success is also his demise.Show MoreRelatedThe fall of Camelot: A Co nsequence of its Imperfect King1741 Words   |  7 Pagesinspire images of courtly romance, grandeur, and valiant knights. In fact, the kingdom is nearly as legendary as the hero who ruled it, Arthur Pendragon. Regardless of whether he exists as a historical or mythical figure, Arthur continues to appear as a symbol of heroism in Western tradition through his roles as king and warrior. When modern culture searches for the qualities of a great fighter, it finds them in Arthur’s strength and his bravery. When it looks for the makings of a true leader,Read MoreHistorical Analysis Of Of Beowulf s Poem, Beowulf, Sir Gawain, King Arthur And Other Legends918 Words   |  4 Pageswhere writers try to tackle modern problems. Along the way we come across characters such as Beowulf, Sir Gawain, King Arthur and other legends who remain a vital part of popular culture. History offers us a variety of heroes and legends that we can read and learn about. The historical poem of Beowulf not only reveals to us the importance cultural values of the warrior society, but also the importance of literature. The warrior culture at this time reflects the values of the society of the 6th centuryRead More Identity in Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur Essay2701 Words   |  11 PagesIdentity in Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur It can be difficult to define the unifying themes of Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur ; it can seem a tangle of random adventures mired with magic and religion, love and fate. What is the purpose behind all the seemingly similar adventures of so many similar knights? And what is the place that the books of Sir Trystram hold? These books make up the longest section of the work, yet Trystram plays no role in the search for the Holy Grail orRead MoreBook Report/Character Analysis on the Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights by John Steinbeck5483 Words   |  22 PagesThe Acts of King Arthur and His ------------------------------------------------- Noble Knights ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- By John Steinbeck ------------------------------------------------- Part One: Plot The first section of the book is entitled Merlin. The story begins by telling how Arthur came to be born and then flows into the life of Arthur. When Arthur is in his earlier yearsRead MoreEssay on Chivalry2466 Words   |  10 PagesChivalry Chivalry, as defined by Encyclopedia Americana is a system of values and ideals of conduct held by knights in medieval Europe. In its institutional form, chivalry was an informal, international order to which many, but not all, of the ruling class (nobility) belonged. The word is derived from the Latin caballus (horse) through the French chevalier (â€Å"horseman† or knight). Chivalry was born from Feudalism in the late middle ages introducing a new, feminine point of view stressing virtue