Prompt
Malory includes several tales in Le Morte d’Arthur that explain how some of the most important Arthurian heroes are begotten, such as King Arthur and Sir Galahad. How does the manner in which each of these heroes are conceived affect the representation of both men and women in the tales? Be certain to use examples and/or quotes from the text to support your answer.
Guidelines
• Your initial response should be at least 500 words in length
• Use MLA format for any quotations or citations that you use to support your answer
• King Arthur is likely a legendary figure with whom you are familiar from movies, or even comic books, and his renown along with the stories of Lancelot and Guinevere, are ever-present in cultural mythology today. Hollywood has played a hand in our understanding and knowledge of Arthur, Lancelot, Guinevere, and also popular culture surrounding the Knights of the Roundtable.
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• We will necessarily have to wade through the tides of popular culture and mythology, and then also professional mythologians’ interpretations, and your own views in a combination of culture, myth, and archaeology, to see what was ‘ real’ and ‘true’ and how the mythology has been interpreted, even if perhaps we do not know what was ‘ real.’
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• So your questions this week reflect both mythology and our current interpretations of male and female in the legends. Issues that you may reflect upon include for example: Do the female protagonists such as Guinevere play a significant role ? Do they wield power? If so, what type(s) of power? Do they have an ‘ image’ and ‘ reputation,’ and what would the mythology and legends of King Arthur be like — without the women?
• Is there a strong current of mythology having to do with how to treat women? Or women and romance? Or knighthood and obligations towards the female as a courtier? Is there a sense of values, honor, romance, attached to the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable? How important are these values? Are there challenges to the values of the Knights, for example in Lancelot and Guinevere and the adulterous romance between them? Or is this considered one and the same with chivalry?
• There are many aspects of gender that are quite powerfully and symbolically portrayed in the Legend of King Arthur and the tales of the Knights of the Round Table!
• Your goal here is to explore the gendered relationships in the legends, and comment upon these , as relates to the larger picture of the Arthurian legends and the Knights of the Round Table.
• Please make sure to include evidence & citations.
My further questions as ideas to think about for your discussion posts, are highlighted below.
(Not required, but as ‘ further prompts’ to encourage your posts this week.)
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Do the female protagonists such as Guinevere play a significant role ? Do they wield power? If so, what type(s) of power? Do they have an ‘ image’ and ‘ reputation,’ and what would the mythology and legends of King Arthur be like — without the women?
Given at King Arthur and Lancelot are both in love with Guinevere, do you think this provides her with a form of power due to the romantic interests of both the King and his knight, Lancelot? Or is this not a type of power, in the narrative of the mythology itself?
Is there a strong current of mythology having to do with how to treat women? Or women and romance? Or knighthood and obligations towards the female as a courtier? Is there a sense of values, honor, romance, attached to the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable? How important are these values? Are there challenges to the values of the Knights, for example in Lancelot and Guinevere and the adulterous romance between them? Or is this considered one and the same with chivalry?
What do we know about the ‘rules of knighthood’ that would apply to the Arthurian legends? Was Lancelot bound by any oaths that would have caused conflict over his role in relation to his King, and his love of Guinevere? Is there a knightly code of conduct that created a set of rules he had to follow? Did he break these rules by his ‘ dual’ loyalties – to King and a “shared” romantic interest?
In the terms of ‘chivalry’ – is a knight allowed to ‘ romance’ a woman, and to do knightly deeds to show his courage, win her favor, and also protect her? And if the romance is with the same woman with whom his King has an alliance / romance, does this cause a problem with codes of chivalry regarding romance? Or in knighthood chivalry is ‘ all fair in love and war?’ –
Thank you for your posts as our week continues!
I hope the information above is helpful to think about in creating your posts.
