- This topic has 87 replies, 31 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 10 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
“The Ill Made Knight” explores the quest for self-knowledge. Use Book III to seek a broader perspective on self-discovery in our own society. Does the protagonist discover a deeper sense of nature? Or a purpose? Do they confront their identity? Do they expose their culture?
In the end… do they seek what they find?In the beginning of book three, it states that Lancelot wanted to find himself, yet he was scared of what he would find. I feel that by the end of the novel, he had found what he had been looking for to some extent, but certainly not in the way he had expected he would. Although he fell in sin many times, he found that he could still do amazing things, miracles, yet his reaction was the opposite of what anyone would have predicted. His younger self most likely would have celebrated his miracle, yet when it actually happened, he did not. I believe that he was torn, as he was a great deal of the time in his life. On many occasions, he was humble yet proud, ambitious yet hating himself,and he was divided between his love for Arthur, guenever, and God, which were all different kinds of love. Yes, he found a deeper sense of nature and his purpose, even if he didn’t realize and fully understand it at the time. Being so divided against himself, he ran from his problems and his mistakes more than once, but when he owned up to his actions, he found he could do great things, even while mentally weighing himself down with his sins. I truly believe he found himself in the end, and he had learned a lot along the way. My question is, do you think he truly found himself?
Lancelot is quiet the character, mostly being all over the map with his life. I can compare myself a lot to his character; however, only to some extent. In the beginning of the book he is basically trying to find himself in his crazy yet sinful life and sometimes I don’t now where I am a whether it is my education, home life, friends, and even college. Throughout the book III he has some accomplishments but he treats them in a weird way, like if you did something pretty cool wouldn’t you celebrate, but he would not because I think that is was too late in his life, and he was still in his sinful ways.
In the end I actually didn’t believe that he truly found himself, and the reason why I say that is because no one can really find themselves, it really isn’t in our hands, and from a Christian perspective I feel that God only knows if we have or haven’t it really isn’t up to us. Do you think he would actually still be the same if he hadn’t owned up to us actions?
I see where you are heading… but, did Lancelot ever profess a Christian faith… or just a belief in God?
To me, it might be a minor question, but it will make a huge difference in how Lancelot reacts to his setbacks and life choices.@colelundgren
I was thinking of it more from his perspective and from what he had been hoping for when the story started, but I see what you mean. In all honesty I feel that if he didn’t muster up the courage to face his mistakes and own up to them, he would’ve kept running and it truly wouldn’t have gotten him anywhere, so no I don’t think the outcome would have been the same. Do you think there would’ve been away around his mistakes, if he avoided, them that would have had a similar outcome, or was confession the only way?yes I totally believe that the confession helped him realize his ways.
Lancelot, the protagonist in “The Ill-Made Knight”, discovers that his purpose is to cause/do miracles. By the end of the book, he discovers that he still can do miracles even after he lost the thing that allowed him to do them: his virginity. What was the Purpose of Elaine, the person who stole his virginity?
Also, @missloock, although Lancelot didn’t admit that he was a Christian, I believe it was implied that he was either a Christian or a Catholic, seeing as the major religion around England was Roman Catholicism.
When Lancelot first appears, he seems inscure of himself and constantly compares himself to Arthur as being better than him and becomes eager to join the round table. As he arrives to Arhur’s castle, he comes across two conflicts. One being that Gawaine became became a knight before him and that Arthur had a wife, Guenever. After settling in for a period of time, he discovers he likes Guenever and his uncle and Arthur notice but Arthur never knows that they are lovers. So Arthur sends him into battle, thinking it would do some benefit for him. Instead it takes him on a wild adventure, especially after he and Kay swapped amour. He learns how to use wisdom and knowledge through even the most wicked circumstances. He finds his own chivalry through his self discovery. Will the Knights of the round table stay together or fall apart?
That’s a great question.
The idea of the round table, is the same idea of a wedding ring. A small united circle with no beginning and no end. But, is that the case for the knights? Can they keep the circle tight and together or will they fall apart and behind to unravel? Let’s see as they go on their next quest in Book 3.@teraciagardner Elaine’s purpose was to truly test Lancelot in what he would do, and set up to the plot. Their son Galahad, Lancelot’s true name, is one of the chosen to go after the Grail. Why did Elaine still love Lancelot after he left her for twenty years?
@426624gardner Elaine loved Lancelot throughout the book because she believed that he would come back for her and return her love. What would happen to Elaine of Lancelot never returned her love?
@teraciagardner Elaine will have still committed suicide anyways because her son and her husband have both deserted her for over twenty years off at war and the loneliness had broken her. What would happen to the plot if Lancelot had never met Elaine?
@426624gardener
As the reign of Arthur declines I feel that the strength of the things he had built up will weaken greatly, unless someone works to keep them together. Who do you think would be most likely to carry on Arthur’s work the same way he did if Arthur weren’t there?Lancelot was introduced in the beginning of book three as a character that knew he wanted to become a knight at the round table. However, Lancelots sins held him back. After he slept with Guenever and Elaine he went crazy. He became distant from the world but eventually found himself although he still seemed to have a burden on his back. As the story developed he found his identity through a long journey. He did miracles but he was humble and never praised himself. Even though he contradicted himself a lot he seemed to find himself. Do you think that Lancelots decisions, his affair with Guenever and becoming distant, affected his relationship with Arthur ?
Lancelot, I believe, is a mirror of society in our times and presumably in White’s time as well. “The Ill-Starred Knight”, throughout his lifetime was always torn, always searching, and always wanting the elusive something just beyond reach, similar to modern culture. He waded in the waters of success in his young life, immersed himself in love with Guenever in his older years, and dabbled in the love and pursuit of God towards the end of his life. Lancelot looked for fulfillment in all these areas of his life and could never “find the meaning of life”, though he came close when he was at the zenith of his love of God. Also, when he did anything, he did it with all of himself. This is seen by him dedicating his childhood to knighthood and his a part of his adulthood to his loving of Guenever. “he felt he might as well be a lie in earnest.” (White 377). Despite Lancelot’s searching of life, he could never quite find peace, similar to society, which is always in pursuit of the hidden. Is Lancelot a replica of culture?
I do believe that Lancelot’s decisions in the realm of his love life affected his relationship with Arthur. The fact that he was sleeping with his best friends’ wife tore Lancelot’s heart, but surprisingly not enough for him to change. He was still great friends with Arthur, but there was not the transparency that comes between close friends that was there. Why would Lancelot not stop his love relationship with Guenever?
Lancelot, from the very beginning was destined to be the best knight of the round table. As time past, he desired to be with Guenever, King Arthur’s wife. Trying to suppress his feelings, he went on various journeys to try to find himself. Sadly, after his involvement with Elaine and Guenever he fell apart. He ran from Camelot and became insane. When his sanity was restored to him, he eventually returned to Camelot. After time, Lancelot went to Mass and found God; therefore, he found himself and ended his affair with Guenever. If Lancelot really cared for King Arthur, why did he jeopardized hurting him by having a relationship with Guenever?
I believe Lancelot would not stop his love affair with Guenever because he thought Arthur had suspicions about them yet he never questioned them. The book implies that Arthur would seem to pretend he didn’t know what was happening between Lancelot and Guenever. Lancelot knew Arthur very well and he knew that Arthur wouldn’t punish him even if he did find out ;therefore, Lancelot was in a way taking advantage of Arthurs kindness. Why did Arthur ignore Lancelot and Guenevers’ relationship?
Merlin warned him about their relationship, but he didn’t do anything about it. There could be a couple reasons: he was to nice; he couldn’t believe it; maybe he thought it was just his imagination. I don’t understand why he didn’t do anything about it. Clearly, other people noticed Lancelot and Guenever’s attraction to each other as well.
- The topic ‘Forum: Blog Chat #3: Quest for Self Knowledge’ is closed to new replies.