Le Morte d’Arthur · Concept
Chivalry and Knighthood
The book explores the ideals and failures of knighthood, including codes of honor, prowess in battle, loyalty, and the moral obligations of knights, as seen in the deeds of Arthur, Launcelot, and others.
The book explores the ideals and failures of knighthood, including codes of honor, prowess in battle, loyalty, and the moral obligations of knights, as seen in the deeds of Arthur, Launcelot, and others.
The chapter depicts the formal knighting of Griflet and the chivalric obligation to joust, highlighting the ideals and perils of knighthood.
The introduction of the Round Table and the early adventures of knights like Gawaine and Tor highlight the code of chivalry.
Gawaine is rebuked for lacking mercy, a key knightly virtue, and is later bound by oath to be courteous and merciful to ladies.
Sir Tor demonstrates knightly prowess by jousting and defeating two knights, then showing mercy by accepting their surrender and sending them to King Arthur.
Characters
Chapters
- XXII
- Book III
- How Sir Lancelot Heard of the Death of King Arthur and of Sir Gawaine
- How Sir Launcelot Departed to Seek the Queen Guenever
- How Sir Launcelot Began to Sicken, and After Died, Whose Body Was Borne to Joyous Gard for to Be Buried
- How Sir Ector found Sir Launcelot his brother dead, and how Constantine reigned next after Arthur; and of the end of this book.
- How Sir Launcelot Passed Over the Sea
- How King Arthur and Sir Gawaine made a great host ready to go over sea to make war on Sir Launcelot
