In the movie Monty Python the Quest for the Holy Grail, the themes of what knights are supposed to be in medieval literature are satirized. The goal of this paper is to discuss the similarities and differences of the movie and real medieval literature. The main focus points are the knight’s chivalric code, their behavior, and the responsibility of women and the characteristics of a noble quest. These, among all the other connections, are the things within the movie are mocked the most.
The characteristics of a noble quest is often thought of as an honorable and great deed. It is filled with brave knights who seek wealth and land to conquer whatever they desire. In the movie they introduce the character Sir Robin the not so Brave. He contrasts to the ideal knight because he is not brave, as told by his name. Later on in the film Sir Robin meets with the three headed knight. He and his followers get the three headed knight to start rambling and then escape without having to fight him. A true knight in medieval literature never runs from a battle making Sir Robin and the rest of the knights not living up to …show more content…
Women were often seen as temptations to men that would distract them from completing their quests. In the movie one of the knights stumble upon a castle that he believes to hold the Holy Grail. He proceeds to enter the castle and find it is full of women begging him to do whatever he wants to them. Although the film over exaggerates the role of women, it does show that they basically had to do what a man wanted. They are also, just like in medieval literature, seen as a vile temptation for the knight. The knight’s friends enter the castle to save their friend and the women start begging them as well to do what they want to them. Lancelot calls the women foul temperas and leads the rest of the knights out of the castle so they can finish their
The characteristics of a noble quest is often thought of as an honorable and great deed. It is filled with brave knights who seek wealth and land to conquer whatever they desire. In the movie they introduce the character Sir Robin the not so Brave. He contrasts to the ideal knight because he is not brave, as told by his name. Later on in the film Sir Robin meets with the three headed knight. He and his followers get the three headed knight to start rambling and then escape without having to fight him. A true knight in medieval literature never runs from a battle making Sir Robin and the rest of the knights not living up to …show more content…
Women were often seen as temptations to men that would distract them from completing their quests. In the movie one of the knights stumble upon a castle that he believes to hold the Holy Grail. He proceeds to enter the castle and find it is full of women begging him to do whatever he wants to them. Although the film over exaggerates the role of women, it does show that they basically had to do what a man wanted. They are also, just like in medieval literature, seen as a vile temptation for the knight. The knight’s friends enter the castle to save their friend and the women start begging them as well to do what they want to them. Lancelot calls the women foul temperas and leads the rest of the knights out of the castle so they can finish their