Chivalry was the moral code that the noblemen of the middle ages strived to follow. This code outlined how a knight should behave in battle and to a greater extent how they should act at home. Gawain and the Green Knight and Marie De France’s Lanval can both be read as explorations of chivalry. Both works present chivalry as an impossible ideal rather than a fact of medieval life.
Lanval, Gawain, and Arthur’s court are all pillars of the chivalric ideal, in Marie De France’s Lanval Arthur’s court is said to have, “had no equal in all the world”(154) and in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Arthur’s court is said to consist of, “the most courteous and chivalrous knights known to christendom;”(). Lanval was one of Arthur’s best knights he was envied, “for his valor, for his generosity,/his beauty and his bravery.”(lines 21-22) Lanval should be rewarded for his character but is isolated by his foreign heritage and lack of …show more content…
Lanval is mistreated by the other knights as well, “some feigned the appearance of love/ who if something unpleasant happened to him,/would not have been at all disturbed.”(line 25-26) Fairness and honesty are two of the chivalric ideals outlined in charlemagne 's and the duke of burgundy 's code of chivalry. It is unfair of Arthur to ignore a brave and generous knight, and his vassals are dishonest about their opinion of Lanval. Chivalry is an exclusive club not a universal moral code. It can be corrupted by heritage, wealth, and envy. When Lanval meets his Lover’s attendants he follows them,”giving no thought to his horse.”() Him leaving his horse behind acts as him symbolically leaving behind his knighthood to join his other worldly lover. Lanval devotes himself to his new love by proclaiming,”I shall obey your command;/for you, I shall abandon everyone”() Lanval’s lover gives him anything he desires providing for him the way
Lanval, Gawain, and Arthur’s court are all pillars of the chivalric ideal, in Marie De France’s Lanval Arthur’s court is said to have, “had no equal in all the world”(154) and in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Arthur’s court is said to consist of, “the most courteous and chivalrous knights known to christendom;”(). Lanval was one of Arthur’s best knights he was envied, “for his valor, for his generosity,/his beauty and his bravery.”(lines 21-22) Lanval should be rewarded for his character but is isolated by his foreign heritage and lack of …show more content…
Lanval is mistreated by the other knights as well, “some feigned the appearance of love/ who if something unpleasant happened to him,/would not have been at all disturbed.”(line 25-26) Fairness and honesty are two of the chivalric ideals outlined in charlemagne 's and the duke of burgundy 's code of chivalry. It is unfair of Arthur to ignore a brave and generous knight, and his vassals are dishonest about their opinion of Lanval. Chivalry is an exclusive club not a universal moral code. It can be corrupted by heritage, wealth, and envy. When Lanval meets his Lover’s attendants he follows them,”giving no thought to his horse.”() Him leaving his horse behind acts as him symbolically leaving behind his knighthood to join his other worldly lover. Lanval devotes himself to his new love by proclaiming,”I shall obey your command;/for you, I shall abandon everyone”() Lanval’s lover gives him anything he desires providing for him the way