Chivalry
An Analysis of three main traits of Chivalry Knights have been around for hundreds of years, and many people recognize knights from medieval stories such as King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Although many may view a knight as being someone who wears heavy metal armor, and fights in wars is mistaken. Sure, knights do wear heavy armor and fight in wars, but knights also follow a common code. This common code is chivalry. Chivalry is a code which knights are courteous, respectful to others, kind, etc. There could be hundreds of traits that knights would have. In both stories Green Knight and Morte D’Arthur describe how knights use chivalry in their very lives, as well as the film Excalibur. Although knights do not exist …show more content…
Due to the fighting these knights were doing often, honor was important to knights. Knights were often given honor in heroic battles and by being loyal to their lord of king. Knights were also honest, for example the Green Knight in Green Knight created a challenge to see if someone could hurt the knight with their sword. The knight’s head was chopped off by a man, and the man who chopped off the knight’s head agreed to have the same thing done to him in a year. The knight who agreed to the challenge was honorable in his agreement. And for that, the Green Knight didn’t cut the knight’s head off. Also, sometimes in battle, whether it be against an enemy, or a knight that challenged another, there is also honor distributed. For example, the King Arthur story tells that before Arthur was knighted, Arthur gave an enemy soldier his sword Excalibur so that he could be knighted. The enemy soldier could have easily killed Arthur at that moment but since Arthur showed pity towards the knight and respect, the enemy knight knighted Arthur. By doing so, Arthur gained honor from fellow knights, and respect from that particular enemy soldier. Sometimes, after a battle is over, there could be prisoners. Most times, the knights who were victorious show pity and release the prisoners and in doing so earned the respect from the enemy. Knights would do this because killing an …show more content…
Chivalry was especially big on being courageous and heroic. Knights were required to do jobs that no ordinary man could do, but well-trained soldiers. For example, if there is a common evil, an evil so evil that most of the common people are terrified of, those common people turn to their knights to fight the enemy and win. Sometimes, even the knights are terrified of the enemy as well. For example, in Morte D’Arthur the common evil, Mordred, has seized King Arthur’s throne while he has been away. Arthur rallies his army and fights Mordred in courageous fashion. King Arthur knew that when he fought Mordred, Arthur himself would surely die, but since Arthur wanted to restore peace to his kingdom he reluctantly fought Mordred. Arthur courageously encountered Mordred and said, “traitor, now is they deathday come!” page 189. Arthur then died shortly after, but, even though Arthur died, he died courageously. Dying courageously is how almost all of the knights wish to die. This idea wasn’t only with the chivalric code, this idea has been around since the days of humans. And is still true to this day, only it is known mostly as patriotism. For example, millions of men during WWII decided to fight for their respective countries mostly due to patriotism. It was the courage that these men had that helped them in their
An Analysis of three main traits of Chivalry Knights have been around for hundreds of years, and many people recognize knights from medieval stories such as King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Although many may view a knight as being someone who wears heavy metal armor, and fights in wars is mistaken. Sure, knights do wear heavy armor and fight in wars, but knights also follow a common code. This common code is chivalry. Chivalry is a code which knights are courteous, respectful to others, kind, etc. There could be hundreds of traits that knights would have. In both stories Green Knight and Morte D’Arthur describe how knights use chivalry in their very lives, as well as the film Excalibur. Although knights do not exist …show more content…
Due to the fighting these knights were doing often, honor was important to knights. Knights were often given honor in heroic battles and by being loyal to their lord of king. Knights were also honest, for example the Green Knight in Green Knight created a challenge to see if someone could hurt the knight with their sword. The knight’s head was chopped off by a man, and the man who chopped off the knight’s head agreed to have the same thing done to him in a year. The knight who agreed to the challenge was honorable in his agreement. And for that, the Green Knight didn’t cut the knight’s head off. Also, sometimes in battle, whether it be against an enemy, or a knight that challenged another, there is also honor distributed. For example, the King Arthur story tells that before Arthur was knighted, Arthur gave an enemy soldier his sword Excalibur so that he could be knighted. The enemy soldier could have easily killed Arthur at that moment but since Arthur showed pity towards the knight and respect, the enemy knight knighted Arthur. By doing so, Arthur gained honor from fellow knights, and respect from that particular enemy soldier. Sometimes, after a battle is over, there could be prisoners. Most times, the knights who were victorious show pity and release the prisoners and in doing so earned the respect from the enemy. Knights would do this because killing an …show more content…
Chivalry was especially big on being courageous and heroic. Knights were required to do jobs that no ordinary man could do, but well-trained soldiers. For example, if there is a common evil, an evil so evil that most of the common people are terrified of, those common people turn to their knights to fight the enemy and win. Sometimes, even the knights are terrified of the enemy as well. For example, in Morte D’Arthur the common evil, Mordred, has seized King Arthur’s throne while he has been away. Arthur rallies his army and fights Mordred in courageous fashion. King Arthur knew that when he fought Mordred, Arthur himself would surely die, but since Arthur wanted to restore peace to his kingdom he reluctantly fought Mordred. Arthur courageously encountered Mordred and said, “traitor, now is they deathday come!” page 189. Arthur then died shortly after, but, even though Arthur died, he died courageously. Dying courageously is how almost all of the knights wish to die. This idea wasn’t only with the chivalric code, this idea has been around since the days of humans. And is still true to this day, only it is known mostly as patriotism. For example, millions of men during WWII decided to fight for their respective countries mostly due to patriotism. It was the courage that these men had that helped them in their