The Code Of Chivalry In Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte Darthur

Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte Darthur tells of many adventures and stories from the Knights of the Round Table. Of those knights, readers are introduced to Sir Lancelot du Lac. Formally known as Galahad, Lancelot was the son of the French King Ban of Benwick and Elaine. When he was just a young boy, his mother left him for dead on the shore of a lake in the woods. There, he was taken in and raised by a magical goddess, known as the Lady of the Lake. She teaches Lancelot his amazing sword skills and sends him off to King Arthur in hopes that he can make him a knight. When Lancelot is sworn into knighthood, he swears by a code of chivalry. According to the review work of Richard W. Kaeuper by Steven Muhlberger, “chivalry was 'a mixture of ideals and practices constantly critiqued by those who wanted to change both.’” () Once sworn in, readers are shown Lancelot’s inversion of Chivalry in Book Six. Throughout this book, Lancelot does the complete opposite of what he is supposed to do as a knight.
There are seventeen chivalry codes in all. Throughout Book Six, Lancelot breaks several of these codes. The first code Lancelot breaks is in the first chivalric virtue, Hair Play. The code states that a knight should avoid cheating. Lancelot breaks this code when he falls in love with Queen Guinevere, the wife of King Arthur. (page 151) Not only are they …show more content…
Sir Kay allowed for Lancelot to lay with him to rest later that evening, but in the middle of the night Lancelot left with Kay’s armor. He then runs into several people to whom he challenges. Doing so, Lancelot is breaking the code that a knight should avoid deception for the second time. He also comes across three more knights of the round table and strikes towards them when they challenge him to see his strength. Therefore he again breaks the codes that a knight should fight with honor and that he should never betray a confidence or