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The Relationship Between Lancelot In The Once And Future King

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Fairy tales usually end in happy ever after. But in the Arthurian Legend In the book The Once and Future King by T.H White he explains the complicated relationships between

The relationship among Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot is an example of an unhealthy relationship that ends in tragedy. In the novel The Once and Future King by T.H. White, Arthur is the king of Britain and is married to Guinevere, the love of his life. While Lancelot is one of the most trusted knights in the land, however, he still has a love affair with Guinevere, despite the fact that she is married to Arthur as the narrator relates: “Unconsciously, of course, he knew perfectly well that they were sleeping together ... ” (White 389). Due to Arthur’s trust in Lancelot, …show more content…
In the novel Once and Future King by T.H. White, Lancelot is the most trusted knight in the land. Guinevere is Arthur’s wife and Lancelot has a relationship with Guinevere. Elaine of Astolat is the daughter of Bernard of Astolat and she too loves Lancelot. Lancelot was injured and Elaine said that she would take care of him. So he stays in her palace until he gets better. During Lancelot's stay at Elaine’s palace, he serves him many different types of wine. He soon falls asleep and thinks that he has fallen asleep with Guinevere. But really it was Elaine who put a love potion in the wine. “He turned round and found himself looking at the boiled girl, Elaine. (White 375)” Elaine tricked Lancelot because she wanted to bear his son. Unfortunately, he didn't want her to bear her son because he thought that if he was still a virgin God would make him a very good knight. When Lancelot finds out that she will have a child he gets so mad and he said said that if she wanted to have the baby she could but he would not want any part to do with the baby. About a couple months later Lancelot comes back to Camelot to see Elaine and his son. Later she commits suicide because Lancelot didn’t love her ultimately killing her son and her. The striking problem in this relationship is that since Lancelot loved Guinevere more than Elaine she committed suicide and she didn’t just kill herself she kills her son while he is still in her

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