Renard the Fox and The Quest for the Holy Grail are both fictional works, but both give the reader an idea of the world in the times in which these stories were written. Both of these stories critique the way violence was used in contemporary times. Renard, from Renard the Fox, and Galahad from The Quest for the Holy Grail, are both violent people who are completely able to operate outside of the rule of the two kings. However, with the exception of these two similarities, Renard and Galahad are polar opposites of each other. Despite being polar opposites, we can see that both authors were using these characters as a critique of the world in which they lived. Suger's The Deeds of Louis the Fat gives us historical knowledge that we can use to
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In Renard the Fox, we see the protagonist as a character who is incredibly violent, raping other animals, abusing them, and even tricking them into traps in wich they get beaten close to death. However, Renard is a sort of anti-hero, in the fact that while he is the center of the story, it is apparent to the reader that he is villainous and despicable. Renard solves most of his issues by using extreme and brutal violence. However, in the end of the story, the violence which Renard used to escape his troubles ended up causing him more trouble. Throughout the text there are many examples of times when violence was used, even by the characters who were portrayed as the good people in the story, as a way to solve an issue, only to have the solution fail. For example, halfway through the story, Renard is being summoned to swear upon a holy relic that he brought no harm upon Ysengrim's family. Ysengrim attempted to go outside of the law, and have Roenel capture and kill Renard when he came to swear upon what he thought was Roenel's dead body but was in fact, a fully alive Roenel, playing dead in an attempt to lure in Renard. However, this fails for Ysengrim, as Renard discovers the trap. “For Renard it was …show more content…
However, The Quest for the Holy Grail achieves this in a different way. Throughout the story, Galahad is pinnacle of what a knight should be. He better is better than everyone else in every way. Not only is this knight the best fighter in the novel, but he is also the best looking, the most holy, and the most noble. When Dalides challenges Galahad to a duel, Galahad replies, “ It's pointless and without profit for you to call me to battle. I see no reason for it, for I never disliked or wronged you” (The Quest for the Holy Grail, 135). Giving no heed to what Galahad said to him, Dalides instead charges Galahad, attempting to kill him, but is immediately knocked unconscious by Galahad, the best swordsman in the story. At this point, Galahad could have easily killed Dalides, and it would have been well within his right to do so, and he was even encouraged to kill Dalides by his companion, Dondinel. However, Galahad refuses to do so saying, “God willing I won't lay a hand on him, for to kill such a knight would be the greatest iniquity in the world. But let's leave here, for I have already done more than I wanted”(The Quest for the Holy Grail, 135). Through this passage, the author conveys to the audience that a great knight, which Galahad certainly is, is one who is not afraid to kill and will kill for
In Renard the Fox, we see the protagonist as a character who is incredibly violent, raping other animals, abusing them, and even tricking them into traps in wich they get beaten close to death. However, Renard is a sort of anti-hero, in the fact that while he is the center of the story, it is apparent to the reader that he is villainous and despicable. Renard solves most of his issues by using extreme and brutal violence. However, in the end of the story, the violence which Renard used to escape his troubles ended up causing him more trouble. Throughout the text there are many examples of times when violence was used, even by the characters who were portrayed as the good people in the story, as a way to solve an issue, only to have the solution fail. For example, halfway through the story, Renard is being summoned to swear upon a holy relic that he brought no harm upon Ysengrim's family. Ysengrim attempted to go outside of the law, and have Roenel capture and kill Renard when he came to swear upon what he thought was Roenel's dead body but was in fact, a fully alive Roenel, playing dead in an attempt to lure in Renard. However, this fails for Ysengrim, as Renard discovers the trap. “For Renard it was …show more content…
However, The Quest for the Holy Grail achieves this in a different way. Throughout the story, Galahad is pinnacle of what a knight should be. He better is better than everyone else in every way. Not only is this knight the best fighter in the novel, but he is also the best looking, the most holy, and the most noble. When Dalides challenges Galahad to a duel, Galahad replies, “ It's pointless and without profit for you to call me to battle. I see no reason for it, for I never disliked or wronged you” (The Quest for the Holy Grail, 135). Giving no heed to what Galahad said to him, Dalides instead charges Galahad, attempting to kill him, but is immediately knocked unconscious by Galahad, the best swordsman in the story. At this point, Galahad could have easily killed Dalides, and it would have been well within his right to do so, and he was even encouraged to kill Dalides by his companion, Dondinel. However, Galahad refuses to do so saying, “God willing I won't lay a hand on him, for to kill such a knight would be the greatest iniquity in the world. But let's leave here, for I have already done more than I wanted”(The Quest for the Holy Grail, 135). Through this passage, the author conveys to the audience that a great knight, which Galahad certainly is, is one who is not afraid to kill and will kill for