Satire in Monty Python’s Holy Grail
In the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a group of knights, led by King Arthur, go on a quest, given to them by God, to find the Holy Grail. After a little debate, they split up, going on their own way, but eventually find each other again, where they approached the Bridge of Death. Once getting past the guardian of the Bridge, King Arthur and Sir Bedevere the Wise find the Grail, just to have the police apprehend them. This movie is a significant, modern example of satire, which burlesques the knights and customs of the Middle Ages. Satire attempts to bring change in the world, without actually providing a solution. The film Monty Python and the Holy Grail uses exaggeration and unexpected logic to …show more content…
At the beginning of the scene, the Black Knight is fighting the Green Knight, when King Arthur comes upon them and sees the Black Knight’s fighting skills. Approaching the Knight with great authority and pride, Arthur encourages the Knight to join his court, but when he declines, attempts to leave, where then the Knight stops him, and then they commence to clash. The scene is targeting how knights are aggressive and bloodthirsty, fighting and killing people for no reason, like how the Black Knight challenges people who cross his bridge, in spite that there is no bridge, just so he can fight. They are making fun of this part of the Middle Ages because people in Western society view violence as a terrible thing, and not as a solution to anything, while others see it as a source of fun. Another thing Monty Python is making fun of is the knight’s code of chivalry, and how it says knights should never back down from a fight, but keep on attacking the enemy no matter what. People usually respect the code of chivalry, yet it has many parts that are fatuous. Among the many different kinds of satire being used, the most prominent technique is exaggeration, with many different examples of this throughout the scene. One example is when Arthur is fighting the Knight, where he cleaves off the Knight’s right arm, and when he …show more content…
This scene begins with a king telling his son that he needs to marry the daughter of a rich lord, so the king can acquire more land, even though the son says he rather sing than marry. The prince shot a note outside, were Sir Lancelot the Brave found, and rushed to the castle, where he disrupts the marriage, killing many merry goers and eventually rescues the prince. This scene is targeting how knights think that to obtain a goal or solve a problem is by murdering people, like the Crusades, or the many feudal wars that happened between different kings and lords. Monty Python would be making fun of this is because, like mentioned early, violence in today’s society is looked down upon, unless it is necessary, which is the opposite of how the knights acted. Another thing being targeted is courtly love, which is the custom of forcing two people to marry, just for the benefit of others; a man was only allowed to love his wife, while the wife was allowed not to love her husband, and could fall in love with other men. This is being targeted because in Western society, couples have the ability to choose who they want to love and marry, and aren't forced to marry someone else. One technique the filmmakers uses in this scene is unmasking, when the crowd begins to advance on Sir Lancelot and the king, and
In the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a group of knights, led by King Arthur, go on a quest, given to them by God, to find the Holy Grail. After a little debate, they split up, going on their own way, but eventually find each other again, where they approached the Bridge of Death. Once getting past the guardian of the Bridge, King Arthur and Sir Bedevere the Wise find the Grail, just to have the police apprehend them. This movie is a significant, modern example of satire, which burlesques the knights and customs of the Middle Ages. Satire attempts to bring change in the world, without actually providing a solution. The film Monty Python and the Holy Grail uses exaggeration and unexpected logic to …show more content…
At the beginning of the scene, the Black Knight is fighting the Green Knight, when King Arthur comes upon them and sees the Black Knight’s fighting skills. Approaching the Knight with great authority and pride, Arthur encourages the Knight to join his court, but when he declines, attempts to leave, where then the Knight stops him, and then they commence to clash. The scene is targeting how knights are aggressive and bloodthirsty, fighting and killing people for no reason, like how the Black Knight challenges people who cross his bridge, in spite that there is no bridge, just so he can fight. They are making fun of this part of the Middle Ages because people in Western society view violence as a terrible thing, and not as a solution to anything, while others see it as a source of fun. Another thing Monty Python is making fun of is the knight’s code of chivalry, and how it says knights should never back down from a fight, but keep on attacking the enemy no matter what. People usually respect the code of chivalry, yet it has many parts that are fatuous. Among the many different kinds of satire being used, the most prominent technique is exaggeration, with many different examples of this throughout the scene. One example is when Arthur is fighting the Knight, where he cleaves off the Knight’s right arm, and when he …show more content…
This scene begins with a king telling his son that he needs to marry the daughter of a rich lord, so the king can acquire more land, even though the son says he rather sing than marry. The prince shot a note outside, were Sir Lancelot the Brave found, and rushed to the castle, where he disrupts the marriage, killing many merry goers and eventually rescues the prince. This scene is targeting how knights think that to obtain a goal or solve a problem is by murdering people, like the Crusades, or the many feudal wars that happened between different kings and lords. Monty Python would be making fun of this is because, like mentioned early, violence in today’s society is looked down upon, unless it is necessary, which is the opposite of how the knights acted. Another thing being targeted is courtly love, which is the custom of forcing two people to marry, just for the benefit of others; a man was only allowed to love his wife, while the wife was allowed not to love her husband, and could fall in love with other men. This is being targeted because in Western society, couples have the ability to choose who they want to love and marry, and aren't forced to marry someone else. One technique the filmmakers uses in this scene is unmasking, when the crowd begins to advance on Sir Lancelot and the king, and