What is chivalry or chivalrous behaviour for knights?
What is chivalry or chivalrous behaviour for Arthurian knights?The word chivalry is derived from the French 'chevalier' which means 'a man on horseback'. Arthurian knights were indeed men on horseback but also exhibited certain behaviours known to be chivalrous. In Arthurian times the word 'chivalry' was used to encapsulate the code of values appropriate to knighthood and if a knight were to stray from these values in any way their behaviours were seen to be unchivalrous. Throughout the many tales of The Knights of the Round Table, the knights are chivalrous although they also frequently break their code of values. In the tales 'Sir Gawain and the Lady Ragnell', 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' and 'The Second Tale of Sir Lancelot' the knights show chivalrous behaviour but also the opposite, usually when concerned with his love for a woman.In the tale of 'Sir Gawain and the Lady Ragnell' Gawain epitomises knighthood with his chivalrous behaviour. He strongly believes in the virtues of knighthood; generosity, fellowship, purity, courtesy and compassion and his shield is red with a gold pentangle which "symbolized Gawain's ideal of knightly perfection" (Hopkins, 1993, p.56). Gawain's loyalty to Arthur who was his ki
However Gawain is redeemed by doing penance to the Green Knight and is given the lady's girdle which being green, symbolizes Gawain's renewal and growth through his lesson. Gawain vows never to act in such a way again "This girdle is a token of the blame I bear, for cowardice and untruth. 168) Gawain treats her no different from a beautiful lady and gives her his promise of marriage "Lady, I pledge you my knightly word to take you in lawful marriage if you will save the life of my uncle King Arthur!" (Green, 1953, p. It can be seen from the three tales 'Sir Gawain and the Lady Ragnell', 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' and 'The Second Tale of Sir Lancelot' the kinds of behaviour that make a knight chivalrous or unchivalrous. Although Gawain does not lie to the lord when asked what he received that morning, he avoids telling who the kisses are from. 58), pledging his loyalty as a knight to her as a woman. Lancelot's unchivalrous behaviour is also seemingly caused by a woman. When Guinevere tells Lancelot to stop fighting he does so immediately which can be seen as him being merciful to Meleagant but mainly it is loyalty to Guinevere. He only hesitated for two steps whereas most people would not get on the cart at all. By doing this Gawain is adhering to the order of chivalry; to do no ill thing to a woman. One of the major rules a knight must follow is to do no ill thing to a woman.
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