Sir Lancelot Essay, Research Paper

Sir Lancelot

Lancelot was the son of King Ban of Benwick. King Ban became involved in a war with the neighboring kingdom of King Claudus. Claudus defeated Ban and forced the king and queen to flee. As they fled, Elaine, Lancelot’s mother, puts baby Lancelot beside a lake and the Lady of the Lake steals the child away from her. Lancelot is raised in the underwater palace where he is known as Lancelot of the Lake.

While growing up around women and mermen of the Lady of the Lake’s palace, Lancelot quickly developed his great strength and skill in arms. At the age of eighteen, Lancelot set out for Camelot. Arthur saw that Lancelot was a great man so he dubbed him a knight. Lancelot quickly established himself as the greatest knight of all time after successfully completing several quests. Among other adventures, he conquered the dark custom of a castle called Dolorous Gard, which afterwards became his own home and renamed it Joyous Gard. Soon after, Lancelot returned to Camelot and become a full Knight of the Round Table and Arthur’s closest companion and champion.

After joining the ranks of Knights of the Round Table, Lancelot helped Arthur put down the rebellion o f Galehaut the Haut Prince, who surrendered to Arthur after observing Lancelot’s chivalry and prowess in battle. Afterwards, Galehaut became Lancelot’s closest friend. When Guinevere the False took the queen’s place at court, Galehaut and Lancelot took refuge in Sorelois, Galehaut’s Kingdom, until the deception was discovered and Lancelot restored the queen to Arthur. By this time Lancelot and Guinevere were madly in love.

Lancelot’s son Galahad appeared and they began their quest for the Holy Grail. Lancelot had several visions of the Grail and finally found the door to the chapel where the Holy Grail was kept. He was prevented from entering by an angelic presence and fell into a trance that lasted for weeks. During this time he realized that his quest was a failure because his love for Gunievere exceeded his love for God.

When Mordred discovered Lancelot and Guinevere together in her chamber, just when they had decided to end their love affair, Lancelot fled and Guinevere was sentenced to burn at the stake. Lancelot returned to rescue her, accidentally killing Agravain, and Gawain’s brothers, Gaheris and Gareth in the process. War between Lancelot and Arthur ensued, but was broken off when Arthur had to return to Camelot to deal with Mordred’s rebellion. Hearing of this, Lancelot returned to aid Arthur but arrived too late to save him from a mortal wound. After the war, Lancelot visited Guinevere one last time in a nunnery at Amesbury and then put aside his weapons and armor to become a hermit, which was how he lived out the rest of his life.