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  • Essay / Issues arising from the code of chivalry in Le Morte D'Arthur

    Malory's Morte D'Arthur explores the chivalric ideals of the late Middle Ages through the actions of King Arthur and the rest of his knights. However, through its exploration of chivalry, it also explores the problems that arise from such a strict code of conduct, based on honor and unwavering loyalty to oaths. Morte D'Arthur does this by addressing the suppression of autonomy and the damage caused to interpersonal relationships, and rather than presenting solutions to these problems, she explains that the best way to resolve the problems caused by chivalry is to forgive offenses caused by the chivalrous code. no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayMorte Darthur addresses the suppression of personal choice and the toxic obligation to authority that arises from chivalric codes. The chivalric codes of Malory's time created unbreakable oaths between men and their leaders, and between individual knights, which could result in unspeakable violence. When the armies of Mordred and Arthur meet on the battlefield, both sides could have reached a truce and escaped unscathed. While both camps swear that "you say whatever manner of drawn sword, watch as you advance fiercely and thereby slay all that stands before you" (492), however, countless men are murdered simply because that a man "drew his sword to kill the viper" (492) which bit him, because no one stops to ask why a sword was drawn or to try to better understand the situation: the oaths provoked by chivalry obliges men to blind and bloody obedience. A similar situation occurs when Lancelot accidentally kills two unarmed men during the tournament for Guinevere's life; although Gawain considers Lancelot his friend and "may never believe that Sir Lancelot slew my brothers" (489), the chivalric codes that determine blood feuds and blood feuds drive him to "seek Sir Lancelot through seven kingdoms, but I will kill him” (490). This will result in further violence towards the people Gawain cares for and will eventually end in his own death, but any choices Gawain might have had are removed because his actions are dictated by the honor code of chivalry imbued with vendetta. Arthur laments that the deaths of Gaheris and Gareth will provoke "the greatest mortal war that ever existed" (489), for the war will be waged against Lancelot by Gawain and, by obligation, Arthur, until "I have destroyed the parents of Sir Lancelot and himself.” both, otherwise he will destroy me” (489). Arthur has no desire to kill his friend and start this horrible cycle of violence, but chivalry binds him to a rigid set of codes that dictate his actions and prevent him from making his choices. This system of unwavering oaths leads to indescribable violence. The final battle between Arthur and Mordred is described as being "more painful [than all others] in Christian land" (492), and the fighting does not stop until "a hundred thousand dead are laid down" (492), and Arthur is too angry to continue. Rather than stopping the battle once it became clear that neither side would win, or even questioning why a sword had been drawn, the oaths provoked by chivalry force the two armies to fight until 'to continue being physically impossible. Arthur is also honor-bound to harshly punish Lancelot and Guinevere after learning of the affair: while Lancelot is his friend and he says that "my heart has notnever been as heavy as he is now” (489) at the idea of ​​having to punish him, chivalry dictates to him how he must act in light of the Lancelot and Guinevere affair. Arthur's feelings mean nothing; rather he must act based on a set of toxic regulations put in place for knights and rulers. Chivalry distorts interpersonal relationships because of honor and duty. There is still a friendship between Lancelot and Arthur, as Arthur complains that he is "more sorry for the loss of my good knights than for the loss of my fair queen" (489), and Arthur ultimately blames Agravain and Mordred for this. happened and says they “must have caused all this grief to Sir Lancelot” (489). He himself harbors little personal hatred for Lancelot, but his chivalrous obligation destroys their friendship by dictating Arthur's actions. The codes of honor also distance Guinevere from Lancelot: after Arthur's death, the guilt that Guinevere feels for having been unfaithful to her husband prevents her from ever finding Lancelot. She “enters a convent in Amesbury” and “orders him never to see her again” (496), and also leads him to live in a monastery. The two are separated for the rest of their lives even though they could have happily reconciled. Arthur is also forced to make his personal life public due to the codes of honor that dictate his society. After Lancelot and Guinevere have an affair, he is forced to publicly address the scandal and, in doing so, damages his relationship with both of them. While the question of an affair could have been settled quietly between three people, Morte D'Arthur addresses the implications of chivalrous codes transforming personal affairs into public affairs and forcing people to feel that their interpersonal relationships are dictated by codes of d 'honor. .Chivalry creates a hierarchy that forces people to feel inferior to those whom society considers superior. After the deaths of Arthur and Guinevere, Lancelot feels that he cannot properly mourn them as his friends and people dear to him, and the church hermit tells him that "you displease God with such such a way of grieving” (497). ). Lancelot sees himself as inferior and sinful and hates himself for his sin against them. When he remembers "how, because of my fault, my arrogance and my pride, they were both brought down, although they were without equal in the history of the Christian people" (497), he becomes extremely upset; he sees himself as the downfall of two exceptional people, despite the fact that Arthur and Guinevere were ordinary people whose own actions caused them just as much trouble as his actions, and that Guinevere participated in exactly the same affair as him . Ultimately, Lancelot's incredible grief and self-hatred drives him to the grave because he "never again ate but little meat, nor drank...for then he grew sicker and sicker , it withered and withered” (492). Not only does he view himself as supremely inferior to Guinevere and Arthur because of his sinful actions; he considers himself unworthy to live any longer because his sins have had a negative impact on both of them. Malory proposes the resolution of problems caused by chivalry by promoting forgiveness for behavioral infractions caused by the rigid codes of chivalry and acceptance that the problems will be resolved. arise from chivalrous codes. Despite his anger at Lancelot, Gawain ends up “[writing] to Lancelot to come to the aid of his former lord” (491) before dying. He realizes that Lancelot is needed to help in the fighting and that he must forgive Lancelot for the accidental killings committed in the middle of a.