The Successes And Failures Of Lancelot As A Knight Essay Sample

Thesis

Courage, determination, loyalty, integrity and strength are among the most important assets of a knight. The argument in the paper shows the effects of skill and gambling in life, and the success and survival of people based on the two virtues. The tasks and missions that are presented before a knight, and those that face them require skill and determination; not luck and gambling. Lancelot is a knight of the round table that is known for his bravery, loyalty and determination in serving the king and the kingdom. He protects them in many ways and confronts those that dare to question his prowess. His courage is unparalleled and unprecedented. He is loved by the people of the kingdom and the king and queen. He is a successful knight in the sense that he servs his duty to the full. However, there is a flaw that resulted to his fall and the fall of the entire kingdom. Lust and infidelity are the factors that make all the previous achievements irrelevant. Lancelot is involved in an adulterous relationship with the queen that continues for a long time before coming out to the light and destroying all the great reputation that has taken so long to build. Despite having a son with Elaine, the adulterous relationship with Guinvere, the queen, the relationship continues. The gamble with the queen ends in misery and heart break. This could be compared to the Book of Games- Los Juegos del Hambre- a book by Alfonso X. that explains the how- to-s of living a balanced life that is prudent and virtuous. It explains the difference between skill and success, and chance and luck. Chess depends on the skill and logical thinking of the player. Dice, on the other hand, is a game of gambling in which the players depend on sheer chance to get lucky. Anybody could play it. According to the book, it is possible to determine the actions of a human being by tracing their failures and successes. Life, especially success, is not all about gambling.

Ways in which Lancelot was a Good Knight

As described in the thesis, the courage, skill and love of Lancelot are the pillars of his success. The instances in which Lancelot comes to the rescue of the kingdom take him up the hierarchy of importance in the kingdom. For instance, Lancelot fights an army that more than three other knights. That is one of the instances where the courage of Lancelot is recognized and respected. The other guards could not have won against the kidnappers despite their large number. It could be blamed on their perspective of the situation, the techniques that they put into practice and the faith they have in their skill.
The courage exhibited by Lancelot also authenticates his prowess in knighthood. As much as he gambles his life it taking up such dangerous assignments as confronting the inbuilt skill is one that he does not doubt. With skill and a bit of luck, eve the hardest of situations are possible to unravel, except in the cases of accidents. In this case, Lancelot is a lucky man because he does not encounter such accidents. Not even when he is starved prior to the duel that was presented after his downfall. That is evidence that with skill, nothing is impossible. But with luck, nothing can be counted on for sure.
The loyalty of Lancelot does not fade, not even after he is convicted of adultery. The king decides to take up a fight against Lancelot because of the allegations of adultery. Lancelot could have forfeited the confrontation, but a knight knows no such thing. He does it unwillingly, out of duty.

Ways in which Lancelot wasn’t a Good Knight?

The eventuality of Lancelot can be traced to the previous lifestyle that he lived. His success was as a result of the courage, loyalty and love. Unfortunately, he invested the love in the wrong place that resulted in the final doom of his knighthood, and the Arthurian Kingdom. The involvement in an adulterous relationship with the queen, and the lack of remorse for the act, led Lancelot to his doom. One of the virtues of knighthood is integrity. It involves the respect of such institutions as marriage and authority. Lancelot could have had any other woman of choice but he is fixated on the queen. The entire relationship is a gamble, considering the underlying consequences of such and act. In fact, the final outcome is the judgment on the queen that requires her to be burned at the stake for the act.
Lancelot also fails as a knight by defying the king’s orders and even ending up in a confrontation. That happens in Lancelot’s attempt to save the queen from the doom. Unfortunately, the love is another gamble that Lancelot is not sure to win. It is evident whereby the queen that Lancelot lusted so much after causing his downfall leaves to be a nu and blames Lancelot for all the doom that befalls the kingdom thereafter. A heartbroken and bitter man he is left with no other direction than to become a priest.
As a reputable knight, Lancelot was set for the grail from which he was to drink. However, with all the issues and drama that befall him before the time of finding it, Lancelot is considered unworthy of the grail. However, the passion he has for knighthood makes him ask to at least participate in finding it. The son long-abandoned is turns out to be the most worthy of the grail. He drinks from it and experiences all the glory that Lancelot should have experienced.

Conclusion

Gambling is driven by luck and chance. Skill, on the other hand, is the most possible determiner of success. Gambling results to a win, nut skill leads to success. Life involves many gambles and struggles. However, it is the person’s skills that make them legendries or failures that are forgotten as soon as they are dead. Lancelot is one of the bravest and most reputable knights of all time. However, he plays with “dice,” whereby he gambles his mission, life, integrity, future and the future of the kingdom. Just as Alfonso X. puts it, chess and dice are on the two extreme ends of success. Luck could turn around and become bad luck at any time. Skill, however, remains, even in the darkest hour of a person. The skill of Lancelot made him remain “Lancelot,” even in his darkest times.