The First Knight
In medieval times people lived by the medieval code of chivalry which is usually associated with ideals of knightly virtues, honor and courtly love. In a knights code of chivalry a knight was expected to have strength and skills to fight but also was expected to be kind. In the rules of courtly love it describes the pure romance of love but also the love for another man’s wife. In the movie the first knight, Lancelot displays the ideals of medieval chivalry and courtly love in admirable ways but also in ways that caused pure chaos.
In the film, Lancelot illustrates the knight’s code of chivalry even before he became a knight. In the code of chivalry, one of the rules is to protect the weak and defenseless. Lancelot shows this again and again by protecting Guinevere. The first time he shows this is when Guinevere’s carriage was attacked by prince Malagants followers and her carriage was being taken away he saved her and brought her back safely.
Another time is when he goes to save her from Malagants cave when she was abducted by his people from the castle in the middle of the night. Although he protects her all the time his reason to do so is very abstruse because he doesn’t do it to protect the queen but because they both have a clandestine love for each other which later on leads to a calamity. Courtly love is very well illustrated in Lancelot’s love for Guinevere in the film the first knight.
In the rules of courtly love it points out that a true lover is continually and without interruption obsessed by the image of his beloved and that in sight of his beloved, the heart of the lover begins to palpitate. In the first knight, Lancelot admits to Guinevere more than once that he cherishes her so much that he can’t balk the thought of her out of his head. Another part of the movie where he displays courtly love is when the people are playing the gauntlet and he sees her you can see that he is mesmerized by her sight and that his heart is palpitating.
Even though Lancelot was in love with King Arthur’s wife (Queen Guinevere) behind his back he still displayed even more chivalry when King Arthur noticed he would make an adept knight and made him a knight of the round table. When Lancelot joined this camaraderie he vowed to protect every one of his brothers no matter what. In the knights code of chivalry it points out that you have to guard the honor of his fellow knights and to protect them.
When Lancelot saw that his brothers (Knights of the Round Table) needed help during a battle, he would go and protect them from the enemy. Although I accede with many of the rules of courtly love the times have changed and today its hard to find someone who still follows the rules as well as Lancelot followed them for the love he had for Queen Guinevere. In spite of the fact that he is loving a married woman Lancelot stuck to many of the rules of chivalry and courtly love.
