Lancelot is the premire knight in the court of King Arthur. On the battlefield, he is almost unbeatable. In his adventures, Lancelot slays all manner of annoying evil knights, and is granted, due to his purity of heart, a vison of the holy grail. What makes Lancelot interesting, however, is the central role he plays in the fall of Camelot due to his love of Queen Guenivere and his killing of Gareth, brother to Gawaine. Also noteworthy is his advent as a literary figure and his various portayals in modern fiction.

The emergence of Lancelot in the Arthurian legends marks the rise of romance. Before Lancelot, most of the stories of Arthur take the form of the chanson de geste: songs of war. In Geoffrey of Monmouths The History of the Kings of Britain, which is the chief source of the pre-romantic period, the story is mostly about Arthur, his rise to power, defeat of the Saxons, and his final conquest of Rome. The praiseworthy virtues are the virtues of war, which Arthur is made to embody to the highest degree. Arthur fights relentlessly. During his battle with the Roman Emperor Lucius, he, "overthrew, he killed, and whomever he met, he slew either him of his horse in one blow."

All of Arthurs enemies, "fled from him as from a ferocious beast, a lion provoked by savage hunger to devour whatever chances offers." Arthur is almost a force of nature turned loose upon the enemies. His virtues, associated with being a stupendous warrior, are beneficial on the battlefield, but dont really serve as much purpose in the bedroom. Going into the romantic age, if you can not perform in there, you won't be performing at all.

By the twelfth century, a kinder, gentler Europe, at least they thought, had been erected and virtues of the chanson de geste, were no longer pertinent. Also, the number of literate nobility had increased. This kinder, gentler aristocracy had little desire to hear about the glories of the King. In fact, some were hostile to their lords and, hence, wanted to hear stories that glorified them, or people of a station like theirs. What arises in the romances is a King Arthur who plays little role in events and is even made out to be impotent and weak. These tales surround the Knight and his deeds, rather then the King.

Lancelot
The greatest of knights. The purist of hearts. And, ultimately, the downfall of Camelot ... (more)