1. Knighthood and Chivalry Courtly Love The Round Table “Gawain, Torre, and Pellinore”

2. Knighthood
Flourished on the Continent via traveling minstrels and troubadors
Came from France to England with the Norman Conquest
At first knighthood was a conferred, not inherited, badge of class

3. Knighthood Boys of noble birth were given military training
Moved from page to squire and to knight, if proved fit

4. Knighthood
In the “dubbing” ceremony, the candidate receives the “accolade,” a blow on the neck
Christianization = vigil at the church altar

5. Chivalry Evolution from the Teutonic code of comitatus cheval = horse
chivalry cavalry, warfare on horseback

6. Chivalry
Developed in 11th c. during the Crusades to counteract feudal warfare
Ideals of courage, battle-fitness, generosity, faithfulness, and service (lord, Savior, and lady)
Deepened gulf between classes

7. Courtly Love South of France 13th C.
Church attempted to introduce protection for female weakness
Increase devotion to the Virgin Mary

8. Courtly Love
Later tales involve sexual love between knight-errant and his honored lady
After 13th C. = church disapproval and decline of chivalry
Code was passed as the social conventions of the “gentleman”

9. Courtly Love
Adoration of a beautiful, intelligent noblewoman who remains chaste and /or unattainable
The IDEAL

10. Courtly Love Knight performs noble deeds for his female ideal
If she favors his devotion, respect prevents consummation of their love
She is married to someone else

11. Courtly Love
Knight keeps her name a secret but carries a memento (glove, scarf)
Celebrates her in poetry and song

12. The Round Table Probably Celtic in origin
Given Christian symbolism by Robert de Boron
Last Supper
Round Table
Grail Table

13. The Round Table Select group of knights
“Siege Perilous” = empty seat for he who would triumph in the quest for the Holy Grail

14. “Gawain, Torre, and Pellinore”
Lodegreaunce bestows Round Table and 100 knights as a wedding gift
3 empty seats
Siege Perilous (not yet born = Galahad)
One yet to come = Percival
Another yet to come = Lancelot

15. “Gawain, Torre, and Pellinore”
Gawain devolves into a vengeful figure
Pellinore has killed King Lot (Gawain’s father)
Gawain will kill Lamorak (Pellinore’s son)
Remember Agamemnon and Orestes?

16. Pellinore’s Line Torre is Pellinore’s illegitimate son
Carries on without a father
Alyne is Pellinore’s illegitimate daughter
Dies unrecognized by her father

17. Pellinore’s House Pellinore Killed Lot Killed by Gawain legitimate
illegitimate
Torre
Killed by Lancelot’s
men
Perceval (raised
in woods by
mother)
Aglovale
Killed by
Lancelot’s
men
Alyne
suicide
Lamorak
Killed by Gawain

18. Gawain and the Hart Accidentally beheads woman
Wears her corpse as penance
Rebuked by Guinevere (“Wife of Bath’s Tale”)

19. Torre and the Brachet
Conflicted by promise to lady and knight’s plea for mercy
Returns with knight’s head
Rewarded with an earldom
Inner nobility reflected in quest

20. Pellinore and the Lady Cursed by Alyne for lack of assistance
Kills Nyneve’s captor and returns with her
Returns with Alyne’s head
Cursed to be deserted at his greatest hour of need

21. Oath of the Round Table
To fight only just causes = Pellinore and the lady
At all times be merciful = Gawain and the hart
Put the service of ladies foremost = Gawain and the hart, Torre and the brachet

22. Oath of the Round Table Represents the ideal
More often broken than kept
Violence predominates
Taking of life seems minor

23. Further Resources Select this link for excellent Arthurian resources
The Camelot Project at University of Rochester