Understanding The Code of Chivalry

1. Understanding The Code of Chivalry Monty Python Style

2. The Codes of Chivalry • Thou shalt believe all that the Church teaches, and shalt observe all its directions. • Thou shalt defend the Church. • Thou shalt respect all weaknesses, and shalt constitute thyself the defender of them. • Thou shalt love the country in which thou wast born. • Thou shalt not recoil before thine enemy. • Thou shalt make war against the Infidel without cessation, and without mercy. • Thou shalt perform scrupulously thy feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God. • Thou shalt never lie, and shall remain faithful to thy pledged word. • Thou shalt be generous, and give largess to everyone. • Thou shalt be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil. In one or two sentences summarize what you found in the clip in relation to the Code. You should identify at LEAST 1 code, more would be better.

3. Important terms • Code of Chivalry: traditional ideals of honor held by the knights of old • Legend: anonymous traditional stories about the past; may be based in fact; PATTERENED events (archetypes) • Medieval romance: adventure stories that feature kings, knights and damsels in distress. Tell of quests battles, and doomed love

4. Arthurian Legend The Basics A&E Video

5. Practice • Using your notes from the video, write a sentence about each of the following characters/places using an appositive phrase. • Example: Mordred • Mordred, Arthur’s illegitimate son, mortally wounded his father in the final battle. • Arthur, Merlin, Avalon, Morgan le Fey, Lancelot

6. Warrior? King? Legend? Who is King Arthur?

7. Records • What is Arthur famous for? • Geoffrey on Monmouth ? • Sir Thomas Malory?

8. Important People • King Uther Pendragon • Duchess Igraine • King Arthur Pendragon • Queen Guinevere • Merlin • Lancelot • Morgause • Morgan Le Fay • Nyneve • Gawain • Mordred

9. King Uther and Duchess Igraine • Arthur’s parents • Sordid background • Uther Loves Igraine • Merlin interferes… • Igraine begets Arthur • Who is Arthur’s father?

10. Arthur • Childhood is obscure at best • Sword in the stone (Excalibur) • Warrior; teenage king • Marries Guinevere • Has an affair with many—Morgause being the most famous

11. Noble birth (usually assumed) Married Arthur Most versions claim she has an affair with Lancelot Adultery leads to the downfall of Arthur Mordred? Guinevere

12. Wizard, warlock, sorcerer Arthur’s mentor Involved/engineers the birth of Arthur thru magic and intrigue: uses Uther as a vessel Villain or hero? Lady of the Lake; Lover or enemy? Merlin

13. Knight of the round table Well respected and fully trusted by Arthur Historically accepted as Guinevere’s lover Retreated to France; pursued by Arthur Act results in the death of Gawain's brothers, the rift b/t Lancelot and Gawain, and Mordred's betrayal of King Arthur. Lancelot

14. Morgause Sister or half sister? Of Arthur Mother of Mordred & Gawain Sorceress? Seductress or innocent adulterer? Morgan Le Fay Half sister of Arthur Antagonist? V. Guinevere Sorceress Healer? Avalon? Fairy? Morgause & Morgan Le Fay

15. Merlin’s love Merlin’s downfall Lady of the Lake’s Maiden Enchantress Antagonist? Protagonist? Nyneve/Vivien/Lady of the Lake

16. Son of Arthur and Morgause (Illegitimate) Discovers Lancelot and Guinevere Tries to take over the kingdom while Arthur is fighting Lancelot Seduces Guinevere? Killed and “Kills” Arthur Mordred

17. Arthur’s nephew Mordred’s half brother Closest heir to the throne Courteous Model for Chivalry “Maiden’s knight” Gawain

19. Point of View Why is it important to look at others’ points of view?

20. Global Awareness Activity • What are the primary differences between the content in each story? • How might the same, impartial reader interpret the event differently if reading only one of the stories? • Is either story more accurate than the other?

22. Narrative Viewpoint • Determines the perspective from which the story is told

24. Telling a story • Tell the story of Lancelot/Guinevere/Arthur from the character’s viewpoint you’ve been assigned. This should include emotions and perspective. Be creative. • For example: Guinevere might reason that it was a moment of intense passion whereas Lancelot would say it was a long time comin. Arthur would be enraged and feeling betrayed.

25. Story Stem • Here’s what really happened…

26. “Same story, different versions and all are true…”

28. What is the nature of… • Arthur • Merlin • Mordred • Morgan le Fey • Lady of the Lake

29. From whose perspective do we get most of this information? Arthur

30. What happens if it’s told by Mordred

31. What does the nature of… • Arthur • Merlin • Mordred • Morgan le Fey • Lady of the Lake Become….

32. Opinion Paragraph • Is the code of chivalry dead? • Consider the commandments--have you seen any of them played out in your everyday life? • If so, explain how and your answer would be NO! • For example: Love your home country. • I would write about my five months living abroad and how I came to appreciate the different things that the U.S. offers that the U.K. doesn’t. • If not, explain why you think the code is dead. Write a well organized paragraph stating your opinion to this question

33. Organizing information • Topic Sentence: Introduces your opinion • Preparation Sentence: first reason why you agree • Evidence: Specific Example from an article/book/video/text/life • Explanation: answers the question: how does this prove the chivalry is/isn’t dead?