The knight is a man of blood and iron, a man familiar with the sight of smashed faces and the ragged stumps of lopped-off limbs; he is also a demure, almost maidenlike, guest in a hall, a gentle, modest, unobtrusive man. He is not compromise or happy mean between ferocity and meekness; he is fierce to the nth and meek to the nth. The man who combines both characters — the knight — is not a work of nature but of art; of that art which has human beings, instead of canvas or marble, for its medium. C.s. Lewis
About This Quote

Sir Thomas Malory, in "Le Morte Darthur," tells the story of Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain. Here we see a knight who is fierce in battle and yet is also demure and gentle in appearance. Sir Lancelot is a man of many moods. Sometimes he seems almost maidenlike, but at other times he is fierce and full of passion.

Sir Gawain represents the ideal man of medieval chivalry. He is humble and refined, yet he is also brave and passionate in battle. The reason Sir Lancelot's character is so complex is because Sir Lancelot's nature has been tempered by his experiences, both good and bad.

Sir Lancelot has seen too much violence to be truly passive or demure, but he has also seen his fair share of kindness. Thus Sir Lancelot combines the best qualities of these two sides of himself: the raging knight and the gentle knight.

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