" Observe Sir Lancelot in the difficult pass where the
Lily Maid offers her love: "Jesu defend me, for then I rewarded your
father and your brother full evil for their great goodness. . . .
But because, fair damsel, that ye love me as ye say ye do, I will,
for your good will and kindness, show you some goodness, . . . and
always while I live to be your true knight." Here are "amiable words
and courtesy." I cannot agree with Mr Harrison that Malory's book is
merely "a fierce lusty epic." That was not the opinion of its
printer and publisher, Caxton. He produced it as an example of "the
gentle and virtuous deeds that some knights used in these days, . . .
noble and renowned acts of humanity, gentleness, and chivalry. For
herein may be seen noble chivalry, courtesy, humanity, friendliness,
love, cowardice, murder, hate, virtue, and sin. Do after the good
and leave the evil."
In reaction against the bold-faced heroines and sensual amours of
some of the old French romances, an ideal of exaggerated asceticism,
of stainless chastity, notoriously pervades the portion of Malory's
work which deals with the Holy Grail. Lancelot is distraught when he
finds that, by dint of enchantment, he has been made false to
Guinevere (Book XI. chap. viii.) After his dreaming vision of the
Holy Grail, with the reproachful Voice, Sir Lancelot said, "My sin
and my wickedness have brought me great dishonour, .
Pages:
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120