A Eulogy for Sir Lancelot
Sir Ector, who has searched fruitlessly for his brother for seven years, finds him at last, lying in state in the Joyous Gard.
before 1470
Sir Ector, who has searched fruitlessly for his brother for seven years, finds him at last, lying in state in the Joyous Gard.
before 1470
At the close of Thomas Malory’s Morte d’Arthur, written in the reign of Edward IV (1461-1470), the deaths of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere have afflicted Sir Lancelot with such grief that he too has died. His half-brother Sir Ector, who had been searching for Lancelot seven years, came too late; but over Lancelot’s body, lying in state in the chapel of the fortress called the Joyous Gard, he spoke these words.
“AH Lancelot,” he said, “thou were head of all Christian knights, and now I dare say,” said Sir Ector,* “thou Sir Lancelot, there thou liest, that thou were never matched of earthly knight’s hand. And thou were the courteoust knight that ever bare shield. And thou were the truest friend to thy lover that ever bestrad horse. And thou were the truest lover of a sinful man that ever loved woman. And thou were the kindest man that ever struck with sword. And thou were the goodliest person that ever came among press of knights. And thou was the meekest man and the gentlest that ever ate in hall among ladies. And thou were the sternest knight to thy mortal foe that ever put spear in the rest.”
Then there was weeping and dolour out of measure. Thus they kept Sir Lancelot’s corpse on loft fifteen days, and then they buried it with great devotion.
* This Sir Ector is Hector de Maris, Lancelot’s half-brother (the illegitimate child of Lancelot’s father King Ban of Benwick, and the Lady de Maris) and junior. When Lancelot renounced the world and became a monk, he vanished out of all knowledge until Sir Bors found him, and one by one Sir Bedivere and the knights Galahad, Galihodin, Blamore, Bleoberis, Villiars, Clarras and Gahalantine all joined him. For seven years Sir Ector de Maris sought him in vain, and found him too late. This Sir Ector should not be confused with another Sir Ector, foster father of King Arthur, who brought Arthur up with his own son Sir Kay. See also The Sword in the Stone.
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Lancelot died. Nine knights took him to the Joyous Gard. He lay there in state.
See if you can include one or more of these words in your answer.
IAfter. IIBring. IIIWhere.