Relationship Between Lancelot And Guinevere In The Once And Future King

The destruction caused by illicit relationships is evident by the tragedies and faced by the lovers within Arthur’s kingdom.

Lancelot and Guinevere’s affair leads to the destruction of friendship, illustrated by the tragedies faced between friends within Arthur’s kingdom. In The Once and Future King, the greatest knight in the world, Lancelot, has great affection for his King Arthur’s wife, Guinevere. King Arthur, whom is Lancelot’s lord, admires Lancelot’s relentless fighting style and claims Lancelot his friend and partner. Yet, after holding his feelings for Guinevere back, Lancelot decides to “indulge” himself by sending every captive he has captured to Guinevere instead of Arthur, in order to demonstrate his passion for the Queen: “Thinking

Similar to the destruction of friendship and loyalty, the lack of responsibility leads to careless and dull actions performed towards others. Before sleeping with Guinevere, Lancelot slept with a princess named Elaine, with whom he had a child named Galahad. After sleeping with the love of his life, Guinevere, Lancelot feels unmotivated to take care of Galahad; Lancelot even hides from Elaine and Galahad when they come to visit him at King Arthur’s court, Camelot: “"Lancelot," she said, "I think you ought to go to your son. Elaine is grieving because you have not been to see him" (392). Lancelot acts careless about helping raise his Galahad, so he hides from his wife and son when they arrive. Guinevere is forced to go chase after Lancelot and order him to go to his son at once. However, Lancelot’s attitude that he does not love Elaine and does not want to participate in raising Galahad results in the tragedies of Elaine’s suicide and Galahad becoming a better knight that Lancelot: “Right so Sir Launcelot, his father, dressed his speak and brake it upon Sir Galahad, and Galahad smote him so again that he smote down horse and man. And then he drew his sword, and dressed him unto Sir Percivale, and smote him so on the helm…” (Malory 362). Lancelot, not recognizing Galahad who is dressed as a beggar, unjustifiably attempts to strike Galahad. Galahad, proving he is the better knight, hits Lancelot down with his bear hands while afterwards using his sword to strike down upon Sir Percivale, a friend of Lancelot. Galahad not only found the Holy Grail over all other knights of Arthur’s Round Table, but Galahad is able to defeat Lancelot and Sir Percivale in a battle. Lancelot’s affair leads to his sinful behavior, which in turns results in him being succeeded by his son, whom is a far greater knight than