The Betrayal Of Lancelot In The Once And Future King

“The merits of loyalty are often debated – anyone who has ever been hurt by someone they considered a true friend can attest to the fact that loyalty is a double edged sword.” - Anonymous
Perhaps one of the reasons loyalty is such a rare quality these days, is that loyalty is so easy to misplaced in the ones we take as dare. Lancelot is infamous for his skills and for being King Arthur's best knight. Although, T.H. White depicts Lancelot from his accomplished book, The Once and Future King, as more of a darker character with wicked betrayals and adultery acts. Throughout the book he is unable to fight his uncontrollable feelings and only acts for his own selfish needs. Needless to say, Lancelot is characterized more as a human than a hero.

Call of Adventure BEST BODY T.H. White’s portrayal of a dismal Lancelot begins at castle Benwick. Throughout England the “Ill-Made Knight” is the ugliest knight that is seen, as the author puts it “African Ape”. Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler spent many years on the psychology behind compensation. He believed “if a person feels inferior, he is likely to compensate to hide the weakness by doing something else very well” (Isaksen “Compensation”). Adler would claim Lancelot is overcompensating for his face, which leads him to train harder and to become the best knight in Europe. His “call to adventure” happens during a dinner party, where King Arthur takes notice of him. He imposes a question to get young Lancelot to join the round table, “I was wondering whether you would care to help, when you are old enough?” (White 316). With his uncle’s help for the next several years he does nothing but train to overcompensate for his apelike features, which leads him to possess unnatural skills. In addition, it can be explained by his inferior complex that can be rooted

As the next morning progress Guenever confronts Elaine and Lancelot for being in a relation. Both ladies viciously exchange words, “The queen opened her mouth… he gave a loud shriek, and jumped straight out of window” (White 396). The aftermath leaves Lancelot in shambles, the traumatic stress is too much for him to handle. Months later, there are rumors of a madman running throughout the forest. This correlates at the same time Lancelot has gone missing. “It was proved that Lancelot ran mad in his shirt and breeches… about the same time that Wild Man away” (White 398). The traumatic experience leads the hero to completely change himself. Therapist, Dr. Seline Cooper says “some symptoms of ptsd are anger, nervousness, fear, and guilt” (PTSD 1), all which Lancelot has. “He was like a man… His eyeballs were bright red. He was nervous when I was wearing my armor” (White 398). So Lancelot, unable to comprehend everything that happens completely shuts down, and what is left is mentally traumatized man. Unintentionally, the hero is found by Elaine; after a few months of care, Lancelot is restored to his normal mental health. However, he finds himself unable to go back to Camelot in fear of seeing Guenever again, so he promises to stay with Elaine for the rest of his life. Yet again, this seems like Lancelot turning a new leaf as a changed man.