LE3 .A278 2013

2013

Whetter, Kevin

Acadia University

Master of Arts

Masters

English

English & Theatre Studies

This thesis is an exploration of a parallel between Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain found within Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte Darthur which has been previously overlooked in Malorian scholarship. The Lancelot-Gawain parallel runs through the entirety of Malory’s narrative, and is an important element in both his thematic structure and his characterization of both knights. By comparing and constrasting Lancelot with Gawain, Malory is able to emphasize Lancelot as the protagonist of his narrative and presents him as a flawed, but still noble knight. The thesis begins with an exploration of Malory’s sources, and some of the changes he has made in regards to Lancelot and Gawain. An in-depth study of the the early tales outlines the creation and ongoing construction of this parallel. The early examples create a model for the extensive and elaborate parallel found in the Sankgreall Quest and the fall of the Round Table. This parallel offers new insights into Malory’s characterization of Gawain and Lancelot, as well as his conception of knighthood.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:292