Personal desire vs. fidelity: Sir Gawain and Sir Lancelot

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[...] Nonetheless, the reader is astounded by Sir Gawain's fidelity, virtue, and moral values. He proves to be an extremely admirable knight, unwilling to succumb to pressure and always keeping the image of his superiors close to his heart. In selections from King Arthur and His Knights, Sir Lancelot is an altogether very different creature with an alternative set of values. While Sir Lancelot is a powerful, honorable, and fierce warrior, his private desires certainly get the best of him. Unable to succumb to temptation, Sir Lancelot does those things which give him pleasure, and he attempts to hide them in order to remain respectable in front of his kin. [...]

[...] When the author writes, shield and coat in view/He bore that emblem bright,/As to word most true/And in speech most courteous knight” (Sir Gawain 30) the description of Sir Gawain is very honest and accurate. Unlike a deceptive individual with his own inclinations and intentions, Sir Gawain remains noble inside and out, unwilling to do anything in private that would undermine his excellent reputation. He is a loyal friend and knight to King Arthur and his queen, and he is not willing to risk his reputation in any way. [...]

[...] Personal Desire vs. Fidelity: Sir Gawain and Sir Lancelot There are many ways to understand desire and to define it properly, but in doing so, it is important that we do not fail to mention the elements essential to desire and their corresponding affect on our intentions. Desire is often difficult to attain because it is always pushed back on the list of priorities when analyzed from a societal standpoint—“Let's keep on working, and as far as desire is concerned, come back later” (Lacan 318). [...]

[...] It is admirable for a man to be loyal and faithful to superiors, for example to his employers, and to commit adultery on account of personal desire is frowned upon. Even today, a man with a set of values like that of Sir Gawain would be a remarkable find for many women, while a man like Sir Lancelot would be someone who most women would want to avoid. Works Cited Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The Norton Anthology of English Literature Sixth Edition. [...]

[...] Volume 1. Ed. M.H.Abrams. New York: W.W.Norton and Company, Inc Green, Roger. King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. New York: Penguin Group Inc Print. [...]