Essay on The Power of Love Lancelot by Chretien de Troyes

Ever wondered how love can bring you happiness and pain and make you sane and crazy at the same time. How this emotion can change you and make you accept things you are not used to. How this emotion can overpower you in many ways in which you did not know existed. In Lancelot by Chretien de Troyes, the power of love is a commanding driving force that can dominate a person’s mind, body, and soul and one who is courageous enough to love sometimes undergoes serious consequences. Consequences that are driven from the power of love that harm and cause hardship to the one who is determined to seek love. This is depicted by Lancelot â€Å"the knight of the carts,† underlying love of King Arthur’s Queen Guinevere. His love start as Queen Guinevere is†¦show more content†¦He remains faithful once again showing the power of his love seen throughout lines 621-635. Another example is when he goes through the route of the sword bridge which is the more difficult and dangerous route than the underwater bridge to continue his quest. There he was so deep in thought that he forgot his own identity, being wrapped up in Guinevere he could have been killed. But he woke from his deep thought when he fell into the ford and regains his composure, battled and got pass the knight that was guarding the way. It also shows he was courageous enough to go through the difficult and more dangerous route to get what he is longing for. â€Å"The knight had but one heart, and it no longer belonged to him. Rather it was promised to another, so he cannot bestow it elsewhere. His heart was kept fixed on a single object by love, which rules all hearts.† This means that the one and only heart he has no longer belongs to him, but he has given it to Guinevere. I believe the reading demonstrates the power that love has on Lancelot. For example when the queen fell out of view from him, he thinks to throw himself from the window and shatter his body on the ground below, shows how the power of love affects his mind. Lancelot, dominated by his love for Guinevere, is forced into decisions that normally a noble knight wouldn’t do. Love conquers Lancelot’s entire soul, forces him to irrational and unrighteous actions that cause him pain and harm. Love is an emotion that canShow MoreRelatedEssay about Courtly Love as an Ennobler in Romantic Literature1380 Words   |  6 Pages Lancelot, the knight of the cart, is in love with Queen Guinevere, who constantly compromises his reputation by embarrassing him . Chretien de Troyes writes Lancelot in The Knight of the Cart to be deeply in love, so much so that he constantly sacrifices his reputation for the queen. Classically, â€Å"the romantic hero developed from an extravagant to an idea l character† (Williams 275) in typical Romance literature. Although Romance literature has many variations, Lancelot portrays this transition fromRead MoreWilliam Chaucer s Chretien De Troyes 1659 Words   |  7 Pagesmedieval courts, often images from Game of Thrones or The Tudors come to mind -- maybe even Sir Lancelot and jousting. Yet, these television shows and stories derive their inspiration from a genuine historical context so fascinating and pervasive that nearly 1,000 years later Western culture is still transfixed. French author Chrà ©tien de Troyes, who ironically penned the first romantic depiction of Sir Lancelot, wrote many of the tales that inspire modern pop culture. His stories, particularly that ofRead MoreSir Gawain and the Green Knight and Romance Conventions Essay2226 Words   |  9 PagesSir Gawain and the Green Knight and Romance Conventions In Chrà ©tien de Troyes’ Yvain, Calogrenant relates his ‘adventure’ in Broceliande. He meets a monstrous herdsman in a forest, who asks who Calogrenant is: â€Å"‘I am, as you see, a knight looking for something I’m unable to find: I’ve sought long and can find nothing.’ – ‘And what would you want to find? – ‘Some adventure, to put my prowess and courage to the proof.† As John Stevens observes, these lines â€Å"could serve almost as a classicRead MoreEssay The Knight and the Cart1454 Words   |  6 Pagesscience, and scholasticism, Literature was also reborn with a new theme.3 Very different from traditional writings of the past was the new flourish of troubadour poetry. Troubadour poetry, derived of courtly romances, focused on the idea of unrequited love. â€Å"A young man of the knightly class loved a lady†, most often, â€Å"the lady was married to the young man’s lord†. The courtly lover would compose highly lyrical and erotic poems in honor of his lady, and the troubadour was filled with rapture even atRead More The Sword in the Stone of the Arthurian Legend Essay1773 Words   |  8 PagesThe Sword in the Stone of the Arthurian Legend King Arthur and the knights of the round table belong to a long line of books and stories of the Arthurian legend. Merlin, Lancelot, The lady of the lake, King Arthur, and Excaliber are all very important in the Arthurian legend. In this essay we will talk about King Arthur, the knights of the round table, and Merlin in the famous story, The sword in the stone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Sword in the stone is a book about an adopted child named wart. He is ofRead MoreEssay on King Arthur: Distinguishing Fact from Fiction877 Words   |  4 Pagesthe king. Before exploring the historical truths, it is important that some of the well-known tales, myths and legends are brought into the light. Many stories revolve around themes such as young Arthur pulling the sword out of the stone, the epic love/hate relationship between the wizards Merlin and Morgana, and the valiant conquests of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The Sword in the Stone talks about a young stable boy by the name of Arthur. When his master loses his sword, youngRead MoreAnalysis Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table1901 Words   |  8 Pagespolitical influences and writers imagination, the story of Arthur developed into a full-on legend and diverse story, with a focus on a kingdom called Camelot, the Knights of the Round Table and the queen Guinevere, who has an affair with the knight Lancelot. Other aspects of the tale include the king s deadly conflict with his nephew or son, Mordred, and the knights quest for the Holy Grail. During the 800s, Nennius of Wales wrote History of the Britons, which became a main piece in Arthur’s storiesRead More Comparison of Two Films About King Arthur Essay3985 Words   |  16 Pagesmodern day Morte dArthur, while the more recent King Arthur differs greatly from all former Arthurian works by attempting to be historically plausible. Excalibur Although Excalibur is based mostly on Malory, it also contains stories from Chrà ©tien de Troyes and Alfred, Lord Tennysons Idylls of the King. The film takes scenes straight from Malory, but it also changes Malory slightly by condensing some of his many details and mixing them with stories from other Arthurian writers. It smoothes overRead MoreCourtly Love and Mediieval Romance7340 Words   |  30 PagesIntroduction The familiarity with the love tradition makes it easily mistakable for a natural and universal phenomenon and even brings a laxity of enquiring into its origins. However, it is difficult of not impossible to show love to be anything more than an artistic phenomenon or construct- a literary per formative innovation of Middle Ages. Courtly love  was a  medieval European  formation of nobly, and  politely expressing love and admiration.  Courtly love was secret and between members of the  nobilityRead MoreThe Periodization of the History of Western Europe1669 Words   |  7 Pagesareas. In addition, the invention of gunpowder and firearms reduced the influence of the knights and the code of chivalry, while social, religious and political crises like the peasant revolts, the Great Schism and Babylonian Captivity challenged the power of the nobility and Catholic Church. Historians have studied the Late Middle Ages far more than the earlier periods, in part because more source s are available, although no overall paradigm exists that integrates the multiple facets of culture and

Essay about Sight and Blindness in Oedipus Rex - 730 Words

Sight and Blindness in Oedipus Rex Oedipus Rex is a play about the way we blind ourselves to painful truths that we can’t bear to see. Physical sight and blindness are used throughout the play, often ironically, as a metaphor for mental sight and blindness. The play ends with the hero Oedipus literally blinding himself to avoid seeing the result of his terrible fate. But as the play demonstrates, Oedipus, the man who killed his father and impregnated his mother, has been blind all along, and is partly responsible for his own blindness. When the play opens, the people of the town are asking Oedipus for help. A curse has been cast upon the city and the only way to remove it, is to find the murderer of the last king, Laios.†¦show more content†¦It is ironic that the one individual, who comes to help the city, is the individual that has been the cause of the curse. Oedipus is the illness. Oedipus and Jocasta both don’t want to see the truth. Although it may occur to them at some point, but the y don’t give it a second thought because they think it is absurd and it isn’t possible. â€Å"Why should anyone in this world be afraid, since fate rules us and nothing van be forseen? A man should live only for the present day. Have no more fear of sleeping with your mother: How many men, in dreams, have lain with their mothers! No reasonable man is troubled by such things.† Jocasta is further from believing than Oedipus, she constantly tells him not to worry about it, don’t get worked up, and to just forget what you were told. Oedipus cannot forget what the oracle has said and goes on to pursue the case. Through the course of the play Oedipus is the detective, the judge, and the jury. He investigates, decides a verdict, and carries out his own punishment. When Tiresias arrives at Thebes Oedipus questions him looking for answers. Tiresias is a blind man, who ironically can see the future and truths of people’s lives. It is Tiresias who is the first person to tell Oedipus that he has killed his own father. He tells Oedipus â€Å"you do not see the evil in which you live.† Oedipus doubts Tiresias’ ability to see the truths because of his physical blindness and states, â€Å" YouShow MoreRelatedEssay on Sight and Blindness in Oedipus Rex1311 Words   |  6 PagesIn the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, the themes of sight and blindness are developed in a way to communicate to the reader that it is not eyesight itself, but insight that holds the key to truth and, without it, no amount of knowledge can help uncover that truth. Some may define insight as the abilit y to intuitively know what is going to happen, or simply as the capacity to understand the true nature of a situation. Both definitions hold a significant role in the play, not only for more obviousRead MoreOedipus Rex: Imagery of Blindness and Sight as a Medium to the Themes1218 Words   |  5 PagesIn the play, Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles, an honourable and admirable Greek king named Oedipus rules the town of Thebes. He is left in mental turmoil and decay as his unknown, corrupt and immoral past is slowly revealed during his quest to find the culprit who murdered King Laius. The newly exposed past suddenly transforms his glory and respect into shame and humiliation. After he learns about his wicked past he stabs his eyes, which lead to his blindness. During the course of the play, referencesRead More Blindness and Sight - Sight Versus Insight in Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex)1357 Words   |  6 PagesSight Versus Insight in Oedipus the King      Ã‚  Ã‚   Anyone who has common sense will remember that the bewilderments of the eye are of two kinds, and arise from two causes, either from coming out of the light or from going into the light,which is true of the minds eye, quite as much as the bodily eye; and he who remembers this when he sees anyone whose vision is perplexed and weak, will not be too ready to laugh; he will ask whether that soul of man has come out of the brighter life, and is unableRead MoreThroughout most famous Greek literature, a great hero usually saves the day. In the story of900 Words   |  4 Pagesusually saves the day. In the story of Oedipus though, the good man with one minor flaw goes through great pain. This pain in the play Oedipus Rex is the focal point for the whole play. Almost every aspect of the play builds up and foreshadows Oedipus’ fall from power, and entry into pain. Sophocles in his tragedy Oedipus Rex creates a mood of dramatic irony using the dualities of sight and bli ndness, and light and darkness. This dramatic irony highlights Oedipus’ hamartia and in doing so SophoclesRead MoreOedipus Rex Is A Greek Tragedy Written By Sophocles1177 Words   |  5 PagesOedipus Rex is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles. Sophocles, through writing this work along with Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus, became a legendary tragedian, and went off to produce several other works. This classic tragedy held great influence over Aristotle’s six components in his work, the Poetics, more specifically, over the component of plot and character. The birth of Oedipus Rex since spurred countless famous interpretations, including ones by the father of psychoanalysis himself, SigmundRead More The Role of Teiresias in Sophocles Oedipus Rex Essay1410 Words   |  6 PagesSophoclesOedipus Rex (the King) Teiresias uses his psychic abilities to foreshadow the anguish and destruction that Oedipus will encounter after he learns the truths of his life. Teiresias is also responsible for further developing the theme of blindness by using his own physical blindness to reveal to Oedipus his mental blindness. Lastly, Teiresias is ultimately responsible for imposing dramatic irony because of his great knowledge of the truth of Oedipus. In the play, Oedipus Rex, by SophoclesRead MoreHuman Will and the Power of the Gods: Oedipus Rex by Sophocles1363 Words   |  6 Pagesaccomplished only by some. Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is considered today as one of the greatest tragedies produced by an author during this time. Carefully crafted motifs, character-developing monologues, and poignant irony all combine to create a tragedy that leaves readers stunned and grieving for poor Oedipus. Throughout Oedipus Rex, the motif of blindness and sight emphasizes the struggle between the power of free wi ll and the power of the gods made evident in Oedipus’ interactions with Tiresias, Jokasta’sRead MoreThe True Vision of Blindness in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles Essay959 Words   |  4 Pagesthey are blind to it. In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles it is easy to see how blindness affects the transition of the story. It is said that blind people see â€Å"in a different manner† because they sense the world in a totally diferent way, such as Teiresias in the play. Oedipus Rex is a tragedy due to the content the Sophocles, the playwright, decided to include, first, murdering his father, king Laius, then marrying his mother, Jocasta, and ending by blinding himself. Oedipus has been blinded to the truthRead MoreThe Value Of Leadership In Oedipus Rex By Sophocles1326 Words   |  6 PagesBased on evidence, Athenians valued bravery, confidence and heroic strength in their leaders. For example, the entire reason Oedipus from Oedipus Rex by Sophocles became king of Thebes is beca use he defeated the Sphinx that was guarding the city, saving the citizens (info from the backstory). On page 11, a senator makes the comment, â€Å"if his bosom holds a grain of fear, curses like yours he never will abide.† The reader can assume the Athenians valued bravery because the senator makes a comment againstRead MoreOedipus the King and The Tragedy of King Lear Essay1272 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles’ Oedipus Rex and William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of King Lear One of the key themes in both Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of King Lear and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is the importance of having a good understanding of our condition as human beings – knowing ourselves, the world that surrounds us and our place in it. At the same time, however, both authors recognize the fact that blindness to this knowledge of the human condition is a basic mortal trait. Thus, before we can have an

Quan Free Essays

Life without language: all the ideas, thoughts, and emotions present, but unable to be expressed. This is how I picture my grandfather when he first Immigrated to America with my grandmother and their nine children. Lost, he wanders around, hoping to bump into someone who can understand him. We will write a custom essay sample on Quan or any similar topic only for you Order Now He raises his own children to know Vietnamese and hopes his future grandchildren would also be connected to the language of their ancestors. But when I form my lips into unnatural shapes to speak these words, they come out pathetically. I cannot speak Vietnamese. As a child, the conversations between me and my grandfather consisted of feeble attempts at speaking each others language. Only a couple of familiar words could momentarily break the wall that divided us. Whenever I visited his house, I exchanged a shaky â€Å"Choc Eng† for his heavily accented â€Å"He-Ill,† and ran off before the shame from my inability to understand could affect me. At the time, I was unaware of the synchronized rhythm that beats in the hearts of me, my father, and my grandfather. My grandfather loves playing the violin. Although he is not classically rained and can hardly keep a beat, he loves It and I can sense It every time he plays. When my family came to America, my father struggled to adjust as any teenage immigrant would. Vietnamese was confined to his family’s home and English was difficult to learn, so instead, he picked up the guitar and taught himself how to play â€Å"Yesterday’ by the Beetles. Forty years later, he claims he still cannot get it down perfectly. On the piano in our living room, he sings in broken English†¦ â€Å"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away†¦ † Like my grandfather, music Is a part of my father’s design. By the unchangeable threads of heredity, I was also fated to have a connection to music. Just Like them. And it was music that could break the language barrier between me and my grandfather. A single sheet of music sat in front of me. It was a beautiful piece, no doubt, but we, the All-State Senior Band, were playing it without any emotion. After a couple of unsuccessful run-troughs of this piece entitled â€Å"Hometown,† our guest conductor Samuel Hazy told us to look at measure thirty-three, reflect on a personal memory that reminded us of that part, and write about It right there on our sheet USIA. Soon after instructing us to do the same In the other parts of the piece, everyone’s sheet music was filled with our lives in the form of tiny scribbles between the lines of melodies. When we played the piece again, we were finally able to â€Å"sing our life stories,† as Mr.. Hazy would call it. Every musical phrase became a vessel for retelling our most precious memories: stories of first loves and recollections of childhood memories. No one had to say a single word. There In the music, I finally spoke to my grandparents. As I played measure thirty-three, I pictured them slating here on that boat in the middle of the ocean, holding onto a faint glimmer of hope for a new life in America, looking for their own new â€Å"hometown. I said â€Å"thank you† for their courage to come to the strange and unknown America and â€Å"sorry for being unable to speak Vietnamese. After the concert that night, I received a bigger hug than usual from them and I knew that they had heard and understood me. Being a part of a family and culture Is more than Just knowing the language. Emotions are enough to Vietnamese, the language of our origin, English, the language of our new home, and music to connect everything together. How to cite Quan, Papers

Appeal Letter on Poor Performance in Semester

Question: Writer an an appeal letter regarding poor performance in semester. Answer: Respected sir/ madam, I would like to humbly appeal to the dean of the University of Hofstra regarding my inferior performance and beg you to consider my circumstances and the effort I have put forth in my studies despite my family crisis. Being an international student did not allow for me to attend to the needs of my family and thus the resulting stress had a noticeable impact on my academic performance. I can assure you that I have given my best effort in my academic career and in the cases where the teachers supported me; my performance has improved by some small margin. For example, in the mathematics, my previous performances have been poor but the improvement in my spring semester attests to the fact that if the conditions are favourable I am capable of performing at the standard the university requires of me. In some cases, the teachers were unwilling or unable to help me and these were the classes where my performance was subpar. It is my dream to graduate from Hofstra and I am unwilling to give up on my dream even if I am at an age where my relatives and friends are starting the families and professional lives that is causing me no small amount of envy and inferiority. My poor social skills are another reason for me to depend on the teachers so much because I do not have any friends to help me with my study and time management. My final goal is to major in industrial engineering, which I am unwilling to give up. I also have been accepted for internship in august and hope to be accepted in another one in winter. I have the faith in my own abilities and the university that it can help me achieve my dreams. Thus, I beseech you to consider my appeal to support me through these distressing times in my life and help me achieve my best by guiding me in the systematic way in which I can handle my tasks. Thanks and regards. Yours faithfully,