The Knight of the Cart
As we move to the final two of Chretien's works, The Knight of the Cart and Perceval, you will discover two interesting things. First, these last two works were unfinished by Chretien. Second, both of these works would become his two most important creations with far reaching influence of both distance and time! In regards to this work in particular, I could safely say that most people have heard of Lancelot and some of those have even heard of Guinevere and their affair. Could the same be said of Sir Kay and Sir Bedevere the two warriors that have been tied with Arthur since some of the earliest stories? Nope. Probably not. And yet, this is the very first mention of Lancelot while Sir Kay and Sir Bedivere continue as characters from well before Lancelot to current times. Why is this?
Well, this is probably the sauciest of Chretien's works. Each of his works up to this point involve love and chivalry and the various pitfalls and challenges therein, but The Knight of the Cart has a few more things going for it in terms of entertainment.
As a quick recap (I'm glossing over quite a bit of material here), The Knight of the Cart begins with an evil knight who makes a challenge at the Court of King Arthur and wins. In winning, he is able to capture Queen Guinevere and returns with her to his Kingdom. Sir Gawain gallantly chases after them as does another more mysterious knight who is unnamed. This unnamed knight (who we later learn is Lancelot) chases after them with a desperation and rides two horses to death in his pursuit. When forced to walk he is offered a ride in a cart by a dwarf. He hesitates for a moment and then accepts. What is important here is that a cart is a transport for prisoners, usually to the gallows. A knight riding in one is an act of extreme humiliation. So much so, that in his adventures and challenges on his way to rescue Guinevere, he is laughed at, derided, and some even propose that suicide would be less shameful. Over time, however, his feats of strength and arms wins him some measure of popularity to the point where he is anticipated in the evil knight's kingdom. Once there he engages in some tournaments and eventually battles the evil knight up to a postponement. He arranges the temporary release of Guinevere with the promise to fight again in a year. During this time Guinevere refuses to see or talk to him. She is not upset that he engaged in the humiliating act of riding in a cart. No. She is upset that he hesitated before getting in the cart. In the meantime they both separately go mad with grief and contemplate suicide in the most dramatic way. Finally, a year later, the knight is defeated and all is good in the realm.
So what does this work have going for it and what does it have that the others may lack? Well, it already has all the same elements the other books have: Battles, magic, strange people and customs. We have trapped beds, animal illusions, a razor sharp bridge and and underwater one as well. These things place it at an even level with the other books. It also has some of the ideas from the other books such as an affair similar to Cliges, or love-loss grief such as in Yvain. What really sets it apart is the heightened fairy-tale level of ridiculousness. He is so enraptured by the sight of a lock Guinevere's hair that he faints and falls off his horse. He is later so lost in thoughts of her that he blindly bumps into a man trying to challenge him to a duel. When told to do his worst by Guinevere, Lancelot allows an opponent to pummel him. When told to do his best he redoubles his normal skill level and defeats the opponent. In the same tournament he even fights an opponent backwards just so he can stare at Guinevere while he fights. And, just as the entire land seems to know that Lancelot has taken the shame of riding in a cart, Guinevere knows that he hesitated before getting in it. This is enough for her to spurn him for a long time.
Aside from the exaggerated aspects of this romance, we also have the torrid affair. Unlike as in Cliges, a there is no villainous King or husband to make the affair seem acceptable. King Arthur is the very symbol of chivalry at this time in the literature. By the time Lancelot climbs the walls and breaks the bars just to sleep with Guinevere, the audience is rooting for him. So, why is this acceptable to a very Christian audience? Chivalric code allows him to do great deeds for the love of the lady and this can even be an unattainable lady such as the Queen herself but to sleep with her is unacceptable. During this time however, most marriages were for political or financial gain, not for love. Finding love outside a marriage would not be a big shock for the lords and ladies reading or hearing this. This story would be a vicarious thrill of sorts. So, the combination of both the exaggerated behaviors of a love-sick Lancelot and the steamy forbidden affair has made Lancelot a lasting favorite. This little plot line will eventually, as the literature progresses over time, tie with the Mordred/Guinevere story line and it will become Lancelot's affair with Guinevere that begins the collapse of Camelot and this is why, with the creation of this character, this is one of Chretien's most influential works.
Thank you and I will return soon with Perceval, arguably of equal standing, if not higher, in influence as Lancelot. Ill let you decide for yourselves!
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