andisgrace (de Troye 155). The story shows the honor that Lancelot has for what hebelieves is right by God, although he knows by saving her will only mean that hewill still have to sleep with her, which he replies The object of my greatpursuit is no less than Queen Guinevere (155). Yet his feelings of honor takeshold and he goes on to save the lady of the castle, and feels horrible for hishesitation. This sense of honor even goes above Beowulf's honor for what wasBeowulf's desire. Lancelot holds it as something he must do even if it isagainst his desire. This is an attribute of the society of these times. Theideals of the society was that the knights would uphold honor above all othermatters, even matters they disagreed with. Another aspect is this desire forcourtly love with utter devotion to the admired and loved.Perhaps the most compelling aspect of Lancelot is the act in which hehears of the rumor that Guinevere is dead. He becomes so sorrowful that heproclaims:...My health is good, but you have struck me down. I am crushed, yet thesole pain I feel is the grief in my heart. This grief is anillness, indeed a fatal one, and I wish it to be fatal (de Troye165), at this he attempts to commit suicide, and fails. This act is completelyout of love for Guinevere for which he believes is over. The great pursuit(155) for Guinevere, he believes is over, so to than will his life perish, forhis life was nothing without her there. Yet, the passion he displays is nothingshort of amazing, to love so strongly to risk his own personal beliefs for thatlove. The last complex piece to the puzzle of the warrior, not just personalsacrifice in time, or your life, but the ideals and beliefs one holds discardedfor the desire to reach what he wants. Evolution, over time, has shaped the ideas and beliefs on what the warriorholds in his journeys. That the warrior tales started with a man trying toreturn home, to a man sacrificing his beliefs for the love ...
