Medieval lit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Medieval lit - Essay Example 21-23). Plainly, he is upset that the queen is carrying on an affair that everyone knows about, but no one is doing anything about. Obviously, he doesn’t think it is fair to Arthur. In fact, what Guinevere is doing is against the law in more that one way. First, cheating on her husband is committing treason against the king. Second, some of her acts call for Lancelot to lie to the king, which is also unlawful. Setting aside for a moment that adultery is morally wrong, the fact that she displays a lack of ethics, and a disregard for the law is a good insight into the person Guinevere actually is. Instead of the epitome of honor and grace that queen’s of the time usually displayed, Guinevere was a liar, a cheater, and a disgrace to the throne. Guinevere’s actions cause the knights to feel the need to explain to Arthur that his favored knight is a â€Å"traytoure to youre person† (647, l. 32). Hence, they set a trap for Lancelot so that the king would have proof that the two were traitors. The initial problem with the whole set up is that the king, and the knights, have plenty to worry about from outside threats. They shouldn’t have to spend their time setting traps for people who are supposed to be on their side. Another problem is that once caught, the king is forced to do something. In order to save face, and protect his kingdom from people who would think he was weak for excusing traitors, the king would have to take drastic measures against his wife, or his favorite knight. Again, none of this is healthy for a kingdom. Without question, Camelot is worse for hosting Queen Guinevere. After the affair is discovered, Arthur sentences her to die. Technically, this, too, is probably a denegration of the king, since Guinevere’s position (even prior to marrying the Arthur) probably meant that she should have had a trial. Arthur