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The Lady of Shalott and Le Morte d’Arthur

Despite being authored over 300 years apart, The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Lord

Tennyson and Le Morte d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory share the common theme of chivalry.

Three components of chivalry in these two pieces are loyalty, courage, and respect for women.

One component of chivalry that these two pieces share is loyalty. In The Lady of Shalott,

the theme of loyalty emerges with the descriptions of Sir Lancelot, and how he bears the mark of

the Knights of the Round Table. “Of bold Sir Lancelot. A red-cross knight for ever kneeled”

(Lady of Shalott, Part III). This depiction of Lancelot bearing the red cross shows how Lancelot

is valued as being loyal to both King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Similarly, in Le

Morte d’Arthur, loyalty is shown by King Arthur’s servants and helpers when he calls for help in

his sleep. Their quick response and concern for their king’s health depict loyalty. “And then the

King cried as he lay in his bed, “Help, help!” And then knights, squires, yeomen awaked the

King, and then he was so amazed that he wist not where he was.” (Malory, 91). The fast arrival

to their king’s call of distress depicts loyalty among the people of Camelot.

Another component of chivalry that these two pieces share is courage. In The Lady of

Shalott, the reader can see courage depicted in the descriptions of Lancelot. This not only shows

that the Code of Chivalry emphasizes courage and bravery, but what they felt properly showed

courage in a knight. “As he rode down to Camelot: And from his blazoned baldric slung A

mighty silver bugle hung, And as he rode his armour rung… His broad clear brow in sunlight

glowed; On burnished hooves his war-horse trode; From underneath his helmet flowed His coal-

black curls as on he rode.” (Lady of Shalott, Part III). Here, the reader clearly sees how Sir

Lancelot is depicted as a brave, fearless, and courageous warrior. In Le Morte d’Arthur, the

reader can see how courage is very valued in this society. Despite it being dangerous and
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unnecessary, King Arthur charges at Sir Mordred, with the intent of killing him for his people

and his knights. “Then the King got his spear in both his hands and ran toward Sir Mordred,

crying and saying, “Traitor, now is thy deathday come!” And when Sir Mordred saw King

Arthur he ran until him with his sword drawn in his hand, and there King Arthur smote Sir

Mordred under the shield, with a thrust of his spear, throughout the body more than a fathom.”

(Le Morte d’Arthur, 95). Previously to this point of the story, King Arthur was warned that If he

went to war with Sir Mordred, he would die. Despite his obvious fear of death, he still valiantly

charges to smite Sir Mordred. During this time, ‘courage’ did not mean to be fearless, but rather

to act in spite of your fear. King Arthur exemplified this courage in this passage.

A third component of chivalry that these two pieces share is respect for women. In The

Lady of Shalott, the reader can see the respect for others, especially women, that the people of

Camelot have. “And in the lighted palace near Died the sound of royal cheer; And they crossed

themselves for fear, All the knights at Camelot: But Lancelot mused a little space; He said, “She

has a lovely face; God in his mercy lend her grace, The Lady of Shalott.” (The Lady of Shalott,

End). The reader can see how the Code of Chivalry respects a corpse, even that of a complete

stranger. It is important to note that, upon the discovery of her death, the entire town ceases to

hold festivities out of respect of the death of a woman that nobody knew. She had been locked in

a tower all her life, and she was a stranger to all. Despite this, the people of Camelot pay her

respect. In Le Morte d’Arthur, the reader can again see how the Code of Chivalry values respect

for women. “‘Sir,’ said Sir Gawain, ‘all these be ladies for whom I have foughten for when I was

a man living. And all these are those that I did battle for in righteous quarrels, and God hath

given them that grace, at their great prayer, because I did battle for them for their right, that they

should bring me hither unto you.’” (Le Morte d’Arthur, 92). In this passage, the reader can
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analyze how Sir Gawain has valiantly fought for all these women, and that God has granted them

grace. These analyses show how respect for women, even so far as endangering your own life, is

highly valued in the Code of Chivalry.

In conclusion, the chivalrous values of loyalty, courage, and respect for women are

displayed in The Lady of Shalott and Le Morte d’Arthur. There is speculation that King Arthur

and the Knights of the Round Table may have not even existed, but the Code of Chivalry still

persists. Its source, then, is the culture of the society of the time. Knights were depicted as the

ideal members of the society, so it is only appropriate that they are given the attributed that

society values most. The attributes culminated in the Code of Chivalry, and its ramifications can

be seen more than 300 years later in poetry, and even to today.