Knight-errant
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| - | {{Template}}A '''knight-errant''' (plural ''knights-errant'') is a figure of [[Middle Ages|medieval]] [[Romance (genre)|chivalric romance literature]]. "Errant" meaning wandering or roving, indicates how the knight-errant would typically wander the land in search of adventures to prove himself as a knight. | + | {| class="toccolours" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5" |
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| + | "[[Peter of Blois |Pierre de Blois]], who wrote in the twelfth century, complains that the [[horse]]s of the [[Knight-errant|knights]] were more frequently loaded with implements of gluttony and drunkenness, than with arms fit for battle. "They are burdened, "says he, "not with weapons, but wine; not with [[javelin]]s, but cheeses; not with [[bludgeon]]s, but bottles; not with spears, but with spits."."--''[[History of Fiction (John Colin Dunlop)|History of Fiction]]'' (1814) by John Colin Dunlop | ||
| + | <hr> | ||
| + | "Many an argument did [[Don Quixote|he]] have with the curate of his village as to which had been the better [[knight]], [[Palmerin of England]] or [[Amadís de Gaula|Amadis of Gaul]]." --''[[Don Quixote]]'' (1605) by Miguel de Cervantes | ||
| + | <hr> | ||
| + | “I’m a [[fairy tale]] [[princess]] in search of a [[Knight-errant|knight]] and I never believed dreams come true. I’m just like you, I’m caught up in a [[One-night stand |one night love affair]].”--"[[I'm Caught Up (In a One Night Love Affair)]]" (1979) by Inner Life | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | [[Image:Don Quixote and Sancho Pansa by Honoré Daumier.jpg|thumb|200px|right|''[[Don Quixote]]'' (c. 1868) by [[Honoré Daumier]]]] | ||
| + | {{Template}} | ||
| + | A '''knight-errant''' is a figure of medieval [[Chivalric romance|chivalric romance literature]]. The adjective ''[[errant]]'' (meaning "wandering, roving") indicates how the knight-errant would wander the land in search of adventures to prove his [[chivalry|chivalric]] virtues, either in [[knight]]ly [[duel]]s or in some other pursuit of [[courtly love]]. | ||
| - | The first known appearance of the term "knight-errant" was in the 14th century poem ''[[Sir Gawain and the Green Knight]]'', where Sir Gawain arrives at the castle of Sir Bercilak de Haudesert after long journeys, and Sir Bercilak goes to welcome the "knygt erraunt." | + | ==Description== |
| + | The knight-errant is a character who has broken away from the world of his origin, in order to go off on his own [[Robin Hood|to right wrongs]] or to test and assert his own chivalric ideals. He is motivated by [[Ideal (ethics)|idealism]] and goals that are often illusory. In medieval Europe, knight-errantry existed in literature, though fictional works from this time often were presented as [[non-fiction]]. | ||
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| + | The template of the knight-errant were the heroes of the [[Round Table]] of the [[Arthurian cycle]] such as [[Gawain]], [[Lancelot]], and [[Percival]]. The [[quest]] in pursuit of which these knights wandered the lands is that of the [[Holy Grail]], such as in ''[[Perceval, the Story of the Grail]]'' written by [[Chrétien de Troyes]] in the 1180s. | ||
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| + | The character of the wandering knight existed in romantic literature as it developed during the late 12th century. However, the term "knight-errant" was to come later; its first extant usage occurs in the 14th-century poem ''[[Sir Gawain and the Green Knight]]''. Knight-errantry tales remained popular with [[courtier|courtly]] audiences throughout the [[Late Middle Ages]]. | ||
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| + | In the 16th century, the genre became highly popular in the [[Iberian Peninsula]]; ''[[Amadis de Gaula]]'' was one of the most successful knight-errantry tales of this period. In ''[[Don Quixote]]'' (1605), [[Miguel de Cervantes]] [[burlesque]]d the romances and their popularity. Tales of knight-errantry then fell out of fashion for two centuries, until they re-emerged in the form of the [[historical novel]] in [[Romanticism]]. | ||
| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | * [[Black knight]] | ||
| + | * [[Romantic hero]] | ||
| + | * [[Byronic hero]] | ||
| + | * [[Richard Payne Knight]] | ||
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Current revision
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"Pierre de Blois, who wrote in the twelfth century, complains that the horses of the knights were more frequently loaded with implements of gluttony and drunkenness, than with arms fit for battle. "They are burdened, "says he, "not with weapons, but wine; not with javelins, but cheeses; not with bludgeons, but bottles; not with spears, but with spits."."--History of Fiction (1814) by John Colin Dunlop "Many an argument did he have with the curate of his village as to which had been the better knight, Palmerin of England or Amadis of Gaul." --Don Quixote (1605) by Miguel de Cervantes “I’m a fairy tale princess in search of a knight and I never believed dreams come true. I’m just like you, I’m caught up in a one night love affair.”--"I'm Caught Up (In a One Night Love Affair)" (1979) by Inner Life |
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A knight-errant is a figure of medieval chivalric romance literature. The adjective errant (meaning "wandering, roving") indicates how the knight-errant would wander the land in search of adventures to prove his chivalric virtues, either in knightly duels or in some other pursuit of courtly love.
Description
The knight-errant is a character who has broken away from the world of his origin, in order to go off on his own to right wrongs or to test and assert his own chivalric ideals. He is motivated by idealism and goals that are often illusory. In medieval Europe, knight-errantry existed in literature, though fictional works from this time often were presented as non-fiction.
The template of the knight-errant were the heroes of the Round Table of the Arthurian cycle such as Gawain, Lancelot, and Percival. The quest in pursuit of which these knights wandered the lands is that of the Holy Grail, such as in Perceval, the Story of the Grail written by Chrétien de Troyes in the 1180s.
The character of the wandering knight existed in romantic literature as it developed during the late 12th century. However, the term "knight-errant" was to come later; its first extant usage occurs in the 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Knight-errantry tales remained popular with courtly audiences throughout the Late Middle Ages.
In the 16th century, the genre became highly popular in the Iberian Peninsula; Amadis de Gaula was one of the most successful knight-errantry tales of this period. In Don Quixote (1605), Miguel de Cervantes burlesqued the romances and their popularity. Tales of knight-errantry then fell out of fashion for two centuries, until they re-emerged in the form of the historical novel in Romanticism.
See also
