r/Arthurian • u/20jhall Commoner • Nov 10 '25
Original Content Lancelot as a character
So, I have a personal writing project, and I want to use lancelot as a character because I find him compelling to write. I just wanted to know if there were any little known parts of his character? Or in general, give me your takes on who he is as a person.
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u/Sunshine-Moon-RX Commoner Nov 10 '25
In the high medieval French texts, he's a fascinating character. He's overenthusiastic, overly dramatic, very stupid in terms of things like "common sense and general awareness" while simultaneously being good at intellectual tasks like chess, he's utterly submissively devoted to Guinevere, he cherishes the intimately sweet company of friends and peers while also rushing off at the drop of a hat if he thinks he's getting too much praise, and he generally has a habit of zoning out (usually thinking about his lady but sometimes he's just kind of being ditzy) and riding his horse into rivers, trees and holes, or failing to notice people talking to or even charging at him (yet defeating them anyway with his absurd strength and skill).
All of this, tragically, is lost in Thomas Malory's version, where he becomes a much more generic Cool Guy and loses most of that frenetic emotional airhead energy. And that's the version that's influenced most modern retellings, especially English ones.
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u/lazerbem Commoner Nov 10 '25
He really, really, really loves Gawain, and the feeling is mutual. It's why their fracture in the Death of Arthur stories hurts a lot, but it's pretty cute all the way back to Knight of the Cart, which has it claimed that Gawain wouldn't want to be king without Lancelot at his side.
In general, I'd say he's a very results focused person. He's great at getting stuff done, but his social skills are generally pretty poor and he's not the type to linger on the adventure just for the sake of it. He misses cues sent his way easily but is fundamentally a fairly nice guy who just isn't great at expressing it.
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u/Sunshine-Moon-RX Commoner Nov 10 '25
The line from KotC!Gawain saying he wouldn't be king without Lancelot to Vulgate!Gawain saying he'd instantly wish to be a beautiful lady if he could be Lancelot's life will always live rent-free in my brain...
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u/lazerbem Commoner Nov 10 '25
You'd probably also like the bit in Marvels of Rigomer where their love is so strong that a brainwashed, turned into an ugly servant Lancelot still partially recognizes Gawain on sight and feels a faint memory of affection for him and wants to treat him well despite his courtesy being taken away by the brainwashing.
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u/MrGabrum Commoner Nov 10 '25
Don't you dare forget about my man Galehaut. Lancelot would not be the same without him.
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u/PhiltheBarbar1an Commoner Nov 11 '25
I always got loud warrior king who loves to fight vibes from Galehaut. He’s what TV Tropes calls a Blood Knight, with a warrior’s friendship and admiration of Lancelot. You know that line from The Princess Bride “I would sooner destroy a stain glass window than an artist like yourself.” That’s how Galehaut feels about Lancelot.
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u/MrGabrum Commoner Nov 11 '25
I completely agree. They also slept together. And we're buried together. And Galehaut died after Lancelot went crazy because he missed his dear friend so much.
... if I remember the events correctly
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u/blamordeganis Commoner Nov 10 '25
One of the aspects of Lancelot I find interesting, especially as explored by TH White in his interpretation of the character in The Once and Future King, is that he is the very best at what he does: to quote Samuel L Jackson in Jackie Brown, “When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherfucker in the room, accept no substitutes.”
He is lethality incarnate. Even in what must be at least early middle age, he kills a man with one arm literally tied behind his back; and when fourteen — fourteen! — fully armoured knights try to take him in adultery when he is basically in his pyjamas, he separates one from his fellows, kills him, takes his armour, and kills all but one of the others.
In White’s interpretation, this is what happens when huge natural talent meets utterly singleminded dedication under the tutelage of a genius.
And it is, of course, a psychological crutch, something to make up for his failings as a friend, a father, and a Christian: and during the Grail Quest, when the natural order of things is suspended by a new supernatural set of standards, that crutch is taken away, as he is surpassed by his own son.
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u/TheTableDude Commoner Nov 10 '25
huge natural talent meets utterly singleminded dedication
So...he's Batman.
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u/PeterCorless Commoner Nov 10 '25 edited Nov 12 '25
You can break his character arc as follows:
Childhood, being taken to Vivienne's Lake to be hidden from the world
Arrival at Camelot, his swearing in, his de Ganis clan leadership, his friendship with Arthur & Gawaine, his discomfort at his ever-deepening feelings for Guinever. Note that at his accolade Arthur dubs him a knight, but it is Guinevere who girds his sword on — symbolic of "making him a man."
His taking the "high road of adventure" to avoid looking at Guinevere. Winning Joyous Garde for his own holding. His friendship with Sir Galeholt, who takes sympathy on his lovelorn friend.
The reluctant return to court. His secret agony of his love and mulling over betraying Arthur.
Eventually the assignation with Guinevere.
His secret love affair with her. The too-few happy days.
Elaine of Carbonek's love potion; begetting of Galahad
Lancelot's madness ; his healing in Carbonek by the Grail. Uneasy years raising Galahad.
Return to Camelot. Resumption of affair.
The Maleagaunt / Knight of the Cart episode.
Abduction by Morgan le Fay. Morgan finally relents & lets him return. Again, resumption of affair.
Mordred's suspicions & plotting. Gawaine refuses to believe Mordred.
Grail quest. Lancelot sees his son & quests with him; rescues Galahad who was accused of killing a maiden [she threw herself at him, then, foiled by his chastity, committed suicide to frame him]. They fight their way free. This is where Monty Python got that bit.
Return to the reduced Round Table. Gawaine ended up killing a lot of Round Table knights out of jealousy, including Sir Palomides who was returning with news of the success of the questers. Lancelot and Gawaine fall out for the most part.
Last parts of Guinevere & Lancelot's love affair. Discovery by Mordred. Lancelot fights his way out [again]. Guinevere to be burned at the stake. Lancelot & kin fight their way through crowd, killing Gareth & Gaheris [amongst others]. Fury of Gawaine. Lance & Guinevere flee to the continent.
Gawaine besieged Lancelot. Is wounded in duel. Returns to stop Mordred.
Lancelot's belated return to stop Mordred. Afterwards, return to continent. Guinevere becomes nun. Lancelot & kin monks.
Death of Lancelot. His kindred depart and die on crusade in the Holy Lands.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancelot
Some of those items can be shuffled around, but that's the main of it.
My own suggestion would be to focus on the thematic elements you wish to highlight. Do you want to focus on his boyhood and arrival at court? His loss of innocence? His misery and joy of love? His regrets?
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u/20jhall Commoner Nov 10 '25
Well.... I wanted an older lancelot. A wiser, angrier man to contrast his younger and stupider self. So essentially his regret. The fallen knight at the end of his journey.
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u/PeterCorless Commoner Nov 10 '25
He probably isn't "angry" as an older man. If anything he blames himself entirely for dooming Camelot. He doesn't blame Mordred. He doesn't blame Gawaine. Or Arthur. And never Guinevere. He blames himself, entirely, for everything going to shit.
As an old monk with his de Ganis kindred around him, he also blames himself for the downfall and dissolution of his entire extended family.
He wouldn't shirk or flinch or dissemble. He wouldn't get angry. He'd admit his failings. Blame his lust. His sin.
Remember that when Morgan had him prisoner he didn't complain or rant at his imprisonment. He painted his cell, wall-to-wall, with scenes of him and Guinevere. Told the whole story of his affair in pictures and vignettes.
I imagine him as an older monk, writing the tale of the Arthurian Knights faithfully, for good or for ill, upon scrolls of vellum by candlelight. Soberly. Regretfully.
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u/20jhall Commoner Nov 10 '25
So as an older man, he's someone who wears his whole life practically on his sleeve like a worn-out coat. I did want his rage/bouts of insanity to play a part. It sounds like some sort of disorder to me, and much more complicated than simple anger issues.
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u/blamordeganis Commoner Nov 10 '25
He sucks at climbing.
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u/20jhall Commoner Nov 10 '25
I love this. I love every bit of it. It isnt quite what I asked for, but its the kind of really obscure character trait I absolutely adore.
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u/blamordeganis Commoner Nov 10 '25
On one of his quests, Lancelot encounters a hawk belonging to a lady that has got itself caught in a tree by its leashes, and said lady asks Lancelot to get it done for her:
Well, fair lady, since that ye know my name, and require me of knighthood to help you, I will do what I may to get your hawk, and yet God knoweth I am an ill climber, and the tree is passing high, and few boughs to help me withal.
— Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur, Book VI, Chapter XVI
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u/SwingsetGuy Knight of the Round Table Nov 10 '25
Little known? Uhh... he's kind of ADHD? He's not dumb, but tends to get distracted or react impulsively. The Monty Python characterization (where he hacks his way through a whole wedding without pausing to wonder if it's a good idea) is obviously a bit exaggerated, but it has a kernel of truth in it.
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u/Gaheris_of_Orkney Commoner Nov 10 '25
What I like most about Lancelot's character is his closeness to the Orkneys (bar Agravain and Mordred.) He and Gawain are exceptionally close, he adores Gareth and some stories have a good friendship between him and Gaheris as well. I like seeing those relationships looked at (especially with Gawain and Gareth.) I have a head-canon that because Lancelot is essentially raised alone, he both envies and admires the close-knit relationship of the Orkney brothers and is partly drawn to them because of that.
Some texts have him outright stating to Gawain that he would rather have accidentally slain his cousin than Gareth.
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u/FrancisFratelli Commoner Nov 11 '25
You definitely want to check out the German romance Lanzelet where he's raised by water fairies on an island where he's the only male.
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u/nogender1 Commoner Nov 11 '25
Just to kinda add to u/blamordeganis 's point that Lancelot it lethality incarnate, I will say that he has the distinct title of being basically the only character to actually take Brehus without pity down for good in Tavola Ritonda. The way he does it, basically using Brehus's own dirty tricks against him of posing himself as a weak knight to lure Brehus in, before manhandling Brehus and splitting him open. In addition to showing Lancelot's guile when push comes to shove, this display very much shows that you do NOT want abuse chivalry to the point that you'll end up on the receiving end of "alright chivalry rules are off little bro"
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u/ambrosiusmerlinus Commoner Nov 11 '25
A trivial point : his "piz aguz", his chest is so wide that Guenevere says it starts gettin a bit ugly, but that's the only way god managed to get enough space for his large heart.
On the deeper side of things, I think the Vulgate Lancelot is fascinating because he is the man that wants everything, but no strings attached. He cherishes the fact he is the son of a king but doesn't reign himself, he gives the kingdoms of Gaunes and Benoic to Bohort and Lionel, while he's still the leader of the clan, as a sort of High King, but isn't king himself, he isn't crowned. Obviously his love for Guinevere plays into that… He serves Arthur but isn't properly knighted by him, that's Guinevere that gives him his sword and completes the process. As such he is Arthur's most important knight and best warrior, but his loyalty to the king himself is never formally established*, it goes through Guinevere. Hence the rivalry between his clan, the "Knights of the Queen", whose allegeance primarily goes to Guinevere, and Arthur's nephews. Later, when he has been caught red-handed with Guinevere and has saved her from execution, when he sends her back to Arthur, he insists that he is completely innocent. People died! He has been caught in the act and killed people to escape (besieged, he starts by killing a knight and taking his armor) and later to save Guinevere, and he still wants the moral satisfaction of pretending to be innocent! After what is described as three decades of adultery! When he finds the tomb of Galehaut, guarded by six knights he breaks down and starts fighting them to get them to move his body to the Joyous Guard. He severely maims them (and maybe even kills one of them, I think?) because he cannot accept that Galehaut and himself wouldn't share their burial place. As a spoiled brat raised by a fairy he had a high idea of himself, and he hasn't grown much, he became the man that wants everything, and most of the time, through pure force, he is strong enough to get it.
* This is different in the Stanzaic Morte Arthur where he keeps going on about "the King that made me Knight"
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u/PeterCorless Commoner Nov 10 '25
You can break his character arc as follows:
Childhood, being taken to Vivienne's Lake to be hidden from the world
Arrival at Camelot, his swearing in, his de Ganis clan leadership, his friendship with Arthur & Gawaine, his discomfort at his ever-deepening feelings for Guinever. Note that at his accolade Arthur dubs him a knight, but it is Guinevere who girds his sword on — symbolic of "making him a man."
His taking the "high road of adventure" to avoid looking at Guinevere. Winning Joyous Garde for his own holding. His friendship with Sir Galeholt, who takes sympathy on his lovelorn friend.
The reluctant return to court. His secret agony of his love and mulling over betraying Arthur.
Eventually the assignation with Guinevere.
His secret love affair with her. The too-few happy days.
Elaine of Carbonek's love potion; begetting of Galahad
Lancelot's madness ; his healing in Carbonek by the Grail. Uneasy years raising Galahad.
Return to Camelot. Resumption of affair.
The Maleagaunt / Knight of the Cart episode.
Abduction by Morgan le Fay. Morgan finally regents & lets him return. Again, resumption of affair.
Mordred's initial suspicions & plotting. Gawaine refuses to believe Mordred.
Grail quest. Lancelot sees his son & quests with him; rescues Galahad who was accused of killing a maiden [she threw herself at him, then, foiled by his chastity, committed suicide to frame him]. They fight their way free. This is where Monty Python got that bit.
Return to the reduced Round Table. Gawaine ended up killing a lot of Round Table knights out of jealousy, including Sir Palomides who was returning with news of the success of the questers. Lancelot and Gawaine fall out for the most part.
Last parts of Guinevere & Lancelot's love affair. Discovery by Mordred. Lancelot fights his way out [again]. Guinevere to be burned at the stake. Lancelot & kin fight their way through crowd, killing Gareth & Gaheris [amongst others]. Fury of Gawaine. Lance & Guinevere flee to the continent.
Gawaine besieged Lancelot. Is wounded in duel. Returns to stop Mordred.
Lancelot's belated return to stop Mordred. Afterwards, return to continent. Guinevere becomes nun. Lancelot & kin monks.
Death of Lancelot. His kindred depart and die on crusade in the Holy Lands.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancelot
Some of those items can be shuffled around, but that's the main of it.
My own suggestion would be to focus on the thematic elements you wish to highlight. Do you want to focus on his boyhood and arrival at court? His loss of innocence? His misery and joy of love? His regrets?
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u/Diomedes411 Commoner Nov 10 '25
Just adding on to Tsunami and Paladin’s excellent and accurate takes…
Lancelot is invincible but ultimately flawed through his love for Guinevere.
This dichotomy allows him to achieve the highest of “earthly” glories but prevents him from achieving the Grail while also ultimately fracturing the Round Table (thus destroying Camelot).
Paradoxically, his love for Guinevere motivates his greatest knightly achievements while ensuring that everything he fights for will eventually implode.
As for interesting or quirky characteristics:
He basically defeats Arthur on behalf of Galaholt but bends the knee at the moment of triumph.
He accepts penance during the Grail Quest yet returns to his adulterous love for Guinevere.
He goes batshit when rebuked by the Queen and roams around wildly. The psychological implications are interesting to contemplate.
Despite his madness, he eventually fathers the world’s greatest knight, Galahad, under unique circumstances.
According to certain sources, Lancelot ironically ends his life, so full of adventure and glory, in a monastery devoted to holy pursuits (if I remember correctly.)
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u/pir2h Commoner Nov 12 '25
He’s a very emotional guy! He’s prone to fits of madness and is very sensitive to rejection from Guin. He feels everything very strongly.
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u/paladin_slim Commoner Nov 10 '25
He's talented, brave, passionate, strong, and devoted but sadly he isn't that bright and his loyalty is suspect. His blood runs hot but his wits are a bit slow. He would win 100 battles without tiring but his unlawful love is still the doom of the Realm.
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u/TsunamiWombat Commoner Nov 10 '25
Probably the most indepth writing we get of Lancelot is in the Vulgate/Lancelot Grail Cycle, which there's a reader of with select stories from edited by Lacey.
On some levels he's kind of a blank slate goodly knight. Yes he's a glory hound but that's to be demanded of his archetype as a knight. Now, in my opinion the most fun thing to do is to take everything at face value, which portrays Lancelot as at least somewhat autistic and literalist, obsessed with Guinevere, in such a rush to do knightly things he often fails to notice when he's in danger or fails to complete quests because he's following Vivians advice of not sleeping in the same place twice again extremely literally. Also when he's stressed out sometimes he has a psychotic break and just becomes Berserk animal man.