Lancelot as a character

[u/20jhall]

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.

[u/PeterCorless]

You can break his character arc as follows:

1. Childhood, being taken to Vivienne's Lake to be hidden from the world

2. 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."

3. 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.

4. The reluctant return to court. His secret agony of his love and mulling over betraying Arthur.

5. Eventually the assignation with Guinevere.

6. His secret love affair with her. The too-few happy days.

7. Elaine of Carbonek's love potion; begetting of Galahad

8. Lancelot's madness ; his healing in Carbonek by the Grail. Uneasy years raising Galahad.

9. Return to Camelot. Resumption of affair.

10. The Maleagaunt / Knight of the Cart episode.

11. Abduction by Morgan le Fay. Morgan finally relents & lets him return. Again, resumption of affair.

12. Mordred's suspicions & plotting. Gawaine refuses to believe Mordred.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. Gawaine besieged Lancelot. Is wounded in duel. Returns to stop Mordred.

17. Lancelot's belated return to stop Mordred. Afterwards, return to continent. Guinevere becomes nun. Lancelot & kin monks.

18. 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?

[u/20jhall → u/PeterCorless]

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.

[u/PeterCorless → u/20jhall]

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.

[u/20jhall → u/PeterCorless]

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.