##arison Of Chivalry In Terry Gilliams Monty Python And...

In Beowulf, Beowulf embodies chivalry in his quest for treasure and riches to sustain his kingdom. In Terry Gilliam’s Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the Black Knight embodies chivalry by manning his post at a bridge and protecting it. Despite their different motivations for being chivalrous, both Beowulf and the Black Knight demonstrate how chivalry is unsustainable due to its insatiable demands. To defend my thesis, I will be discussing how each text defines chivalry, how the characters in their respective text embody chivalry, what motivates each character to be chivalrous, and why both characters show how chivalry is unsustainable. Beowulf and Monty Python and the Holy Grail share a similar view of chivalry as a fulfillment of one’s†¦show more content†¦His duty requires him to fight the dragon alone to try and obtain its treasure for his kingdom. Even though the chance of success would be far greater with his army beside him, Beowulf chooses to be chivalr ous and face the perilous battle without them. The Black Knight chooses to be chivalrous in his duty as well, relentlessly guarding the bridge against intruders. He even refuses King Arthur when he offers him a place at his â€Å"court in Camelot,† and tells him that since he must cross, he â€Å"must die† (Gilliam). The Black Knight refuses to abandon his post and tarnish his honor and instead remains chivalrous by defending the bridge from King Arthur. Even once he has lost an arm, he continued to fight until he couldn’t anymore, doing all that he could to chivalrously complete his duty against all odds. Beowulf and the Black Knight embody their ideas of chivalry by engaging in combat to fulfill their duties, both forgoing an easier route for the sake of their honor. Where Beowulf and the Black Knight differ is their motivations for being chivalrous. Beowulf is motivated by the welfare of his kingdom. He believed that if he could get the dragon’s treasu re, he could prevent the war â€Å"looming over [his] nation† (Heaney 197). Since Beowulf could not defeat the approaching armies in his old age, he thought that