The Ill-Made Knight

Plot

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Much of The Ill-Made Knight takes place in the fabled Camelot, full of blue castle tops, red banners and white castle bricks. Against this happy backdrop, White constructs a tragedy.

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The Ill-Made Knight is based around the adventures, perils and mistakes of Sir Lancelot. Lancelot, despite being the bravest of the knights, is ugly, and ape-like, so that he calls himself the "Ill-Made Knight". T.H. White's version of the tale elaborates greatly on the passionate love of Lancelot and Guinevere. Suspense is provided by the tension between Lancelot's friendship to King Arthur and his love for his best friend's wife. It is hard to explain Lancelot?s love for Guinevere, for it seems unimaginable; he would sit upon his horse for days upon days, and many restless nights, dreaming about the queen and always lusting for her while he is away on his noble deeds.

Related Topics:
Lancelot - Guinevere - King Arthur

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The Ill-Made Knight also deals with the quest for the Holy Grail, but this is a side event to the main thrust of the story, and distracts many readers from the main plot of Lancelot and Guinevere. About one quarter of the book is centered in the Holy Grail, another quarter in Lancelot?s other adventures and lessons and finally about a good half on the love between Lancelot and Guinevere. The affair leads inevitably to the breaking of the round table and sets up the tragedy that is to follow in the conclusion, The Candle in the Wind.

Related Topics:
Holy Grail - The Candle in the Wind

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