[DFT] Fw: [ChivalryToday] Defeat, Hope and Chivalry

[Seanan mac Tighearnain]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott Farrell" <scott at ChivalryToday.com>
To: <ChivalryToday at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2002 6:38 PM
Subject: [ChivalryToday] Defeat, Hope and Chivalry


> Defeat, Hope and Chivalry
> By Scott Farrell
> ©2002 Shining Armor Enterprises
> www.ChivalryToday.com
>
> Anyone who has ever read tales of chivalry from the Middle Ages has
> probably noticed one very distinctive factor: They all end in defeat.
> Roland is betrayed and killed by Ganelon's treachery. Beowulf falls in
> battle with the "terrible earth-dragon." Arthur succumbs to an enemy
> army led by his own son, Mordred, who despises the ideals of the Round
> Table.
>
> It's true - the stories which epitomize the Knightly Virtues rarely have
> happy endings. Even the modern retellings of these tales, such as "The
> Once and Future King," "The Mists of Avalon" and "The Tower of Beowulf,"
> are notorious for their heart-wrenching conclusions. During a discussion
> on books about the Code of Chivalry, a woman once said to me, "I really
> love reading stories of knights and castles, but can you please
> recommend one that won't leave me in tears?"
>
> This aspect of the chivalric epics confuses a lot of people. After
> reading about the downfall of so many great kings and noble knights, we
> seem to be left with the message that chivalry is a lost cause, and that
> corruption will always win out over virtue. When you consider the
> stories in that manner, you might wonder why anyone would choose to
> follow a code that appears to be destined to get them killed in the end.
>
> But few of the people in the Middle Ages who listened to the chivalric
> romances had an opportunity to defend a heroic cause with their dying
> breath. Although they might be enthralled with stories of Sir Lancelot
> or Charlemagne by an evening's fireside, they knew that in the morning
> their battles would involve plowing their fields, tending their flocks
> or selling their wares. The epics of chivalry weren't "how-to" manuals;
> they were statements about the enduring strength of qualities like
> loyalty, honesty and love.
>
> In today's stories, when the "good guy" does the right thing, we expect
> a happily-ever-after ending. We have come to believe that a person who
> lives a good life will eventually prosper and succeed. Of course the
> tales of chivalry and heroism should not discourage us from pursuing our
> own happy endings, but they should remind us of the importance of
> integrity in life's dark times. Living by the Knightly Virtues is fairly
> easy when you're assured of success; the true measure of chivalry is how
> you meet the inevitable failures and defeats which life deals out. Do
> you abandon the causes which you hold dear? Or do you, like a knight in
> shining armor, cling to the tenets of the Code of Chivalry, let the
> storm pass you by, and ride on, undaunted, to continue the quest of your
> heart?
>
> We all experience setbacks, disappointments and losses in our lives. The
> hope of chivalry exists in the realization that such things can defeat
> us only if we allow them to strip us of what we believe in.
>
> = = = = = =
>
> Readers are permitted and encouraged to share this article with friends,
> family and colleagues via other e-mail lists, discussion groups and
> on-line forums (please include all titles and attributions). All
> material copyright 2002 Scott Farrell and Shining Armor Enterprises.
> Visit us on-line to learn more about the Code of Chivalry in the modern
> world at www.ChivalryToday.com .
>
>
>
> http://www.ChivalryToday.com/
>
> To unsubscribe from this list, send an email to:
> ChivalryToday-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.419 / Virus Database: 235 - Release Date: 11/13/2002