King Arthur – Characters’ Analysis To give a myth, story, or any work of literature the ability to lure the reader in, it’s critical that the writer make the characters relatable. When the reader is able to connect to one or more of the characters, they can transfer many of their own feelings, struggles or life experiences onto the story itself. Even when the characters are portrayed with god-like qualities or traits, they often still exhibit some traits of mortality which tends to give the reader a perceived one on one connection.

As a child, and as the eventual King, Arthur’s ideals, morals and overall character change very little. He is always depicted as a feeling, considerate person who uses his abilities, skills, and influence for the betterment of his people. In the story of King Arthur, from our book, Arthur is presented as a larger than life hero and warrior that is pre-ordained to become king through divine intervention. The book’s story also has him battling giants, monsters and sorcerers. However, I felt the movie shown him to be more mortal and susceptible to mortal weaknesses. There wasn’t so much of a divine force influencing the plot and characters, so much as a force of deep loyalty, moral and ethical tones. Arthur shows some traits of immaturity when he is a child, but I believe this is another way the writer attempts to convey to the reader Author’s mortal side and vulnerabilities. His immaturity is short lived and he quickly takes on the characteristics that make him Arthur. The characteristics that Arthur exhibits as a child remain constant throughout his life and is what makes him such a powerful leader, warrior and ultimately King.

The changes that Lancelot’s character undergoes are mostly based in self-esteem. Lancelot is portrayed as struggling with feelings of inadequacy, especially in the shadow of his best friend, Arthur. While Lancelot makes a great knight and is very heroic and a great warrior, his good deeds and successes are not likely intentional, but accidental. He thinks of himself as a person driven by religious convictions, but he can be very lustful and violent too. In the end he ultimately betrays Arthur, whom he should give credit to for making him the person he was and attempted to be.

Guinevere is initially portrayed as very demure, shy and egocentric, albeit very subtle. She is shown to be a very beautiful woman who quietly, and not always obviously, uses her beauty to her advantage. She is not portrayed initially with any dominant traits or abilities, which is very typical of woman in the myths that we have read. Most are either at one end of the spectrum or the other. They are either quietly shown in the shadows with no major impact on the story or plot, or they are dominant, jealous and vicious characters who are central to the myth. Over time Guinevere becomes a loved queen, but also ends up being the main focus of a torrid love triangle. As Arthur’s wife and Lancelot’s mistress, she shows her ability to be passive aggressive through subtle acts of jealousy and manipulation as shown when she proclaims to Lancelot, “No, Lancelot. I will not choose to live once you are dead!” (Rosenburg 443) While not directly stated, Guinevere was responsible for driving a wedge between Lancelot and Arthur that would eventually divide them.

Gawain is not what I would consider a major character in the King Arthur myth, but he is also another character that does not exhibit much, if any, change in character or personality over the course of the King Arthur myth. Even though the book characterizes Gawain as the “second greatest knight of the Round Table” (Rosenburg 421), I believe he was cconsidered by most to be the greatest of all the knights, I believe he was also considered to be the most stable and loyal of all the knights. Gawain was an understated character in the King Arthur myth, but I believe had the most genuine intent in all of his actions or involvements. He has a good heart and true concern for the welfare of others, especially women. Even though he is said to be the nephew of Arthur, I believe he is still driven by a moral center that would make him a trustworthy and loyal friend to most, no matter his blood line.

Mordred, a relative of Arthur, probably exhibits the worst character traits of all the knights. His intentions and the driving force in all his endeavors appear to be all motivated by self-serving interests. Being the son of Arthur and Arthurs half-sister probably caused Mordred to be viewed and treated as bad-blood for most of his life. Most would probably consider Mordred to be a traitorous backstabber since he was responsible for Arthurs fatal wound, but I believe it was the culmination of all the pent up frustration he had endured his whole life due to his questionable blood line. His background and his tumultuous upbringing are the reasons he always seems to have an axe to grind and walks around with a chip on his shoulder. In his mind he always feels as though he needs to prove himself to others, but mostly for his own peace. And peace is the one thing that he never finds.

The myth of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is another example of how we can use literature to understand our life, those we interact with, and the world as a whole. It’s very easy to see ourselves in many of the characters. We would all like to relate ourselves to the noble and good traits in many of the characters, but in reality we all have some of the traits that portrayed in the less desirable characters. It’s this mix of traits and characteristics that make us better, well rounded person with the ability to handle different situations. When we are able to relate with characters in a story it makes it more meaningful and allows us to internalize what the characters are experiencing. Even if we are not able to relate to all aspects of a character, it can often provide us direction on how to respond to similar situations that we may encounter in our own lives.

Works Cited
Rosenburg, Donna. World Mythology; An Anthology of the Great Myths and Epics. Chicago: NTC Publishing Group, 1999.