Knights and Their Days
1856
In 1856, a Victorian scholar turns his gaze toward the medieval knight and finds something uncomfortable: men who claimed to embody Christian virtue while wielding sword and shield in conquest. Dr. Doran's examination of knighthood is neither the romantic tribute nor the wholesale condemnation one might expect. Instead, he traces the evolution of chivalry from its martial origins through its transformation into a code of conduct that knights repeatedly violated and sincerely believed in simultaneously. The book follows the knight's journey from page to squire to full warrior, revealing the training, the ceremonies, the bonds of loyalty to lord and lady, and the moral contradictions at the heart of medieval martial culture. Doran presents the era's darker elements alongside genuine instances of honor and devotion, painting a portrait far more complex than tapestries and tournament songs suggest. His Victorian perspective lends both distance and contemporary relevance, as he considers what his own age might learn from medieval ideals of duty and service.
About Knights and Their Days
Chapter Summaries
- 1
- The prologue introduces the conflicting views on chivalry, contrasting Dr. Lingard's critique of its vices with Hallam's praise of its moral discipline. It discusses the origins of knighthood, its connection to feudalism and religion, and the evolving concept of gallantry, often highlighting the gap between ideal and reality.
- 2
- This chapter examines the education and early life of noble youths as pages, who learned obedience and the use of weapons. It contrasts idealized portrayals of pages as 'little saints' with more realistic accounts of their mischievous and sometimes audacious nature, and discusses the discipline they received.
- 3
- The chapter explores the domestic lives of knights, contrasting the hearty feasts of the Round Table with the often brutal and tyrannical behavior of powerful nobles in their own homes. It provides examples of extreme cruelty and debauchery, such as Antonio Grimaldi and Blue-Beard, and the rough jokes of Gaston de Foix.
Key Themes
- Chivalry vs. Reality
- This is the overarching theme, constantly contrasting the noble ideals of knighthood (courage, honor, piety, gallantry) with the often-ignoble, self-interested, and brutal actions of historical and legendary knights. The author frequently highlights hypocrisy and moral failings.
- Virtue and Vice
- The narrative examines how individuals, regardless of their knightly status, exhibit a spectrum of virtues (e.g., courage, generosity, fidelity) and vices (e.g., cruelty, treachery, licentiousness), often showing them intertwined within the same person or institution.
- Religion and Hypocrisy
- The book frequently critiques the role of the Church and religious figures, exposing instances where piety is used as a facade for ambition, cruelty, or personal gain, and where religious institutions sanction unchristian acts.
Characters
- Dr. Doran(author)
- The author and narrator, who provides witty, critical, and anecdotal commentary on the history and nature of chivalry.
- King Arthur(supporting)
- The legendary founder of the Round Table, presented as an idealized knight whose personal life, particularly his wife's infidelity, complicates his heroic image.
- Guinever(supporting)
- King Arthur's wife, depicted as a beautiful, audacious, seductive, and heartless hussy whose infidelities are extensively detailed in romance.
- Sir John Falstaff(protagonist)
- A Shakespearean character analyzed as a complex figure—witty, philosophical, and brave despite his physical appearance and roguish behavior.
- Jacques de Lelaing(protagonist)
- A historical knight known as 'the Good Knight without Fear and without Doubt,' whose career exemplifies both the ideals and the brutal realities of chivalry.
- Ulrich von Hutten(protagonist)
- A German scholar, poet, and knight who became a prominent figure in the Reformation, using his wit and sword to fight against ecclesiastical and civil tyranny.
