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Chretien creates a paradox between Lancelot's name and his identity. There is a dispute between whe he is and how he is seen through the story. This struggle between Lancelot's identity and name reflects on the various running themes of the nature of Love in the tale.
Section 1:
In the aristocratic society in which Lancelot lived, one's identity was almost entirely dependent on one's name. This is why Lancelot's feat of accepting a ride in a cart is so devastating. To ride in the cart was an act of shame, as the cart was used to transport criminals. Throughout the story, there are many instances where characters, such as Gawain, insist that death is preferable to the shame of riding in a cart. Because of his actions, for much of the story, Lancelot is known only to us as "the Knight of the Cart." The news of Lancelot's ride in the cart spreads quickly and he isoften judged or even mocked for his actions. While no one ever addresses him as "the Knight of the Cart," it......

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Approximate Word Count: 2156
Approximate Pages: 9 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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