It was the Greeks who first defined the protagonist known as an epic hero. These heroes of a tragedy must evoke in the audience a sense of heroism through legendary, awe-inspiring lore. An epic hero must be a man whose fortune is brought about by his own admired characteristics. Many of the famous Greek Epics, such as The Odyssey and The Iliad, contain these larger-than-life heroes and their deeds. In “The Ill-Made Knight”, Lancelot demonstrates these characteristics throughout his adventures and personal tests, which follow the hero's journey.
| ATTRIBUTE | DESCRIPTION | Example from The Once and Future King |
|---|---|---|
| Noble Birth | Usually a King, Prince, Demi-God, or nobleman of some capacity. | Lancelot is the son of French King Ban of Benwick, a friend and ally of King Arthur. |
| Superhuman Capabilities | The warrior has the potential for greatness based on their attributes. | On the way to England to join Arthur’s Round Table, Lancelot is challenged by a knight dressed in black armor. He challenges young Lancelot to a tilting joust, which Lancelot easily wins. His strength and dexterity are unmatched to any other knight Arthur has seen. |
| Vast Traveler | An epic hero is known for making travels to exotic locations by choice or chance, usually to battle against evil. | In order to get away from the temptation of Guenever, Lancelot agrees to go on many quests in which he encounters evil knights, a girl trapped in boiling water, and the Holy Grail. |
| Unmatched Warrior | This hero typically has a reputation for being a great warrior, even prior to the beginning of the story. | Lancelot is so skilled in battle, that he is able to defeat men in armor with only a sword, and he manages to save Sir Bliant from attack by breaking free of his handcuffs from the cell where he was being kept. |
| Cultural Legend | Before an Epic Hero can be universally known, he must first be a legend in his culture. | Lancelot quickly becomes known as “The Best Knight in the World”, and it is this title that allows him to perform miracles. |
| Humility | The hero performs great deeds for their own sake rather than glory. | Lancelot is constantly at war with himself and believes that he is ill-made on the inside as well as on the outside, eventually going by the name, “Le Chevalier Mal Fet”, or “The Ill-Made Knight”. He never gloats, and feels constant guilt about his affair with Guenever behind Arthur’s back. |
| Battles Supernatural Foes | The opponents and obstacles the hero faces are usually supernatural beings. | Lancelot defeats and thwarts many foes, many of whom have superhuman strength, but he also manages to thwart and escape from the fairie sorceress, Morgan le Fay, who tries to trap him and make him her lover. |
Lesson Enhancement: Have students make a storyboard for each animal Arthur is turned into in “The Sword and the Stone”, and track the important characteristics of a good leader, and the importance of the lesson to his education!
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows how Lancelot can be considered an epic hero.
Connect the concept of epic heroes to students' lives by using modern characters from movies or books. This helps students relate to the traits discussed and makes lessons more engaging.
Pick a character from popular culture, such as Harry Potter or Katniss Everdeen, that most students know. Familiar figures allow students to easily identify heroic traits.
Work together to write traits like noble birth or humility on the board. This activates prior knowledge and sets clear expectations for the activity.
Ask students to match each trait to both Lancelot and the chosen modern hero. This side-by-side comparison deepens understanding of the epic hero archetype.
Have students illustrate or map out similarities and differences. Visuals make abstract concepts more concrete and support varied learners.
Lancelot is considered an epic hero in 'The Ill-Made Knight' because he demonstrates traits like noble birth, superhuman abilities, unmatched skill in battle, humility, and the courage to face supernatural foes. These qualities align with the classical definition of an epic hero found in ancient Greek traditions.
Lancelot exhibits key epic hero characteristics such as noble birth, superhuman strength, vast travels, a legendary reputation, humility, and the ability to battle supernatural foes. Each trait is highlighted through his actions and challenges in the story.
Students can make a storyboard by identifying major events or characteristics that showcase Lancelot's epic hero traits, such as his noble birth or battles with supernatural foes. Each scene should illustrate a trait and include a brief description linking it to Lancelot's journey.
Humility sets Lancelot apart as an epic hero because he performs great deeds not for glory, but from a sense of duty. He struggles with guilt and never boasts, which adds depth to his heroism and makes his journey more relatable to readers.
To help students explore epic hero traits, teachers can assign activities like creating storyboards of Lancelot's journey, tracking examples of noble birth, courage, and humility, or comparing Lancelot to other epic heroes from literature.