We’re back with more Dragonheart Old Code analysis, and this time it is to be an examination of the last line on the first paragraph of the code of chivalry.
There really was no official ‘code of Chivalry. Despite a lot of material gathered under this heading most, if not all, date from the 19th century adapted for the more recent times. In fact, those who were said to practice a chivalric way of life were amongst the most brutal and unforgiving bunch in history.
As the occult writings that were forgeries in the 19th century, Chivalry would be much the same. Forgeries and romanticized for book sales. I could see a yearning for a simpler time after all this cannon and rifle business from fighting the First French Empire. (If given the chance I would ride with Ney).
Much of Chivalry would be the later day dreams of men in industrialized war to bring a order to the evil of necessity. You get from it acts of decency with the Christmas truce in the Great War. Or Glowworm ramming Admiral Hipper, then Hipper sending a letter to England recommending Glowworm for the VC. You cant make this stuff up.
I could see the The Knights of Takhisis sending a letter to an opposing knight’s family telling of some squires bravery and honor. A gilded scroll of vellum with a brand of Takhisis burned upon it. Now I want write Dragon Lance fan fiction.
Hahaha, yes I think that was exactly it, and I think romanticising something whilst also bearing in mind the differences between it and the reality in some cases are worth writing about. To be fair, oaths were taken seriously I think in earlier ages, but the romanticism comes in in thinking that there was ever an age of chivalry. To the best of my knowledge the only reigns that seem to show any hint of it were St-Louis and that of Henri II of France, and for England maybe the early reign in the 1510s of Henry VIII.
But it is as you said that it makes for good romance, and this had an effect on men of the Industrial Age so that they tempered in some cases their comportment and behaviour. My own interest is more the mythological than the current, as myth and romance has always appealed more to me than the depressing now.
But thank you both for your excellent posts Mr. Matthews and you also Mr. Logan, really appreciate both your input.
True, enough though there is the 10 Commandments which was meant to soften the more brutish side and mould knights into more patriotic creatures that might fight for God and country.
That said, I think the notion of chivalry can be a good one and could be used to inspire us with an ideal, if one considers the likes of Arthur from Quest for Camelot or Disney's Sword and the Stone, or Bowen from Dragonheart as the ideals worth aspiring after.
I think if we can learn from the mistakes made by the horrible bunch, and aspire after the examples of those who were good and better than the horrible, then all is well. I like the ideals of knights as proposed by C.S. Lewis, and embodied by Ivanhoe. I have no illusions about the historic figures, but think we must look at them in the context of their time as I hope men in the future will look back on us, as we've done some pretty depraved things in this past century (from gassing, to genocide, to countless other atrocities). Though, I am in no way proposing men should imitate the likes of say King John, or many of those knights who comported themselves poorly for him or say the likes of Edward I in Scotland, or those under the Black Prince against the French people.
There really was no official ‘code of Chivalry. Despite a lot of material gathered under this heading most, if not all, date from the 19th century adapted for the more recent times. In fact, those who were said to practice a chivalric way of life were amongst the most brutal and unforgiving bunch in history.
As the occult writings that were forgeries in the 19th century, Chivalry would be much the same. Forgeries and romanticized for book sales. I could see a yearning for a simpler time after all this cannon and rifle business from fighting the First French Empire. (If given the chance I would ride with Ney).
Much of Chivalry would be the later day dreams of men in industrialized war to bring a order to the evil of necessity. You get from it acts of decency with the Christmas truce in the Great War. Or Glowworm ramming Admiral Hipper, then Hipper sending a letter to England recommending Glowworm for the VC. You cant make this stuff up.
I could see the The Knights of Takhisis sending a letter to an opposing knight’s family telling of some squires bravery and honor. A gilded scroll of vellum with a brand of Takhisis burned upon it. Now I want write Dragon Lance fan fiction.
Hahaha, yes I think that was exactly it, and I think romanticising something whilst also bearing in mind the differences between it and the reality in some cases are worth writing about. To be fair, oaths were taken seriously I think in earlier ages, but the romanticism comes in in thinking that there was ever an age of chivalry. To the best of my knowledge the only reigns that seem to show any hint of it were St-Louis and that of Henri II of France, and for England maybe the early reign in the 1510s of Henry VIII.
But it is as you said that it makes for good romance, and this had an effect on men of the Industrial Age so that they tempered in some cases their comportment and behaviour. My own interest is more the mythological than the current, as myth and romance has always appealed more to me than the depressing now.
But thank you both for your excellent posts Mr. Matthews and you also Mr. Logan, really appreciate both your input.
True, enough though there is the 10 Commandments which was meant to soften the more brutish side and mould knights into more patriotic creatures that might fight for God and country.
That said, I think the notion of chivalry can be a good one and could be used to inspire us with an ideal, if one considers the likes of Arthur from Quest for Camelot or Disney's Sword and the Stone, or Bowen from Dragonheart as the ideals worth aspiring after.
I think if we can learn from the mistakes made by the horrible bunch, and aspire after the examples of those who were good and better than the horrible, then all is well. I like the ideals of knights as proposed by C.S. Lewis, and embodied by Ivanhoe. I have no illusions about the historic figures, but think we must look at them in the context of their time as I hope men in the future will look back on us, as we've done some pretty depraved things in this past century (from gassing, to genocide, to countless other atrocities). Though, I am in no way proposing men should imitate the likes of say King John, or many of those knights who comported themselves poorly for him or say the likes of Edward I in Scotland, or those under the Black Prince against the French people.