King Arthur and Lancelot
I have always enjoyed the legends of King Arthur but a source of constant annoyance and frustration has been the depravity of Lancelot and the ruin it brings upon Arthur's kingdom. I can understand the fact that a knight may fall into sin and thus bring ruin upon a kingdom, but what has always annoyed me is the way in which Lancelot has been regarded as a tragic hero and his failing as a terrible, if unavoidable, mistake. This is due in a large part to the misunderstanding of 'true love'. Wonderful words, but they have come to represent a sick concept. It is because of how the Arthurian legends have been used to peddle this idea of love that I have come to dislike most recountings of it.
When Lancelot falls in love with Guenevere, it is often portrayed as some kind of inevitable bond that is beyond their control. Their adultery is often explained away or excused on account of them "being in love". Because they were in love, the argument goes, they couldn't help themselves.
True love does what is best for the object of that love, it does not follow the basis of the lover's selfish actions. Yes, I am looking at you Anakin Skywalker. The theme of True Love excusing any number of harmful actions has only been magnified over the years, and it is seen with special poignancy in Episode II of Starwars. This goes back to what I mentioned in an earlier article on interesting things in the Fantasy Genre. Most of the things I listed were funny, but this one just makes me sick. In the name of true love, a male character can get away with almost anything.
There is actually a word for what Lancelot's version of True Love has become. It is lust. I know, it doesn't sound as good, that's why they say True Love.
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