Vladimir Nabakov’s stories often depict men and woman driven mad by unknown forces. Characters are often driven by their darkest desires. Love, hatred, lust and distrust are the characters’ downfalls. Nabokov was often surprised by parts of his personality that he had not known existed. Much like Nabakov, T.H. White wrote The Once and Future King in World War II. He was unable to understand why the entire world around him was in ruins. In the beginning, his characters had pure intentions but then fell from grace. White realized that he had fallen into his own desires while writing. His mind is telling him to indulge in his most passionate desires. Lancelot struggles against his desires but eventually becomes so engrossed by them that he doesn’t realize the state of his life. T.H. White’s The Once and Future King. Lancelot is unable to comprehend his motives, and the relationship and Lancelot himself are destroyed.
Lancelot’s need to please Arthur and love for him is what drives his mind to destruction. Lancelot has idolized Arthur since their first encounter. Lancelot, as a young boy, falls in love with Arthur’s knights and the idea that he could be like him. White describes Lancelot’s love for Arthur when he was a child. He is driven to be the knight that he has become by his admiration of Arthur. Lancelot sees Arthur in a similar light. Layaman argues that Arthur, when living in the earthly world, atones other sins. This brings a community together of saintly folk. Lancelot is always trying to atone for the beastly look he has. Lancelot believes that he “is as ugly as any [monster] kept in the King’s Menagerie”. Lancelot sees Arthur in a new light when he arrives at court. Lancelot is inspired by Arthur’s righteous presence in France. Lancelot is knighted on the very day that Arthur saw him again after a long time. Lancelot’s relationship with Arthur changes after Arthur accepts him and solidifies the father-son relation.
Lancelot’s and Arthur’s romance is destroyed as an oedipal-complex develops. It was King Arthur who first realized “Lancelot, Guenever and their love for one another …[” (White 331). According to the Oedipal Complex, a child who loves his mother fears he will be emasculated from the father. Lancelot’s and Arthur’s relationship is affected by this, and their friendship ends. Lancelot becomes torn in his beliefs about what is best for his friend versus his real desires. The more this battle intensifies, the less clear it is what Lancelot should be doing. Layaman describes Arthur’s character as pure and uncorrupted, and Lancelot becomes more confused when he sees that. He cannot compare himself with Arthur. Lancelot is either acting on his own desires or following what society says, and not a balance that works for him.
Arthur was angry and wanted to castrate Lancelot because of Lancelot’s affection for Guenever. Lancelot is pushed to his limits by his id without Arthur. His love for Guenever as well as his desire to commit bloodshed define him. Lancelot and Arthur are at odds with each other. This is exacerbated when Arthur must pursue Lancelot by law for his transgressions. Lancelot, however, fears that his blood will spill and his comrades’ lives could be lost in the battle. Lancelot is so enraged that he kills Gareth who was his friend and the voice of reason in court. Lancelot loses his morals, and he becomes consumed with cruelty. Arthur is consumed by his fight against his bestie to notice what’s happened in England. Arthur’s id is withdrawn and his ego is prominent. He takes his troops back to England. Arthur is murdered in battle by Mordred. Lancelot’s fear is no longer a concern, and he now realizes Guenever was the one who killed him. Lancelot understands “that [his] grief will be incalculable upon the death of Arthur”(Layamon 26). Lancelot tries to suppress both his emotions and his id. As in the mythology of Oedipus, he thinks he’s committed “…murder. He can see the fates in a circle. He [had] been found. He was certain that their shadows were going to rush across his shoulders soon” (McLaughlin, 353). He cut off his id and absolved himself of the destruction he began. He devoted his remaining life to God, religion and God’s cause. Lancelot and Arthur were both deeply hurt by their interwoven paths, and the love they shared for one another.
Lancelot’s relationship to Guenever is a source of inner turmoil and makes him mad. While falling in love with Guenever, he struggles to accept the fact that he will not be able perform a miracle. Lancelot “prays” to God for him to be able to work a miracle (White 372). Lancelot believes that he cannot work miracles after being tricked to sleep with Elaine. Lancelot’s superego, in an attempt to suppress Guenever’s secret desire for him, shatters his dream. After this is destroyed, the id takes over and he succumbs to his desire for a relationship. Guenever provides comfort to him after he discovers that he is no longer pure and has been tempted by his desires. White 375 says at first that she “confronts a problem [he] feels deeply and passionately about”. Lancelot and Guenever are so consumed by their love that they forget that Guenever has married Arthur. Guenever then becomes jealous because Elaine had a son, and she is forever tied to Lancelot. She becomes vindictive and bitter towards Lancelot’s family. Guenever says to Lancelot: “[she] is going to kill her” (White 382). Lancelot’s dreams and life purpose, which was to perform miracles in order to be with Guenever are destroyed. Lancelot’s ego disappears when his superego’s and id’s desires are lost. His mind stops existing completely. She abuses her affection, and instead of giving him the comfort he wants, she makes him retreat into the woods to escape the court in madness.
Guenever has failed to isolate Lancelot’s mind and drive him mad. Lancelot asks Elaine and Galahad to help. Lancelot’s unconscious has a period to reorient itself and he soon returns to court. Elaine and his son are left behind for Guenever. This is his undying love for Guenever despite her abuse of his affection. Guenever’s “female Master” is Lancelot (Walters 48). Lancelot obeys Guenever. Guenever is now his first priority, followed by the court and then even his family. Lancelot has let his desire for Guenever overpower his higher judgment and higher judgement. His id is now stronger than his ego. Guenever quickly realizes that the love between them is tainted “[by] seeds hatred, fear, and confusion”(White 384). Lancelot’s superego is dominated by religion after Arthur has sent him to find the grail. He becomes even more hostile to Guenever. After he returned to court, he tried to end the relationship. The id takes control again after he is around her. Lancelot’s character begins to degrade once more.
Lancelot is blessed with supernatural powers that the Christian religion cannot describe. Lancelot gains a reputation for his battle skills after Guenever’s love consumes and grows him. He is controlled by his bloodlust and Guenever’s love. His id takes over. Lancelot is unable to control his id even though his superego appears intact. Lancelot can’t enter the Holy Grail church with Galahad as they venture. “The terror swept through him again” in the final battle with Gawain. It’s back, the darkness is still hovering over him (McLaughlin 306.) Lancelot knew his gift of power was not good for humanity, because it only served to kill. Lancelot gives in to the gift of strength and kills Gawain. Gawain has superhuman strength due to a magic spell cast by a fairie when he first met her. Gawain has supernatural battle skills that allow him to defeat even the toughest and most unlikely of opponents. Lancelot easily defeats Gawain and gives him a fatal wound, proving Lancelot to be a supernatural being. Lancelot kills Gawain to satisfy his bloodlust. Lancelot retreats to the church after the battle. Lancelot is attempting to purge himself of his supernatural abilities and restore the superego. Lancelot goes to the Church, still in confusion, to try to restore his subconscious.
Lancelot’s failure to understand his own mind will ultimately lead to his demise. Lancelot gives in to his desires without regard for the consequences. He makes people believe he’s right. His subconscious leads him to believe that he has done the right thing, even though he doesn’t. He cannot find the balance between right and wrong. He refuses the learn from his mistakes and they are recorded in his subconscious. They shape his behavior. Lancelot shows humanity how to examine their own psyches with awareness and intention every day. Humanity should strive to understand the role of their superego and id in their everyday lives. It is important to find the balance between their ids and superegos and strive to keep it. A psyche that is impaired by rationalizing or ignoring problems may be unhealthy. An impaired psyche will perpetuate the problem and make mistakes again. People can make a positive change in the future if humans keep looking back at the past and analyze what motivated the events. They can only harm themselves and others if they do not succeed.