The need for knights…
Inspired by Discoshaman’s comments on fatherhood, I looked into C.S. Lewis’s comments on the character of knights…
Lewis called chivalry a necessity. He believed that we are either, by nature, stern or meek. A knight must be fierce and kind at the same time. Time and time again we see this ideal of chivalry in his work, as his heroes kill their enemies quickly, but do not take any pleasure in doing so.
Lewis believed that without the knight, we have two types of people: those who are fierce in battle but cannot be gentle elsewhere, and those who are gentle in their real lives, but completely useless. The knight is the person who can be both fierce and gentle, but such behavior is learned.
In his own words:
The man who combines both characters - the knight - is a work not of nature but of art; of that art which has human beings, instead of canvas or marble, for its medium.
Lewis himself was a fierce fighter on the battlefield, both as a soldier in France and as a philosopher in England, yet he was a kind gentleman and an inspiration to all. C.S. Lewis is one of the greatest historical figures to ever set foot on the stage of chivalry, and his work should be admired by all of today’s knights in shining armor.
(Details and quotes taken from: C.S. Lewis: The Necessity of Chivalry in Present Concerns. Edited by Walter Hooper; London, Fount Paperbacks, 1986.)
From Chivalry Today
C.S. Lewis
Discussion Area - Leave a Comment