Gender Roles in Arthurian Literature: The Rise and Fall of an Era Queen Guinevere is a strong presence in Arthurian legends. She is not only the powerful queen of the infamous King Arthur, but she is also the lover of one of the most famous knights of the time, Lancelot. It's also a perfect example of the juxtaposition of that society's expectations and beliefs towards women and men, and how that shaped Guinevere and those around her. Her growth as both a queen in King Arthur's court and as Lancelot's consort aided her development not only as a majestic queen worthy of praise, but also as a supposed destructive force that caused the ruin and fall of the Round Table. I want to explore the dynamics of gender roles in Arthurian literature, particularly in Tennyson's Idylls, and how such gender roles influenced the rise and fall of an era. Queen Guinevere is mentioned in many of the idylls in Idylls of the King. Her role in most of those times focuses on her role as an adulteress. The Queen is considered above all else, she is the noblest, the purest, the so-called moral standard that all other men hold for their wives, and all other women hold for themselves and each other. However, the Queen has begun to lose this right. By continuing this relationship with Lancelot (and once with Modred), she is sullying the one aspect of his character that would remain beyond reproach. It will become his noose. In this autumn, the Queen represents not only the madness of man, but also Tennyson's failed culture and his anxieties (Mcclain). To understand why the Queen is becoming morally corrupt and why this is a problem, we need to understand what world she is in. he lived and what roles he should have played. W...... middle of paper ......men who believe and live by the code of chivalry can fall victim to it (McClain). This fall from victory, from innocence can be seen in many cases through Tennyson's Idylls. Merlin is a legendary wizard whose name resonates throughout Arthurian legends. Known for orchestrating Arthur's magical birth, Merlin is considered one of the most powerful sages of his time. As for women, Merlin did his best to find a balance between the idealism surrounding the code of chivalry and the realism of the times...he judges all nature by its feet of clay, without the will to lift his eyes and see his divine head crowned with spiritual fire and touching other worlds. (833-36) Merlin had all the makings of an incredible wizard who would have the opportunity and skills to help revitalize and save the declining society in which he lived.