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A knight-errant〔As plural, ''knights-errant'' is most common, although the form ''knights-errants'' is also seen, e.g. in the article ''Graal'' in James O. Halliwell, ''Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words'' (1847).〕 (or knight errant〔"Knight errant." ''The Canadian Oxford Dictionary''. Ed. Barber, Katherine: Oxford University Press, 2004.〕) is a figure of medieval chivalric romance literature. The adjective ''errant'' (meaning "wandering, roving") indicates how the knight-errant would wander the land in search of adventures to prove his chivalric virtues, either in knightly duels (pas d'armes) or in some other pursuit of courtly love. The template of the knight-errant are the heroes of the Round Table of the Arthurian cycle such as Gawain, Lancelot and Percival. The quest ''par excellence'' in pursuit of which these knights wander the lands is that of the Holy Grail, such as in ''Perceval, the Story of the Grail'' written by Chrétien de Troyes in the 1180s. Although the character is part of the romance genre as it developed during the late 12th century, the term "knight-errant" itself is younger, for the first time recorded (as ''knygt erraunt'') in the 14th-century poem ''Sir Gawain and the Green Knight''.〔Sir Gawain arrives at the castle of Sir Bercilak de Haudesert after long journeys, and Sir Bercilak goes to welcome the "knygt erraunt." (The Maven's Word of the Day: Knight Errant )〕 Knight-errantry tales remain popular with courtly audiences throughout the Late Middle Ages. They are written in Middle French, in Middle English and in Middle German. In the 16th century, the genre becomes highly popular in the Iberian Peninsula, ''Amadis de Gaula'' was one of the most successful knight-errantry tales of this period. In ''Don Quixote'' (1605), Cervantes burlesqued the romances and their popularity. Tales of knight-errantry then fell out of fashion for two centuries, until they re-emerged in the form of the historical novel in Romanticism. ==Romance== A knight-errant typically performed all his deeds in the name of a lady, and invoked her name before performing an exploit. In more sublimated forms of knight-errantry, pure metaphysical idealism rather than romantic inspiration motivated the knight-errant (as in the case of Sir Galahad). Such a knight might well be outside the structure of feudalism, wandering solely to perform noble exploits (and perhaps to find a lord to give his service to), but might also be in service to a king or lord, traveling either in pursuit of a specific duty that his overlord charged him with, or to put down evildoers in general. This quest sends a knight on adventures much like the ones of a knight in search of them, as he happens on the same marvels. In ''The Faerie Queene'', St. George is sent to rescue Una's parents' kingdom from a dragon, and Guyon has no such quest, but both knights encounter perils and adventures. In the romances, his adventures frequently included greater foes than other knights, including giants, enchantresses, or dragons. They may also gain help that is out of ordinary. Sir Ywain assisted a lion against a serpent, and was thereafter accompanied by it, becoming the Knight of the Lion. Other knights-errant have been assisted by wild men of the woods, as in ''Valentine and Orson'', or, like Guillaume de Palerme, by wolves that were, in fact, enchanted princes. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Knight-errant」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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