How does the film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, mock medieval ministrels (wandering musicians)?

Question

How does the film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail mock courtly love/the dovotion of knights to protecting those in distress? Which scene shows Lancelot's over-zealous battle tendencies? How is magic/Merlin made fun of? What symbolizes the film's satire of the Crusades (holy wars)? What is the effect of the animated sequences? What is the effect of the "documentary" sequences?

Answer 1

Monty Python and the Holy Grail tends to make fun more of the romanticised view of knights and the middle ages created by Renaissance and Victorian story writers rather than real minstrels/ knights etc.

The minstrels in Holy Grail were depicted in this vein. In the romanticised version they were hangers on who just sang the praises of their lords (although in Holy Grail, the minstrels made fun of Sir Robin's cowardice instead - at least until they were eaten). Real minstrels were more likely to be multi-skilled high ranking servants in a court of a king or lord, specialising partly in entertainment, but also partly in retelling oral history. Minstrels were adept at recognising the emblems of lords and kings and would also act as heralds, and as signallers in battle (with trumpet or drum signals). Travelling minstrels (or troubadours) wandered the country earning what they could from entertaining the people. These tended to play coarser songs that appealed to the common people (they also tended to be thieves).

The idea of "courtly love" and protecting those in distress is also largely a victorian myth. Codes of Chivalry existed, about not killing those who had surrendered etc, but was only practiced amongst the knights themselves. If you were a peasant, you didn't count. The idea of knights storming castles to rescue damsels in distress, as Lancelot does when he storms Swamp Castle, were created by Victorian writers selling the idea that women were to be weak and submissive. In fact, Medieval women were not particularly weak and submissive and there are a number who were war heros in their own right.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is not a satire per se, but rather a gently pastiche of all of those swashbuckling movies of the 50s and 60s (often starring Errol Flynn or Burt Lancaster) that the Pythons probably remember watching as kids (mixed up for good measure with ideas from Dante etc that both Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam were fond of, hence the muck and disease). The animation comes about, partly because it's a recognisable element from "Monty Python's Flying Circus" and partly because they were working on a very small budget and couldn't afford anything better (hence also the coconuts). The "documentary" sequence with the Famous Historian were relics from earlier drafts of the script where Arthur's knights eventually found the Holy Grail in the modern day, in Harrods.

Answer 2

Medieval Wandering Musicians

Answer 3

These are for you to decide, watch the movie it is funny and smart.

This is a comedy movie, if you can't do homework on a comedy movie you should just drop out of school!!!!!!!

Answer 4

Well it seems that you already know everything about the movie. So I dont get the purpose of you're question

Answer 5

In the frozen land of Nador, they were forced to eat Robin's minstrels.

And there was much rejoicing.

Answer 6

Yes, I agree, that sounds too much like a homework assignment.

Answer 7

A large fresian cow.

Answer 8

why don't you see the movie?

It's hilarious, you'll be glad that you did!

Answer 9

You should seriously watch this movie. I own it and it is HILARIOUS!!

Answer 10

Do your own homework, kid.