The Defence of Guenevere Themes
Memory and the Past
Most of "The Defence of Guenevere" consists of the title character going over her memories in front of a court full of "knights and lords," all of whom are determined to find her guilty of adultery...
Choices
Guenevere claims that the choice she made (to be with Launcelot, we assume, although she's not very explicit on this point) was made almost arbitrarily. She had no way of judging right from w...
Appearances
Guenevere's physical appearance is emphasized throughout the poem, both by the narrator and by Guenevere herself. She uses her beauty as a point in her own defense: how can anyone so beautifu...
Madness
Guenevere uses the term "mad" several times in her defense. Is she trying to plead insanity, or is she making a different point altogether? Is her "madness" just another way of viewing...
Sin
Guenevere stands accused of committing adultery, which was a pretty major sin in the eyes of Arthurian knights like Gauwaine. A woman's sexual purity was seen as one of the most important asp...