History Main / KnightInShiningTropes

The [[TropeCodifier Trope Codifier]]s are the {{Chivalric Romance}}s of the medieval Matters of Britain (KingArthur) and of France (Charlemagne) -- especially the innumberable [[OlderThanTheyThink fantasy novels]] and verse epics of the 15th through 17th centuries which were based on, set in, or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_Delivered vaguely inspired by]] the older Carolingian myths. The Arthurian myths have a less militantly idealistic style than the Carolingian ones; the Arthurian work most completely of this style is ''Literature/SirGawainAndTheGreenKnight''.

This pattern is rarer outside of Europe (and before the Middle Ages) than within it. The closest analogue to European chivalry was [[BushidoIndex bushido]], the code of the Japanese {{Samurai}}, but the Japanese code emphasized [[MyMasterRightOrWrong loyalty to one's lord, even to the point of doing evil]], while the European one emphasized loyalty to one's conscience, even to the point of treachery.

Of course, that doesn't mean that non-European heroes can't act like this -- and it doesn't mean that European heroes always do, either. The Roman-derived tradition of "MyCountryRightOrWrong" was always present in Europe...

* KnightInSourArmor: a CrapsackWorld may have rusted their armor, but their HeroicSpirit still shines.

* LawfulStupid (more or less common depending on the work)

* NobleDemon

* AFatherToHisMen

* KnightInShiningArmor

* IWillProtectHer

The [[TropeCodifier Trope Codifier]]s are the {{Chivalric Romance}}s of the medieval Matters of Britain (KingArthur) and of France (Charlemagne) -- especially the innumberable [[OlderThanTheyThink fantasy novels]] and verse epics of the 15th through 17th centuries which were based on, set in, or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_Delivered vaguely inspired by]] the older Carolingian myths). The Arthurian myths have a less militantly idealistic style than the Carolingian ones; the Arthurian work most completely of this style is ''Literature/SirGawainAndTheGreenKnight''.

The [[TropeCodifier Trope Codifier]]s are the medieval Matters of Arthur and, especially, Charlemagne (especially the innumberable [[OlderThanTheyThink fantasy novels]] and verse epics of the 15th through 17th centuries which were based on, set in, or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_Delivered vaguely inspired by]] the older Carolingian myths). The Arthurian myths have a less militantly idealistic style than the Carolingian ones; the Arthurian work most completely of this style is ''Literature/SirGawainAndTheGreenKnight''.

* KnightInSourArmor

This pattern is rarer outside of Europe (and before the Middle Ages) than within it. The closest analogue to European chivalry was [[BushidoIndex bushido]], the code of the Japanese {{Samurai}}, but the Japanese code emphasized loyalty to one's lord, even to the point of doing evil, while the European one emphasized loyalty to one's conscience, even to the point of treachery.

This pattern is rarer outside of Europe (and before the Middle Ages) than within it. The closest analogue to [[SaintChevalier European chivalry]] was [[BushidoIndex bushido]], the code of the Japanese {{Samurai}}, but the Japanese code emphasized loyalty to one's lord, even to the point of doing evil, while the European one emphasized loyalty to one's conscience, even to the point of treachery.

* SaintChevalier (White Knight)

The [[TropeCodifier Trope Codifier]]s are the medieval Matters of Arthur and, especially, Charlemagne (especially the innumberable [[OlderThanTheyThink fantasy novels]] and verse epics of the 15th through 17th centuries which were based on, set in, or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_Delivered vaguely inspired by]] the older Carolingian myths). The Arthurian myths have a less militantly idealistic style than the Carolingian ones; the Arthurian work most completely of this style is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Gawain_and_the_Green_Knight Sir Gawain And The Green Knight]].

This pattern is rarer outside of Europe (and before the Middle Ages) than within it. The closest analogue to European chivalry was bushido, the code of the Japanese {{Samurai}}, but the Japanese code emphasized loyalty to one's lord, even to the point of doing evil, while the European one emphasized loyalty to one's conscience, even to the point of treachery.

Of course, that doesn't mean that non-European heroes can't act like this -- and it doesn't mean that European heroes always do, either. The Roman-derived tradition of "my country right or wrong" was always present in Europe...

[[/index]]

* AndItWorked

* LightTheWay

commacnhe vs mongol

This is the set of tropes that cluster around KnightTemplar: the forces of light in hardcore mode, excessively or otherwise. This mentality is all the way over on the Idealistic side of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism -- but it has ''nothing'' in common with modern idealism of the GranolaGirl and CloudCuckooLander variety.

The [[TropeCodifier Trope Codifier]]s are the medieval Matters of Arthur and, especially, Charlemagne (especially the innumberable [[OlderThanTheyThink fantasy novels]] and verse epics of the 15th through 17th centuries which were based on, set in, or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_Delivered vaguely inspired by]] the older Carolingian myths). The Arthurian myths have a less militantly idealistic style than the Carolingian ones; the Arthurian work most completely of this style is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Gawain_and_the_Green_Knight Sir Gawain And The Green Knight]].

This pattern is rarer outside of Europe (and before the Middle Ages) than within it. The closest analogue to European chivalry was bushido, the code of the Japanese {{Samurai}}, but the Japanese code emphasized loyalty to one's lord, even to the point of doing evil, while the European one emphasized loyalty to one's conscience, even to the point of treachery.

Of course, that doesn't mean that non-European heroes can't act like this -- and it doesn't mean that European heroes always do, either. The Roman-derived tradition of "my country right or wrong" was always present in Europe...

See also HeroTropes, to an extent. A particular variety of IdealismTropes. A civilization that embraces this is a variety of MartyrdomCulture.
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!!Tropes
[[index]]
* AFatherToHisMen
* AllAPartOfTheJob
* AndItWorked
* AttackAttackAttack
* TheCape
* TheChampion
* ChurchMilitant
* TheFettered
* GoodIsBoring (but it beats the alternative)
* GoodIsNotDumb
* GoodIsNotNice
* HarmonyVersusDiscipline (Discipline)
* HeroAntagonist
* HeroicSacrifice
** TakingTheBullet
** JumpingOnAGrenade
* HolyHandGrenade
* HonorBeforeReason
* IncorruptiblePurePureness
* InspectorJavert
* IWillProtectHer
* KeepTheReward
* KnightErrant
* KnightInShiningArmor
* KnightInSourArmor
* LawfulGood (although not interested in ''secular'' law)
* LawfulStupid (more or less common depending on the work)
* LightIsGood
* LightTheWay
* LordErrorProne
* MachiavelliWasWrong
* MagicKnight
* MartyrdomCulture
* MartyrWithoutACause
* MoreHeroThanThou
* NobleDemon
* OrderVersusChaos (Order)
* ThePaladin
* TheParagon
* ProudWarriorRaceGuy
* SaintlyChurch
* ScaryDogmaticAliens
* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism (Idealistic)
* TheStoic
* ThinkNothingOfIt
* ToBeLawfulOrGood
* VillainousValor
* WarriorMonk
* WellIntentionedExtremist (what often happens when characters like this go wrong)
** KnightTemplar (and what happens when they get fully blinded by their zeal)
* WhatYouAreInTheDark
* WorthyOpponent
[[/index]]