Tools of Characterization

Characterization in Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Direct Characterization

Sometimes, it's just nice to be told what kind of character we're dealing with. And The Holy Grail doesn't keep us guessing. In fact, we know what the Knights of the Round Table are going to be like before we even officially meet them. We're told by the narrator (and the lovely picture book) that Sir Bedevere is wise, Sir Lancelot is brave, Sir Galahad is pure, Sir Robin is not quite as brave as Sir Lancelot, and that Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Film does not, um, appear in this film.

This direct characterization is actually very accurate, although these different attributes manifest themselves in predictably silly ways. Lancelot's brave enough to attack a castle wall and slice through numerous wedding guests. Sir Robin skedaddles from a three-headed giant, and wets himself twice during the encounter with the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog (meaning he's probably less than "not quite as brave" as Lancelot). Sir Galahad is always polite and morally upstanding, until convinced that beautiful lonely women are not necessarily evil. And Bedevere's the man with the plan… that doesn't work.

Names

Didn't we just talk about names as direct characterization? Yes, but there's more to a name that an anecdotal description.

Sometimes the names of characters are purposefully out of place and therefore funny. The Enchanter was pretty fearsome until we found out that "some call him…Tim." And there's Dennis the mud farmer, whose name we learn because he tells us. (He thinks it's strange that Arthur didn't even bother to ask his name before addressing him.) Roger the Shrubber's name is ridiculously specific. They find the exact man they're looking for since he conveniently describes his profession upon introducing himself.

But some names go beyond being silly; they have fictional literary significance. King Arthur is, of course, the King Arthur of legend, the mighty King who ruled over the isle of Briton. There's really just too much to say about him, so we'll just leave it at that and you can revel in ancient Arthurian folklore yourself, or you can rewatch your DVD of The Sword in the Stone.

We meet other other famous knights like Lancelot, a man of action and great courage. Lancelot's most famous in modern times for his love affair with Arthur's Queen Guinevere, which ultimately leads to the demise of Arthur's kingdom. Hunky leading men have always played him in movies.

Galahad is actually Lancelot's son (not with Guinevere) and is brought up in a nunnery. He's known for being full of valor and pure of heart.

Then there's Bedevere who was one of the first knights to appear in the legend of Arthur. He was also one of the last knights to stay with Arthur. He lived through one of the final battles and cast Excalibur back to that "watery tart" we all love so much.

Don't ask about Sir Robin—he probably never did anything brave enough to be written about.

Clothing

The knights are wearing wool painted to look (sort of) like chainmail, but that's not the clothing we're talking about.

Ever notice the different designs on the armor and shields of the knights? First up, King Arthur's armor is emblazoned with a sun. This signifies his divine right as ruler. Then there's the all-knowing Bedevere, who bears the Tree of Knowledge as his crest. And Galahad, whose cross symbolizes his religious purity. Lancelot has a mighty dragon, the ferocious beast that bows to no one. And finally, Robin has a chicken—because he's a chicken.

So not only do we get all of these names like "the brave" and "the pure," but we get the matching attire. The Holy Grail is definitely not a character-driven story; it's super-broad comedy. Stereotypes can be very useful in comedy because the audience knows what to expect (and these expectations can be used straight or turned upside-down). Extended character development is just not gonna happen in this film, so motifs like the chicken on the shield is a useful shortcut.