Most tales of Arthurian legend contain all the ingredients necessary to illuminate the role of men in medieval society. Lancelot is the exemplary male role model for all medieval men, illustrating chivalry, heroism, and courage. Arthur is the archetypal monarch who also possesses the masculine attributes necessary to make an adequate man and more importantly, a successful ruler. Guinevere however confuses the equation a bit by being more liberated and free than most women of her time. However, it should also be noted that as the wife of King Arthur, she was naturally allowed more leeway than most women were. Arthur's main concern is power, which makes him an accurate portrayal of King. While he might be considered a cuckold by some, he is successful in his role as ruler. It is Lancelot however who provides the most insightful glance at medieval masculinity.

The idea that the "superiority of the male" had to be continually demonstrated, or else it would be lost is most apparent in a study of Lancelot. He continually proves his manhood by acting in a manner consistent with knighthood. His chivalry provides a point of comparison between himself and the women in Arthurian legend. He is a protector, a provider and a hero to all the women he comes in contact with. This relationship is effective in illustrating the contingency of women in these tales. They are dependent on men and therefore, they are depicted as weak, subservient and less important. Women in Arthurian legend exist as compliments to men. They serve the purpose of accentuating the maleness of people like Lancelot.

The Knight of the Cart is one tale in Arthurian legend that illustrates the way a character like Guinevere provides a medium for the display of masculinity by a character like Lancelot. Because Guinevere, is by gender, inherently weak, she naturally needs saving. Lancelot then becomes the hero by rescuing the Queen and overpowering all the men he comes in contact with. "'Now go thou' said she 'when thou seest thy time, and bear this ring unto Sir Lancelot du Lake, and pray him as he loveth me that he will see me and rescue me, if ever he will have joy of me". So spoke Guinevere, and therefore further facilitated the idea that women are weak and inferior and men are strong and superior. In this tale, Lancelot also demonstrates his wit by using the cart as means for disguise. The Knight of the Cart tries to demonstrate the ingenuity of the man and the dependence of the woman. This plot is not that different from contemporary action/adventure films in which there is woman hostage who requires a strong man to save her, and after she is safely in his arms, she cannot help but fall in love with the hero.

The Fair Maid of Astolat is another Arthurian tale that shows how female characters in medieval literature often facilitate the superior depiction of masculinity. In this tale, the fair maid who falls helplessly in love with Lancelot cannot deal with her unrequited love and therefore kills herself. This is the extreme case of female dependency on men. Not only does this tale elevate Lancelot and make him seem good enough to die for, but it also makes the maid appear pathetic and lacking of self-respect. This story resembles the modern soap opera in many ways. Soap operas often use weak willed women to enhance the manliness of the male characters. Women in soap operas will oftentimes illustrate insanity when faced with the thought that they cannot attain the man they want. Therefore, the man come off as being irresistible while the women seem like crazy lunatics, who cannot fend for themselves and need the help of a stronger, more capable man.

Aside from the ways that female characters in Arthurian legends help to create an ideal picture of medieval masculinity, the male characters embody masculinity in their actions and deeds. In the simple act of jousting, men in Arthurian legend assert their manhood. In jousting, men exhibit strength, agility and power-all those things that define them as "good" men. Jousting essentially comes down to two men knocking each other off their horses and then battling it out on the ground. The joust serves as a test of strength and courage, much the same way that sports like boxing, wrestling, football and hockey do. Boxing and wrestling resemble jousting and sword fighting in that they are man-to-man combat sports and invlove only two participants, fighting until one is overpowered. These sports not only serve as enteratinment, but they provide a basis for masculine values in contemporary society. Masculinity is still defined much the same way it was in the Middle Ages. While there is more than one version of masculinity now, the physical and emotional strength criteria still runs strong in some circles. Images of wrestlers and boxers provide adolescent boys with an idea (regardless of how inaccurate) of what a man "should be".

         

Football and hockey differ from jousting in that they are team sports, yet they are like the joust in many key ways. Both sports involve the physical contact that is essentially designed to wear down the opponent. These are games of strength that essentially aim to raise testosterone levels and show what "real men" are made of. Jousts too were essentially tests of who was more of a man.

Medieval masculinity (and masculinity in general) is a complex blending of attributes that essentially defines a specific gender. Today, masculinity is seeing different forms. No longer does a man need to be involved in tests of physical strength in order to be considered a man. Many men today in fact, feel more comfortable with displaying their "feminine sides". Even in contemporary literature, there is a rise in the amount of male characters that are not macho men. But in medieval literature, the characterization of most males seems to have reflected the standard. When we think of men in the Middle Ages, we more than likely think of knights on horseback. This is the common association. Yet this association while not definitive of masculinity in the Middle Ages, certainly is a fairly adequate representation.