“The cradle rocks over an abyss and common sense tells us that our existence is nothing more than a brief glimpse of light between two eternities of darkness.” Vladimir Nabakov often told stories of men and women destroyed by unconscious forces and desires that drove them to madness. The character often gives in to his deepest, darkest desires and allows those desires to control his actions. The character's downfalls are love, hate, lust, mistrust and innocence. As he wrote them, Nabokov often discovered parts of himself that he didn't know existed. Just like Nabakov, TH White wrote The Once and Future King during World War II. He saw the world falling apart around him and couldn't understand why. His characters desperately searched for answers, starting from the purest intentions and falling from grace. As he wrote, White discovered that he himself had given in to his basic desires. It's because his mind told him to give in to his most extreme passions. Lancelot struggles to refrain from his desires and ultimately becomes too caught up in them to realize that his world is in chaos. In The Once and Future King by T. H. White, as Lancelot struggles to understand his hidden motivations during his relationships with Arthur and Guinevere, Lancelot's relationships and psyche are destroyed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Lancelot's love for Arthur and his need for his approval are the driving force behind his mind's destruction of itself. Lancelot idolizes Arthur from their first meeting. After Lancelot meets Arthur as a child, he becomes infatuated with the idea of ​​being exactly like Arthur and serving as one of his knights. White even describes Lancelot as a child who looked up to Arthur and was “in love with him” (White 311). His admiration for Arthur drives him to become the famous knight he is. Arthur is also a divine figure for Lancelot. Layaman compares Arthur to Christ, arguing that when Arthur lives in the human world he atones for the sins of others and brings together a community of holy people. Lancelot always feels the need to atone for his bestial appearance by realizing that "he [is] as ugly as a [monster] in the king's menagerie" (White 313). The dynamic of their relationship changes when Lancelot comes to court and sees Arthur more as a father. Being with Arthur in France and being in his rightful presence provides Lancelot with the epitome of what he desires to become. When Arthur sees Lancelot for the first time in years, "he... knighted him on the first day." (White 326). When Arthur accepts Lancelot and solidifies their father-son relationship, their relationship turns into a psychological war in Lancelot's mind between what is right and what Lancelot knows he shouldn't do. As Lancelot and Arthur grow closer, an Oedipus complex destroys them. The first person to realize that "Lancelot and Guinevere were falling in love with each other...[was] King Arthur himself"' (White 331). As the Oedipus complex states, the child fears that his love for his mother will be thwarted by his father's castration (Sayer 5). After this happens, Lancelot and Arthur's friendship breaks down as Arthur's fear as a father seeps into their relationship. This causes a rift in what Lancelot believes is right to do for his friend and his real desires, or a war between his Id and Superego. As this struggle becomes more apparent, what his ego is supposed to do becomes clouded. Layaman describes Arthur as a pure and uncorrupted individual and when Lancelot sees him he becomes even more lost. He is no longer able to compare himself or toconnect to Arthur. Lancelot acts based on his basic desires or what society tells him, not what is a healthy balance between them. Lancelot's love for Guinevere, or her mother, was fulfilled through Arthur's anger and desire for Lancelot's castration. Without Arthur's presence Lancelot succumbs to the pressure of his id and his affection for Guinevere and his love of bloodshed begin to define him (Sayers 6). Lancelot and Arthur's mutual hostility reaches an excessive level when Arthur is forced by law to prosecute Lancelot for his transgressions; but while Lancelot fights against Arthur, Lancelot fears for himself and for the blood shed by his companions during a battle he does not want to fight. Lancelot even goes so far as to kill his supporter and voice of reason at court, Gareth, in a fit of passion. Lancelot continues to decline morally and is eventually consumed by cruelty. Arthur is too consumed by the battle against his best friend to realize what has happened in England. Arthur, possessing a retired ID and a prominent ego, takes his troops and continues home. Arthur subsequently dies, murdered by Mordred in battle (412 Malory Modern Library Edition). Lancelot's fear of emasculation ceases and he realizes that his affection for Guinevere has killed his best friend. Lancelot realizes that "[his] grief would be incalculable at Arthur's passing" (Layamon 126). Lancelot quickly tries to suppress his feelings and his ID. Just like Oedipus in mythology, he believes he has committed "...murder [and looks] up. [He sees] fate turning. They [had] found [him]. [He was convinced] that soon their shadows [ would have] poured freshly upon [his] shoulders” (McLaughlin 353). He completely eliminated his ID, absolving and interrupting the path of destruction he had begun. He dedicated the rest of his life to religion and God, standing on the extreme of Superego (443 Malory Modern Library Edition). Lancelot and Arthur's intertwined paths and love for each other caused them both great pain and ultimately cost them both their lives. Lancelot's relationship with Guinevere causes an internal struggle in Lancelot's mind and drives him to madness. When he falls in love with her, he struggles with the idea of ​​not being able to perform a miracle. Lancelot even "prays to God to let him perform a miracle" (White 372). Tricked into sleeping with Elaine, he believes he can no longer perform miracles. His dream is shattered when Lancelot's superego suppresses his secret desires to be with Guinevere. With this destroyed, his ID takes control and he gives in to the desire to pursue a relationship with her. With the revelation that he has given in to his desires and the disappointment of no longer being pure, he seeks solace in Guinevere. At first she "[addresses the] problem with which [he is] intimately and passionately concerned" (White 375). Lancelot and Guinevere's love becomes so strong that they are unaware that Guinevere is married to Arthur because they are consumed by their passion. Guinevere soon after becomes jealous of Lancelot's past lover, Elaine, as she has a son who binds her to Lancelot forever. She becomes bitter and vengeful towards Lancelot and his family. Guinevere even tells Lancelot, "[she] will have her killed" (White 382). Lancelot's dreams of his relationship with Guinevere and his life purpose of working miracles are destroyed. With Lancelot's loss of the id and superego desires, his ego is lost. His mind ceases to exist completely. Instead of providing Lancelot the comfort he seeks, she abuses his affection and forces him to retreat into the woods.