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Medieval Community: Lessons from the Film Black Knight

Medieval Community: Lessons from the Film Black Knight

By K. A. Laity

LATCH: A Journal for the Study of the Literary Artifact in Theory, Culture, or History, Vol 1 (2008)

Abstract :In the film Black Knight, a star vehicle for comedian Martin Lawrence, the filmmakers present an up-to-the-moment hipster from Compton who learns a valuable lesson in the context of medieval moral clarity—a lesson which apparently cannot be efficiently addressed in the fast-paced complexity of the modern world. His experiences in the medieval world teach him both to seek out community and to learn to rely upon it. Strengthening those community bonds leads, in the simplified economy of the Disneyfied film, to success, respect, and true love. While simplistic and at times even moronic, Black Knight nonetheless touches on issues central to the racial roots of economic disparities and offers a hopeful message of strength through community.

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Click here to read this article from LATCH: A Journal for the Study of the Literary Artifact in Theory, Culture, or History

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