Sir Bedevere

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Lore & Background

Sir Bedevere joins King Arthur after the king intervenes in an impromptu witch trial. It is here that he demonstrates his signature trait: using deductive reasoning to determine if a woman is a witch by comparing her weight to that of a duck, concluding that since she weighs the same as a wooden duck, she must be made of wood and therefore a witch. He accompanies Arthur through various trials, including debates over whether swallows could carry coconuts and encounters with the Black Knight. Bedevere later helps concoct a plan to infiltrate a castle occupied by French soldiers using a Trojan Rabbit; however, he forgets to tell his fellow knights to hide inside it, forcing them to flee when the rabbit is flung back at them. He also assists Arthur in satisfying the strange requests of the Knights Who Say 'Ni' and later helps construct a strategy involving the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch to defeat the Rabbit of Caerbannog, which had killed three other knights. Throughout these events, Bedevere remains a constant presence, offering rational solutions that often lead to absurd outcomes.

In Their Own Story

In AD 932, Sir Bedevere is recruited by King Arthur during a witch trial where he argues that a woman must be a witch because she weighs the same as a duck. He joins the quest for the Holy Grail and participates in numerous adventures with Arthur and other knights. When the group encounters French soldiers who taunt them from a castle, Bedevere devises a plan to use a Trojan Rabbit to sneak inside, but he fails to inform his companions, leading to their retreat when the rabbit is thrown back at them. Later, he helps Arthur navigate the demands of the Knights Who Say 'Ni' and assists in defeating the deadly Rabbit of Caerbannog using the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. As the quest nears its end, Bedevere accompanies Arthur across the Bridge of Death, where they encounter a bridge-keeper who demands answers to three questions. When Arthur asks about the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow, the bridge-keeper cannot answer and is thrown into the gorge. Ultimately, Bedevere's journey concludes abruptly when modern police officers arrest him and Arthur on suspicion of murdering a historian filming a documentary.

Reader's Guide

Sir Bedevere serves as the intellectual anchor of King Arthur's quest, often attempting to apply logic and scientific reasoning to the absurd challenges they face. His most notable moment occurs during the witch trial, where he deduces that a woman is a witch because she weighs the same as a duck, showcasing his unique brand of deductive reasoning. He plays a crucial role in several key events, including the failed Trojan Rabbit infiltration of the French castle and the defeat of the Rabbit of Caerbannog using the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. Bedevere also assists Arthur in navigating the Bridge of Death, where their encounter with the bridge-keeper leads to his own defeat when he cannot answer a question about swallow airspeed. Despite his intelligence, Bedevere's journey ends not with glory but with his arrest by modern police officers, reflecting the film's themes of historical absurdity and meta-narrative interruption.

Did You Know?

• Sir Bedevere was recruited by King Arthur during an impromptu witch trial where he deduced a woman's guilt based on her weight relative to a duck.
• Bedevere concocted a plan to infiltrate a French castle using a Trojan Rabbit but forgot to tell his fellow knights to hide inside it, leading to their retreat when the rabbit was flung back at them.
• Sir Bedevere helped use the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch to destroy the Rabbit of Caerbannog after it killed three other knights.
• The film's ending sees Sir Bedevere and King Arthur arrested by modern police officers investigating the murder of a historian filming a documentary on Arthurian legends.

Origins and Development

Sir Bedevere appears in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a 1975 British comedy film conceived during the hiatus between the third and fourth series of Monty Python's Flying Circus. The screenplay was drafted by the entire group—Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin—in January 1973. Initially, half the material was set in the Middle Ages and half in the present day, but the group decided to focus exclusively on the Holy Grail legend. By the fourth or fifth draft, the story was complete, with the characters joking that the Grail's non-retrieval would be a great anti-climax. The film marked the feature directorial debuts of Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, who described the experience as a learning process defined by mutual disrespect.

Narrative Arc and Key Events

Sir Bedevere is introduced during an impromptu witch trial where he uses logic to determine a woman's guilt based on her weight relative to a duck. He joins King Arthur and his squire Patsy, who bangs coconut shells together to mimic horse riding, as they travel Britain in AD 932 searching for knights. Bedevere participates in key events such as the debate over swallow airspeed velocities, the failed Trojan Rabbit infiltration of a French castle, and the battle against the Rabbit of Caerbannog, where he helps use the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch to destroy the creature. He also accompanies Arthur across the Bridge of Death, where they encounter a bridge-keeper who demands answers to three questions. The narrative culminates with Bedevere and Arthur being arrested by modern police officers investigating the murder of a historian filming a documentary.

Cinematic Legacy and Critical Reception

Monty Python and the Holy Grail grossed more than any other British film screened in the US in 1975. In 2011, it was selected as the second-best comedy of all time in the ABC special Best in Film: The Greatest Movies of Our Time, behind Airplane!. In the UK, readers of Total Film magazine ranked it fifth-greatest comedy film of all time in 2000, while a Channel 4 viewer poll placed it sixth in 2006. Eric Idle later used the film as the basis for the 2005 Tony Award-winning musical Spamalot. The film has since been considered one of the greatest comedy films of all time.

Character Dynamics and Thematic Elements

Sir Bedevere serves as a foil to King Arthur, often providing logical counterpoints to the absurdity surrounding them. His deductive reasoning is showcased during the witch trial and in his attempts to solve problems like the Trojan Rabbit infiltration. The film subverts traditional chivalric ideals by presenting knights who are comically inept rather than noble heroes, with Bedevere representing the futile attempt to apply rational thought to an irrational world. This theme is reinforced by the abrupt ending, where modern police officers arrest Arthur and Bedevere for a murder they did not commit, highlighting the clash between medieval legend and contemporary reality.