Canute Personality: A Timid Prince Turned Ruthless King

Canute is the 17-year-old prince of the Danes and the youngest son of King Sweyn.

Canute’s personality is a result of his upbringing, his environment, and his choices. He is timid, gentle, kind, naive, loyal, devout, feminine, insecure, dependent, compassionate, ambitious, ruthless, charismatic, cunning, and idealistic.

Canute was born as the youngest son of King Sweyn of Denmark, who was a great warrior and conqueror. Sweyn valued and loved Canute’s brother Harald, who was also an army commander and hardened by countless battles. Canute, on the other hand, showed to have a greatly different personality from early on. He was raised by Ragnar, his chief retainer, who became his surrogate father and protector. Ragnar taught him about Christianity and encouraged him to pursue his interests, such as cooking, which was deemed by his own father as “slave work” and unworthy for a prince.

Canute grew up distant from the politics and the violence of his father’s kingdom. He was secluded in his own little world alongside Ragnar, where the preoccupations went as far as the taste of their last meal. He developed a soft and feminine appearance, which often got him mistaken for a girl, to the point of being considered the reincarnation of the goddess Freyja. He was shy and insecure, unable to speak up for himself or make his own decisions. He relied on Ragnar for everything, from his daily needs to his emotional support. He was gentle and kind, showing compassion to animals and people alike. He was also devout and pious, praying to God and following the teachings of the Bible.

Canute’s life changed drastically when his father sent him to the battlefront in London, hoping he would end up killed by the enemy. Sweyn saw his son as a weakling, someone who would never carry the weight of the crown. He wanted to eliminate him, so Harald could be the undisputed heir to the throne. Canute was just a teenager with a body and personality poorly suited for war. He was terrified and helpless, surrounded by bloodshed and cruelty. He witnessed the horrors of war firsthand, and lost his beloved Ragnar, who was assassinated by his father’s orders. He was captured by the enemy, and faced death several times.

Canute’s near-death experiences and Ragnar’s death triggered a dramatic change in his personality. He realized that God had abandoned him and the world, and that he had to take matters into his own hands. He developed a Messiah complex, believing that he was the chosen one to create a paradise on Earth before God’s return. He became strong, kingly, and charismatic, gaining the respect and loyalty of the Vikings who once mocked him. He also became ruthless, cunning, and ambitious, plotting to overthrow his father and brother, and to destroy anything that stood in his way of his utopia. He renounced his faith and his compassion, and embraced his father’s legacy of war and conquest. He also became more masculine and confident, cutting his hair and changing his attire.

Canute’s personality is a contrast and a challenge to the protagonist Thorfinn, who also wishes for a peaceful world, but has different ideals and methods. Canute represents the dark side of ambition, the corruption of power, and the danger of fanaticism. He is a tragic and complex character, who has lost his innocence and his humanity in his quest for salvation.