I think there are four types of honour, position, virtue, warrior, and family, and King gives the glorious foundation of these. For them, the characters of “Le Cid”, King’s praise and critic, the order or opinion from the highest position, might be their center of life. Besides, whenever the four types have conflicts against love, the people who face the problem will hesitate and suffer in the dilemma. They have miserable battle in their mind, and which one wins the battle shows what position honour stands for. No matter who get stuck between love and honour, all of their decision is “Honour Comes First”.

Virtue, the only type that seems to be independent and different from the others, also can be influenced by King. Why Don Diego become the tutor of the Crown Prince of Castile? He is not young and full of strength anymore. I think the reason why King chooses Don Diego is his wisdom and experience – the valuable time he has passed. “His feats are grave on his wrinkled face which still reflects his might in former times.” There is another description of Don Rodrigo’s virtue, “Don Rodrigo bears the mark in every feature of high-heartedness.” And Leonora pities for the Infanta, “It is too fair to leave your fortitude upon the rack.” Both of them will rather keep the glorious virtue than leave honour.

Position, which is based on the social class, has quite a lot of influence too. Position also has relationship with family honour. Leonora says, “Can a great princess so forget herself as to admit a knight into her heart?” Because Princess’s position is higher than a knight, it is impossible for them to get married. Don Diego says, “You see that nonetheless a king has drawn a certain difference between us two.” It shows that the reputation which is given by the higher position especially King is their greatest honour.

There are several part about the job they are – warrior. The elements of a great warrior are loyalty, strength, youth, courage, victory, dignity, and the weapon – sword. The count says, “This arm is the king’s trustiest support.” Don Diego says, “My strong right arm the whole of Spain admires, that arm which has so often saved the realm, so many times buttressed a tottering throne, betrays me in my need, avails me nought.” The arm, part of the body, symbolizes the source of strength. Here it not only represents a warrior’s necessary power to get laurel, but also devotes his whole body, his life, to the king to show his loyalty. No wonder Don Diego is very disappointed when the Count teases him as “age-chilled body’s ornament”, “O God! My failing strength abandons me,” he is old, and loses the fountain of strength – youth. Sword, which is warriors’ essential weapon, symbolizes the ability of fighting and the glory of a soldier. Losing the sword is losing the ability and dignity. The Count says, “Your sword is mine, but it would swell your pride if such a shameful prize burdened my hand.” Don Diego is the loser of this quarrel. Also, how a warrior dies is related to dignity and honour. “Whether I die from sword or broken heart, I’ll shed my blood as pure as at my birth.” Says Don Rodrigo.

Family honour, generation to generation, is probably the central idea of this play. All the types of honour above are related to and extended from family honour. At the beginning of the play, the author draws this idea and put emphasis on it several times. “She does what’s fitting…both spring form valiant, loyal families. They are young, but in their eyes already shines the glorious mettle of their ancestors…his father’s valour, peerless in his day, while strength was in him, all did marvel at. His feats are graven on his wrinkled face which still reflects his might in former times. The son may be what once his father was.” This part shows the two families’ history and how loyal and royal they are. The children, Don Rodrigo and Ximena, also inherit the virtue from their father and their ancestors and the “name”. They will protect and die for the royal family name. This is the basis of how the plots going.