-Le Morte De Arthur
-The Sword in the Stone
-Shakespeare "To hoist with his own petard"
-King Arthur
-the Bible
-various Saints
-various popes and other religious figures
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Classic?
I believe that this book is a classic because of its profound themes of Right over Might and Boundaries are imaginary. This book is taken from Malory's Le Morte De Arthur, and makes many allusions to it. This book has stood the test of time and has remained a great literary work.
Charachter Growth
Wart begins the book as a happy young boy that dreams of being a knight someday. Although he knows this will never happen, he still practices with his foster brother Kay. When Merlyn comes along, he transforms into the same boy with the same dreams, but a more learned one. When Arthur becomes King, he starts thinking along the lines of Right over Might. He still has the same innocence he starts out with but is much more mature. After the crusades, everyone gets bored and King Arthur must begin to think of a new way to keep Might under Right. He begins thinking of new laws to govern the people instead of force. while he does this he gets older and more mature. He sees that his utopia is falling apart. At the end he remembers all of what Merlyn taught him. He thinks that it would be a better world if man had wings and no boundaries.
Summary
The first book is of Arthurs youth. He is living with his gaurdian, Sir Ector, his foster brother Kay lets his goshawk fly into the forest and makes the young Arthur, the Wart, go after it. Wart stumbles accross Merlins hut and is invited in for tea. they leave together to Sir Ectors castle. Merlin is to be Wart and Kays tutor and lives with them. Merlin tutors Arthur by turning him into various animals and letting him learn their customs and ettiquites. a fish, a squirrel, an ant, and a hawk are among the animals Wart experiences. When kay complains that he never gets any adventures, Merlin sends the boys on a quest. They find Robin Hood, actually pronounced Wood, and they go after some missing people. they find them in the castle of Morgan Le Fay. She is a witch and they must unfreeze her entire castle to get the people back. Years later Kay gets knighted and Arthur is to be his squire. They hear of the sword in the stone and of the tournament for new years. Wart is not present when the messenger delivers his tale of the sword. They arrive in London and are about to participate in the tournament when Kay discovers that he does not have his sword. He sends Wart to fetch it. Wart goes to the hostel and finds that he cannot get in, he sees a sword in the yard of a church and yanks it out of the anvil. he takes it back to Kay and Sir Ector identifies it as the sword in the stone. they take it back to the churchyard and he pulls it out again and again for the crowd. then he becomes king.
The second book starts out with the Queen of Cornwalls children talking about the start of the hate against Uther Pendragons family. They are hiding from their mother Morgause because she is busy brewing up some vile creation. Arthur is at war with the Galls and Moerlin knew this would happen so he sent off for another countrys army and he and Arthur set them as a trap behind the Galls. Arthur wins the war this way and begins thinking of a new system so the might is not above right. He comes up with the idea of the round table and making it so it is a high honor to be seated at this table. Sir Palomides, King Pellinore and Sir Grummore show up in Orkney, the home of Morgause, on an enchanted ship. They go in search of a unicorn because Morgause offers herself as the Virgin to capture one. This in itself is very funny because she is one of the most promiscuous women in this book. Morgauses four children decide that to regain their mothers attentions they must capture a unicorn, so the make the kitchen maid come with them as their Virgin. The find and capture the unicorn and Agravaine kills the beautiful beast because he is prone to violent mood swings. the animal proves too heavy for Gawaine, Gareth, Agravaine, and Gaheris to carry back so they cut off its head and roll it to the castle. They try to present it to their mother while she is with the three knights. She blows them off and tries to cover up their pleas. Sir Grummore and Sir Palomides notice that King Pellinore is moping about, so they devise a plan to recreate the Questing Beast for him to chase. they go out and are stalked by the real Questing Beast and she falls in love with Sir Palomides. King Pellinores lady love finds him after she follows the Questing Beast to him. they get married and the Questing Beast is then hunted by Sir Palomides. Merlin tries to remember everything he was supposed to tell Arthur but leaves before he remembers that it was his mothers name he failed to remember.
Arthur is Uther Pendragons son by Igraine who is Morgauses mother. Morgause seduces Arthur with a Spancel, a tape made of human skin sewn together. she has a son, Mordred, by Arthur, her brother.
In the third book it talks almost solely of Lancelot. As a child, he was in Arthurs presence for a short span of time, and became enthralled with Arthurs idea of Right over Might. He trains his entire focus on becoming the best knight in the world. As he is going to Camelot, he encounters a knight without a squire, this knight is Arthur himself, they have one tilt and Arthur is knocked off his horse. Instead of getting furios like a normal knight, Arthur laughs and takes of his helm. Lancelot recognizes the young king and asks to be knighted by the king. Arthur agrees and takes him to Camelot. Once there Lancelot is given a seat at the round table. He meets Guenevere and they start to like eachother. Lancelot believes his power to be coming from his purity, virginity, and his innocence. While on a quest, Lancelot is asked to perform a miracle. He rescues a maiden from a huge pot of boiling water. She has been there for several years. He stays at this maidens fathers castle for a while. One night, the steward gets him drunk and a note is sent to Lancelot that Guenevere is in a neighboring castle and wants him to come to her right away, she cannot wait any longer. He is led about the castle and into the chamber of the Maiden, Elaine. She has tricked him into sleeping with her. The next morning when he discovers that she has tricked him he rants to her about taking away his strength and what if a child comes of this..... He leaves and nine months later word comes to him that she has had a child from their union and has named him Galahad, after Lancelot. Guenevere gets mad at him and says that she will never love him nor be with him again if she comes to court. When Guenevere calms down, she invites Elaine to come to court and ttells Lancelot that if he does anything with Elaine under her roof that she won't be with him any longer. Elaine comes to court and is housed next to Gueneveres suite. Again Lancelot is gotten drunk and recieves a faulty note from the Queen. He sleeps with Elain again and once it has been discovered he jumps out of a first floor window and runs off. Three years later he is found as a ragged and dirty wild man. He ends up in Elaines castle once again and he remembers how to speak and behave. He is given a castle of his own and takes Elaine there to raise their son. He is discovered by an old friend and has to go back to court. He tells Elaine that he will return. Some years later while the crusades are going on, Galahad is among the knights that find the holy grail and Lancelot discovers that he needs religion in his life. Guenevere is captured by a knight who was looking for publicity. Lancelot comes to the rescue and saves her honor. Lancelot and the knight have a duel and the knight is killed. There is a tournament in which Lancelot competes in and he stays at Elaines castle. she thinks that he is here to stay for good. He has to tell her that his place is at court and with the Queen. He goes back to Court and she kills herself. Thus beating the Queen in her love of Lancelot. After this a hemopheliac man comes with a mortal wound and says that only the best knight in the world can heal him. They get all the knights to try to heal him and Lancelot tries to stay out of it but ends up being the last one to try. He prays and prays and the man is miraculously healed.
The fourth book is the complete downfall of Arthurs England. This starts out with the Orkney brothers arguing over wanting revenge on Lancelot and Arthur. Agravaine and Mordred wish to tell Arthur of Lancelot and Gueneveres affairs. Gawaine, Gaheris, and Gareth try with all their power to dissuade them. They let Arthur know of their intentions. Arthur tries to tell Lancelot and Guenevere to be careful of traps. When Arthur is gone hunting for a week, Lancelot and Guenevere are going to meet one night and Gareth warns Lancelot of the trap that is set for him to be found in the Queens rooms. He ignores this and goes to her room. The trap is sprung and he kills Agravaine and takes his armour and kills all in the party except Mordred. He flees to his castle and Guenevere is set to be burned at the stake. When she is about to be burned, Lancelot shows up and rescues her. in the confusion, unarmed Gareth and Gaheris are killed. Mordred swears that it was Lancelot who killed his brothers. Lancelot and Guenevere are in his castle being besieged. Gawaine is keeping Arthur going on the war. Lancelot and Guenevere get the pope to interfere on their behalf. This halts the attacks until Mordred decides that revenge is needed. The book ends with Arthur crying remembering when he was young all the adventures with the animals he had, and of Merlyn.
The second book starts out with the Queen of Cornwalls children talking about the start of the hate against Uther Pendragons family. They are hiding from their mother Morgause because she is busy brewing up some vile creation. Arthur is at war with the Galls and Moerlin knew this would happen so he sent off for another countrys army and he and Arthur set them as a trap behind the Galls. Arthur wins the war this way and begins thinking of a new system so the might is not above right. He comes up with the idea of the round table and making it so it is a high honor to be seated at this table. Sir Palomides, King Pellinore and Sir Grummore show up in Orkney, the home of Morgause, on an enchanted ship. They go in search of a unicorn because Morgause offers herself as the Virgin to capture one. This in itself is very funny because she is one of the most promiscuous women in this book. Morgauses four children decide that to regain their mothers attentions they must capture a unicorn, so the make the kitchen maid come with them as their Virgin. The find and capture the unicorn and Agravaine kills the beautiful beast because he is prone to violent mood swings. the animal proves too heavy for Gawaine, Gareth, Agravaine, and Gaheris to carry back so they cut off its head and roll it to the castle. They try to present it to their mother while she is with the three knights. She blows them off and tries to cover up their pleas. Sir Grummore and Sir Palomides notice that King Pellinore is moping about, so they devise a plan to recreate the Questing Beast for him to chase. they go out and are stalked by the real Questing Beast and she falls in love with Sir Palomides. King Pellinores lady love finds him after she follows the Questing Beast to him. they get married and the Questing Beast is then hunted by Sir Palomides. Merlin tries to remember everything he was supposed to tell Arthur but leaves before he remembers that it was his mothers name he failed to remember.
Arthur is Uther Pendragons son by Igraine who is Morgauses mother. Morgause seduces Arthur with a Spancel, a tape made of human skin sewn together. she has a son, Mordred, by Arthur, her brother.
In the third book it talks almost solely of Lancelot. As a child, he was in Arthurs presence for a short span of time, and became enthralled with Arthurs idea of Right over Might. He trains his entire focus on becoming the best knight in the world. As he is going to Camelot, he encounters a knight without a squire, this knight is Arthur himself, they have one tilt and Arthur is knocked off his horse. Instead of getting furios like a normal knight, Arthur laughs and takes of his helm. Lancelot recognizes the young king and asks to be knighted by the king. Arthur agrees and takes him to Camelot. Once there Lancelot is given a seat at the round table. He meets Guenevere and they start to like eachother. Lancelot believes his power to be coming from his purity, virginity, and his innocence. While on a quest, Lancelot is asked to perform a miracle. He rescues a maiden from a huge pot of boiling water. She has been there for several years. He stays at this maidens fathers castle for a while. One night, the steward gets him drunk and a note is sent to Lancelot that Guenevere is in a neighboring castle and wants him to come to her right away, she cannot wait any longer. He is led about the castle and into the chamber of the Maiden, Elaine. She has tricked him into sleeping with her. The next morning when he discovers that she has tricked him he rants to her about taking away his strength and what if a child comes of this..... He leaves and nine months later word comes to him that she has had a child from their union and has named him Galahad, after Lancelot. Guenevere gets mad at him and says that she will never love him nor be with him again if she comes to court. When Guenevere calms down, she invites Elaine to come to court and ttells Lancelot that if he does anything with Elaine under her roof that she won't be with him any longer. Elaine comes to court and is housed next to Gueneveres suite. Again Lancelot is gotten drunk and recieves a faulty note from the Queen. He sleeps with Elain again and once it has been discovered he jumps out of a first floor window and runs off. Three years later he is found as a ragged and dirty wild man. He ends up in Elaines castle once again and he remembers how to speak and behave. He is given a castle of his own and takes Elaine there to raise their son. He is discovered by an old friend and has to go back to court. He tells Elaine that he will return. Some years later while the crusades are going on, Galahad is among the knights that find the holy grail and Lancelot discovers that he needs religion in his life. Guenevere is captured by a knight who was looking for publicity. Lancelot comes to the rescue and saves her honor. Lancelot and the knight have a duel and the knight is killed. There is a tournament in which Lancelot competes in and he stays at Elaines castle. she thinks that he is here to stay for good. He has to tell her that his place is at court and with the Queen. He goes back to Court and she kills herself. Thus beating the Queen in her love of Lancelot. After this a hemopheliac man comes with a mortal wound and says that only the best knight in the world can heal him. They get all the knights to try to heal him and Lancelot tries to stay out of it but ends up being the last one to try. He prays and prays and the man is miraculously healed.
The fourth book is the complete downfall of Arthurs England. This starts out with the Orkney brothers arguing over wanting revenge on Lancelot and Arthur. Agravaine and Mordred wish to tell Arthur of Lancelot and Gueneveres affairs. Gawaine, Gaheris, and Gareth try with all their power to dissuade them. They let Arthur know of their intentions. Arthur tries to tell Lancelot and Guenevere to be careful of traps. When Arthur is gone hunting for a week, Lancelot and Guenevere are going to meet one night and Gareth warns Lancelot of the trap that is set for him to be found in the Queens rooms. He ignores this and goes to her room. The trap is sprung and he kills Agravaine and takes his armour and kills all in the party except Mordred. He flees to his castle and Guenevere is set to be burned at the stake. When she is about to be burned, Lancelot shows up and rescues her. in the confusion, unarmed Gareth and Gaheris are killed. Mordred swears that it was Lancelot who killed his brothers. Lancelot and Guenevere are in his castle being besieged. Gawaine is keeping Arthur going on the war. Lancelot and Guenevere get the pope to interfere on their behalf. This halts the attacks until Mordred decides that revenge is needed. The book ends with Arthur crying remembering when he was young all the adventures with the animals he had, and of Merlyn.
Friday, January 23, 2009
The Magnum Opus
The first thing most people think of when they are asked about King Arthur, is a Disney movie entitled "The Sword in the Stone". This movie was made after the first edition of "The Once and Future King" was published. The book was later revised and became all of Whites Arthurian novels put into one. The book i am reading is the edition that has all the added parts. White did not know whether he was writing the novels for children or adults, and when you read the novel, you cannot for sure decide what the target age actually is. It is wonderfully written, but was not reviewed very much when it was published.
White based most of his novels on Malorys version of Le Morte De Arthur. i believe that this article is accurate.
White based most of his novels on Malorys version of Le Morte De Arthur. i believe that this article is accurate.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
My Book (post #1)
The Once and Future King. By T. H. White. Originally Publication 1939. I will present this Febuary 27.
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