The Once and Future King is the story of King Arthur as wonderfully told by T.H. White. Originally produced in four parts, this collects all in one volume, and I discuss each separately before reflecting on the entire work.
Book 1: The Sword and the Stone
Life is not bad for 'the Wart,' a boy living with Sir Ector and his son, Kay, in the Castle of Forest Sauvage, but things definitely get more interesting when Merlyn arrives to be his tutor. Merlyn is a wizard living backwards in time, and he educates Wart by turning him into various animals to help him learn life lessons through a different lens. Through this and other means, Wart learns perspective, empathy, community, compassion, stewardship, and other qualities that will prove necessary for his destiny.
Over the years, Wart will also have adventures with people like King Pellinore (ever chasing the elusive Questing Beast) and the Saxon Robin Wood (or is it Hood?). But the most unexpected is saved for last: King Uther Pendragon has died, and a tournament held in his honor has Wart and company visiting London. When Kay forgets his sword, Wart grows desperate and obtains a sword from an anvil in a Churchyard. What Wart doesn't know is this feat- which no other can manage- signifies that he is the son of King Uther and therefore, king. So begins the reign of King Arthur.
Book 2: The Queen of Air and Darkness
This is the book of growth- both Arthur's as king and the Orkney faction (King Lot's wife and sons) as opponents. Throughout young Arthur's reign, the Gaelic kings have been against him and his Gallic rule (Arthur is a Norman). This is due to an unfortunate (and somewhat complicated) family tree involving enchantment and deception (see below). The bottom line: Morgause will use magic against the boy King . . . which will eventually bring about his his downfall.
This book also highlights Arthur's coming of age in understanding how a good king should rule. He wants to "harness Might so it works for Right" and so turn bad into good. Yes, for Arthur "Might is only to be used for Right." "I don't think things ought to be done because you are able to do them. I think they should be done because you ought to do them." He creates the Order of the Round Table to channel might into use for right. Will he succeed?
Book 3: The Ill-Made Knight
This book focuses on Lancelot, the "ill-made knight," and specifically his (adulterous) relationship with Queen Guenever. Spending "half his life torturing himself by trying to discover what was right so as to conquer his inclination towards what was wrong," Lancelot embarks on quests "to save his honour, not to establish it." He's trying to escape from Guenever and the temptation she presents.
Lancelot is complicated. "He loved Arthur and he loved Guenever and he hated himself . . . there was shame and self-loathing." Eventually, he is deceived into sinning with another woman, and that triggers his downfall. "He was a lie now, in God's eyes as he saw them, so he felt that he might as well be a lie in earnest." So begins his relationship with the Queen.
Elsewhere, Arthur's Round Table has turned into sportsmanship. His attempts to harness might for right worked for a time . . . but now things are coming undone. The knights are essentially making mischief, and now Arthur comes to realize that using might for anything (good or bad) may have been a mistake- perhaps doing away with might altogether is called for, so Arthur thinks about developing law. As he contemplates these things, he sends the knights out on one last quest, for the Holy Grail- a quest that will cost many their lives.
Book 4: The Candle in the Wind
The age of Arthur is in twilight. Mordred plots the downfall of his father by using Lancelot and Guenever's sin coupled with Arthur's desires for a just society. As Arthur realizes time is short, he contemplates this life, his goals in it, and the nature of conflict. He assumed men were decent . . . was he wrong?
Review
The Once and Future King is a wonderful book, full of laughter, sorrow, and wisdom. The first book is the most light-hearted- indeed, I thought it a 'serious parody' of sorts. Things get progressively more somber in tone as the tragedy of Arthur appears on the horizon- but whether you're laughing or crying, there is value here. The third book in particular is gold: Lancelot is a tortured soul, and seeing him come to the end of himself and reliance on works is humbling. Other observations:
- the pace was uneven at times: there are spots that seemed rushed or drawn out
- White assumes his readers are familiar with Malory's Arthurian tale
- Historically, White places Arthur in the 12th century, over 600 years after Arthur would have lived, and contemporary with Robin Hood (who would have lived much later than Arthur).
Rating: A+
No comments:
Post a Comment