As I read for Monday's class, I realized how little I knew about King Arthur. In the reading I seemed to pick out all the battles that were talked about, normal guy thing to do, right? But what really caught my attention wasn't the fact that he fought and won so many battles, but what he would do before, during, and after these. It seems to me that he is more focused on taking care of his people than personal glory, though there may be a bit of that there too. I think what I'm trying to say here is that I never really noticed Arthur's moral code and selflessness til now. Yeah, I knew he was a noble knight and king and chivalrous and all that, but the amount it looked like he talked to his advisers before making decisions, or made decisions to help the "damsel in distress" (whatever form that may be in), or simply took time to honor those who had fallen in battle. not to be like "what's in it for me?" or "this will look great with the guys back home!"
Simply put, from this reading I've gained a new perspective on Arthur.
Strong knight that runs into battle and kills 470 men by himself? check.
Sensitive man willing to help others in need without real personal gain? check.
what will be next? I honestly can't wait.
I think you bring up a valid point about Arthur's character, and I think those qualities are what have made him such a fascinating character throughout time. It's easy to find stories about kings who are selfish and care little for the people,but Arthur does not represent that idea. I think he represented a different kind of King; one who valued the opinions of those around him and cares for the people he was responsible for. He was a different type of king even though he was noble and brave as well. I believe those qualities have made him an example of a good king over centuries.
ReplyDeleteHaha guys love battles, it seems. I've also associated Arthur with kindness and virtue. I think I made this assumption merely because it's how I envision an ideal king. The people who wrote about him probably had the same ideas as well. When you think about it, the ideas on what an ideal man is has not changed much over time (just look at the Old Spice guy).
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