and here we have the obligatory end-of-the-class post.

As my wildly uncreative title suggests this is mostly just going to be me rambling about my thoughts on this class and Arthur himself. To be totally honest this class has been the best part of my semester. I've loved King Arthur for as long as I can remember. 

"The Lady of Shalott" was my first introduction to any form of Arthurian legend and I still love her. I know she can be seen as Ellie sees her, as a whiny girl who killed herself over a guy, but that's not totally true. In Le Morte D'Arthur, yeah, I can see it, but in Tennyson's poem she's different.  I prefer to look at Elaine as Tennyson wrote her. I like to see her as a woman who made a choice for herself, even if it landed her dead in front of the court at Camelot.

                                                   

I really like that this course didn't just focus on one or two major works but instead coverage a whole range of readings. There's more than enough information in Le Morte D'Arthur and The Once and Future King to last the entire term. I appreciated seeing how different authors approached King Arthur (or rather how they approached his knights, because a lot of the stories, particularly the more famous ones, don't actually feature Arthur). 

Pulling in the older works, like The Latin Chronicles and Geoffrey of Monmouth, the stuff that actually makes an attempt at being historical helped me place Arthur and Camelot in history. Seeing how "Lancelot, or the Knight of the Cart" was written for the women who desperately wanted some sort of knight in shining armor helps explain (at least a little) why Lance and Gwen became such a focus point in Arthurian legend (even if I hate it). 

"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" is a hard one for me to wrap my mind around, solely because of the last tiny part. That sash was meant to be a badge of shame and dishonor. Instead everyone starts to wear them. It's a sadly accurate representation of a culture that's still functioning that way, even today. 

I very much enjoyed a lot of the stuff we read later in the class. They're modern novels. It's easier to pick up at random spare moments and still be able to understand what's happening. Even if Avalon High sometimes made me want to beat my head off the wall it wasn't difficult to read through. It took a bit for me to get into Mists of Avalon  but I think part of that was that I was just confused as to where we were in the story. Knight Life, even when it hopped all over the place was just so weirdly entertaining to me that I didn't notice the awkward time jumps. 

As for the questions that have been posed by some people I think my favourite characters remains Morgan. I know she's gotten some pretty hellish representations but I've always loved her and I think I always will. I love Morgan when she's on the side of good and I love her when she's on the side of evil. I love seeing Morgan start out good and end up on the dark side. I really love her when you have no idea where she stands. (Aka Morgan of Gerald Morris' adaptations, she's the greatest). 

Leave it to Katie McGrath to make bat-shit crazy look good. Helena Bonham Carter looks like she should have a bird nesting in her hair. (And why do they all have dark hair?)

Gawain has always been up there as one of my favourite characters as well. I realize now that that's probably because he too was well represented in the book series written by Gerald Morris. I'm starting to see a trend. Whoops. Gawain for this course was a bit lack-luster to me. He's not in as much as I would like and when he is I'm just not as attached to him as I could be. 

Anyway, I realize this post is painfully long. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for a good class! 

Goodbye my friends, I'm out!

Avalon High

Okay...seriously, how did no one remember that there were two Elaines in Arthurian legend? There's a lot of Arthur obsessed people in this book and NO ONE remembers the Lady of the Lake. Really?


   

I mean I know the ladies can look alike (especially when there is no one specific image that either one is clarified to be) but they are pretty separate people. So why did all these brilliant hard-core Arthurian scholars (I mean the Order of the Bear, not Ellie's parents) completely disregard the Lady of the Lake? It is one beauty of a plot hole for Meg Cabot to not even try to explain away.

As for the rest of it, maybe it's because High School was a hellish experience for me, but god did I find everything so shallow. Jen is once again the most annoying person around. Can her character never catch a break? Of all the adaptations of Gwen there is one that I think I could stand to have a conversation with. This is not that Gwen. Jen in this book reminds me of all the popular cheerleader types (as she is meant to) who made my life hell for six years. I know she's meant to be disliked (maybe not detested) but something about her just makes me angry.

Lance is a moron. So many levels of dumb right there. I can't actually form sentences that describe how boring and predictable he is as a character.

Will is just every bit of perfection that could be fit into a character (particularly a representation of King Arthur). He has his faults but even they aren't really faults. He thinks too much and doesn't want to be a soldier. Wow...what downsides.

Ellie is the only bearable part of this to me. Of course she was so much more bearable in 2005 when these mystical teen romance novels weren't quite so over done. She's a typical love sick teenage girl through a lot of the book and badass through the rest. Now it's kind of overplayed but at the time (especially to twelve year old me) it was pretty chill. She's a smart, awkward, athletic, outsider, who still gets the guy (and a badass lineage). To awkward middle school girls everywhere she is a dream of a better future. What's not to love about that?

And the movie? Do I even want to start on that?                                          
 How does this:                                      Turn into this?

Just how? 

And now I'm done. Sorry this is so long. 

Knight Life

I actually found myself weirdly liking this book. I know we didn't read all of it (we so don't have the time for that)  but I think we managed to get a general feel for the book.
It's a totally ridiculous setting for a King Arthur story but it also seemed to work. While I think it's bizarre (even with today's explanation) that Arthur would not run for an office in his own damn country, I guess New York is as good a place as any for a man with no believable history to start over. And then immediately run for office. Plot holes. So many plot holes.

I think the biggest problem I have with this story is probably Gwen. I can accept Arthur's nonsensical run for office and the fact that he knows nothing about politics or society. I can accept a reverse aging Merlin and scaly demon people. I'm just so fed up with lame, bitchy, treasonous renditions of Gwen.
.                                                           
This is my Gwen. I'll admit it. I think she's one of the best renditions of Gwen ever to be presented. As such I have trouble accepting other versions at times. I understand that the Gwen/Lance love story will always be a thing, although the lack of it in Merlin and therefore the lack of it in Angel Coulby's portrayal may play a part of why I love her so much. This Gwen is brave, smart, beautiful, and loyal. She makes mistakes but she's humble and is always willing to figure her shit out. The Gwen in this book (who unfortunately has been given Angel Coulby's face by my mind) is mediocre at best. And then, seemingly out of no where (who knows what happens in the missing pages) she betrays Arthur for Morgaine of all people? Where did that come from? (I suppose it probably has something to do with Lance but we know nothing about him).

Book Gwen, "Gwen Queen" as if that isn't the most obvious name ever seems like she was dropped into the campaign and is basically a coffee fetcher. Which is so totally uninspiring. She gets one good speech about politics and it's ruined by her tendency to talk "like one of the guys". She's a woman who is clearly being written by a man and it's boring and not very believable.

Sassy nine year old Merlin (who's presence no one seems to question?) is more believable in this campaign than Gwen is. Which, while hilarious, is frankly unfair.

Why is no one questioning the presence of this on the campaign? 
Furthermore, why is no one questioning it when he suddenly disappears!
The book makes me laugh, especially the whole bagel thing (and one other section that I'm totally forgetting) but it also is ridiculous and filled with plot holes and totally uninspiring female characters. So that's my thoughts. Sorry for the two posts in one day thing. That's obnoxious of me.

The Lady of Shalott (But kind of also Anne of Green Gables)

I know we've kind of moved on from "The Lady of Shalott" but I totally forgot to post this a week ago so you get it now. So bear with me? 

So for me "The Lady of Shalott" will forever (and always) be Megan Fellows in a sinking boat. This was my first introduction to the poem and, if I really think about it,  it was probably my first introduction to King Arthur as well. I've been watching Anne of Green Gables since before I could speak. I'm not sure anything Arthurian can pre-date that. At least in my life. 

"The Lady of Shalott" has since become one of the few poems I could stand (I am very much not a poetry person). Admittedly I'm not sure I fully understood its meaning until this class. I guess I always understood that she died in the end but it never really hit me why. I knew there was a curse but I don't think I realized that the reason it was set off was because she looked away from her weaving.

Elaine seems now to just be tragic to me. She was trapped by this curse and for who-knows-how-long she faithfully weaves away. Then one bit of light comes into her life and she just has to turn away from his dirty old mirror? She finally gets something that could be good and the curse takes effect. (I'm not saying Lancelot would be good for Elaine, we learned from the book that he really isn't, I'm just saying he's an opportunity.)

She seems so dutiful as she gets ready to die. It doesn't feel like the curse is doing anything to her physically. She ends up freezing to death for pete's sake. But never the less she gets the boat all prepped and writes her name on the side. I think she does it so that someone, anyone, will know who she is. Not to scare them, just so she can be remembered. Then she gets in the boat, in a rain storm, in a white dress, and sets off. (Really Elaine? Does now seem like the best time for a white dress?)

When she finally reaches Camelot (dead) most everyone is afraid of her and Lancelot just says 'eh she wasn't ugly'. This is the man she died for (whether or not either of them know it) and he is utterly indifferent to her. It's just heartbreaking.

Anyway that's it for me. Sorry this is so unbelievably out of date.

She's going to smash a slate over his
head in less than a minute. 

And oh look! They
got married! 

Disclaimer: Gilbert Blythe (who rescues her at the end of the video) may appear perfect. Try not to fall in love with him. He's basically the greatest ever and everything Lancelot wishes he could be. Things end a little better for Anne and Gil. (These two were basically the power couple of my childhood and I adore everything they do.)

Not sure about the brains on this Gawain dude

Not going to lie, I found the end of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight a little bit unimpressive. Like 'hey! Congrats on still having a head but you still screwed up!' And then his only form of punishment or penance was turned into a fashion statement? Like I know they said it was a "solidarity" thing but it still seems like he got off pretty easy. He broke a deal, he broke his word, and all he had to do as penance was wear a sash? And yes, sashes are ridiculous, especially on grown men but it's still a pretty meager thing.
What really got to me was how much the Green Knight didn't seem to care. It was more like a slap on the wrist than a "you broke an oath" anger. That seemed kind of suspect for a guy who transforms himself into a magical, gigantic, GREEN KNIGHT. You kind of expect him to be a drama queen. But nope.

And Gawain just rolls with the fact that this Green Knight starts talking about how Gawain was hanging out in bed with his wife. He doesn't question the fact that the Green Knight was his host for the three days. He just accepts it! Without second thought! Who does that? (People who agree to favours for total strangers is who.)

Sir Gawain the Wonderfully Unimpressive

So about Sir Gawain. I know a big part of chivalry is modesty but in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight Sir Gawain leaves something to be desired. He seems fairly lack luster and as if he's only famous because his uncle is the King. I didn't see his offer to face the Green Knight as bravery so much as a 'someone had to do it' and he wasn't really anyone of value.
He seems to be proving himself to be at least true to his word over the course of his journey. So I guess that's good. He hasn't had much of a chance to prove himself quite yet. He cut off a guy's head, wandered around, and partied a bit. Hopefully the second half proves to be more interesting.
I guess I'm just used to Gawain being the greatest of all knights and doing all these incredible feats and being awesome.
 
The Gawain in this story thus far just kind of seems to be bumbling around, making things up as he goes. I'm just not that impressed.

The Mantle of Relationship Doom

So as I was reading The Saga of the Mantle I couldn't help but laugh as all the knights put their girlfriends up on pedestals. Like "I'm absolutely certain that my girl is totally faithful!" and then...well...nope. One by one all these women failed to be faithful and yet the knights were still all convinced that their 'lady love' would be the one who got to keep the mantle. Then they all started getting pissy when things didn't go their way. They started giving each other crap and then they started throwing shade at the women. My personal favourite on that count has to go to Sir Kay who while leading another unfaithful women to the growing circle said: "I know for certain that there will soon be a large and fine gathering here." Like, damn son. Have you no faith? Although I guess he was right not to.
I also kept laughing at the last knight, Karadin, who told his lady not to do it because he loved her too much. The one guy who really really didn't want his girlfriend trying on the cloak is the only one who came out unscathed. Good job sir.
So between this mantle of relationship doom and the horn from the Lai du cor (as mentioned in the intro) there is a lot of public hating on unfaithful women. Can we have a story about knights being useless cheating jerks and publicly shamed? Because I would be all over that fresh change of pace. Why are the women the horrible flawed parts of the relationship? And why do all these knights get offended that their 'lady loves' are cheating on them? Like yeah, get offended, but look around too. Your girl has to be cheating with someone and more likely than not it's one of your bros (Just ask Arthur, he's an expert on this one).

Anyway, that's my ramblings.

Random Ramblings for the Start of Term

Fair warning to all, when I think King Arthur my mind has been programmed to first think of either Bradley James or Graham Chapman. There is of course all the notions about courtly love and tournaments and magic in there as well. But Bradley and Graham are the first things to come to mind. So I apologize in advance if I post a fair amount of their faces when I need examples. Like right now.

(They don't look too much alike.)

I grew up reading stories about King Arthur (books tend to become a big player when you suck at making friends) but they were generally watered-down children's versions of the stories. They focused more on comedy and the fun aspects of life in Camelot. Less so on the murder and betrayal and war.

King Arthur was one of those kings who seemed to be good at his job to a fault. He put everyone else before himself to a point that it was basically unhealthy. That's the preconception I've had for most of my life. I'd like to see how it changes over the course of the term.

That's not to mean he wasn't a bad-ass fighter and a great leader. Important qualities in a medieval king but he could have learned to watch his own back around his family. (Yay Mordred).
Anyway...that's about it for me.