All Things Arthurian

[RumplesGirl]

Since it was revealed that Merlin is the Sorcerer (and there’s a good chance we’re going to see Camelot and other Arthurian legends this fall) I thought it might be nice to gather some information about the original sources since A and E like to pull from the legends before twisting them.

A bit of an upfront confession; I am by no means an Arthurian expert. I am drawing mostly from what I do know based on readings of original source material and a lot of popular culture references–like T.H. White and Marian Zimmer Bradley–but that’s how A and E work, so bare bones though it may be, it’ll be pretty useful.

Maybe if @SirMedrut comes along, he can fill in some blanks since he seems to be our Arthurian expert?

Arthurian Legends: People, Places, And Things

Arthur: King of Camelot though early texts, like Geoffrey of Monmouth’s telling, have him as the King of All England, Norway and Gaul (which seems highly unlikely in the historical reality). The most popular tales about Arthur are the romances which introduced his knights, his round table, his Queen, and various quests. Arthur is believed to be the son of Ygrain and Uthor Pendragon, begat in a moment of deception when Uthor was so enamored of the Lady Ygrain that he asked the wizard Merlin to transform him into Ygrain’s husband in order to seduce her. In some tales, Arthur’s half-sister is Morgan le Fay (and if you’ve read Bradley, this sibling relationship is given quite a bit of weight) and the two have a highly contentious relationship and in many popular re-tellings Mordred is their offspring. The Disney movie that most of us have seen is based in large part on T.H. White’s “The Once and Future King” and there Arthur’s history is fleshed out a bit more: as a baby he was spirited away from his parents and raised by Sir Ector and tutored by Merlin in how to be a good king (and Merlin calls him Wart). He becomes known as the true king when he pulls the Sword Excalibur from the stone.

Merlin: A Wizard of the highest order who trains Arthur in how to be a good king and various life lessons, normally taught by turning Arthur into various animals (to and fro, stop and go, that’s what makes the world go ’round). His traditional background is as half human, his father being an incubus. It’s interesting that some tales have Merlin as a villain, given his only half-human status. Bradley’s account for instance doesn’t necessarily cast him as a villain, but as someone who is trying to keep his people’s faith in tact in the growing and overwhelming Christianity. He can be a sometime prophet but is often seen more as a sage adviser to King Arthur. In some cases, and in the popular 1990s made for TV movie “Merlin,” he is in love with Nimue who betrayed him and, again, in some cases is responsible for his death.

Morgan le Fey: “A witch!” or enchantress in traditional male-dominated re-tellings, who gets a bit of a revamp in the Bradley telling (I’m fairly fond of Bradley and think everyone should read ‘Mist of Avalon’) in which she is a sorceress (without the negative connotations) who is watching her world be overtaken by Christianity. As stated above, often written as the half sister of Arthur, sharing the same mother, the Lady Ygrain, though her father was Gorlois. There are a lot of different tellings that A and E could play with when it comes to Morgan le Fay, such as her supposed unrequited love for Lancelot and hatred for Guinevere, her apprenticeship under Merlin, her training with Vivien in Avalon. If they chose to go the traditional route that she is Public Enemy #1, then it’s possible she might turn out of the be the Black Fairy as so many of theorized.

Guinevere: wife of King Arthur and secret lover of Lancelot. Everything a romantic leading lady should be: beautiful, charming, serene (unless you read Bradley and she’s a bit of an agoraphobic shrew who’s Christianity is constantly at odds with Morgan’s paganism…). There are some very popular stories about her like her abduction by King Melwas which casts Guinevere in a Persephone-type of role. But obviously her most popular story is of her love affair with Lancelot, Arthur’s friend and knight. It’s possible that OUAT has already hinted at this when Lancelot appeared in Season 2 and Lancelot mentions leaving his country over a woman he loved, in a flashback with Snow. The Lancelot/Guinevere love affair is said to be the downfall of Arthur’s Kingdom.

Lancelot: A knight of Arthur’s round table and champion. He is supposed to be portrayed as the most perfect knight, though one that gives into his love for Guinevere and betrays his King. In later legends, Lancelot is associated with the Holy Grail and the quest for finding the cup of Christ, though early stories don’t tie him to this quest, despite his very Christian portrayal. He is often called Lancelot du lac (of the lake) because he is raised by the Lady of the Lake, Viviene. Lancelot himself is married to Elaine, daughter of the Fisher King, and together they conceive Galahad, one of the very few knights who is allowed to find the Holy Grail (because of super piety, ect).

Mordred: Most commonly, the son of Arthur of Camelot either by Morguase (Arthur’s sister) or Morgan le Fey (again, his half-sister). He is conceived as being treacherous, opportunistic, and an enemy of Arthur alongside his mother, Morgan. In one of the most famous Arthurian retellings, Le Morte d’Arthur, Mordred knows about Lancelot and Guinevere and plans to use it against Arthur.  Mordred and Arthur meet at the Battle of Camlann where Arthur kills Mordred but not before Mordred delivers a deathly blow to Arthur in return. This is the death of Arthur and he is taken to Avalon, in many cases by Morgan le Fay, interestingly enough. Might be worth noting that in some cases Arthur doesn’t really die but is simply taken to Avalon and everyone is just waiting for his return, making Arthur a bit of a messianic figure.

Camelot: the castle and court of King Arthur. Basically, utopia or at least as romantic as one can cast a realm. If you think of Arthur as a messianic figure and “chosen by God to unite all England” then Camelot is really his paradise/heaven. It crumbles and breaks apart because of Lancelot and Guinevere.

Avalon: An rather mystical island and heavily associated with the pagans and Morgan le Fay. It is often a place out of time and disconnected from the “real” world. It figures heavily in Bradley’s “Mists of Avalon” where it is the last refuge for Morgan and her people.

The Holy Grail: the ultimate Arthurian quest object. The Grail was the cup Jesus and his disciples drank from in the Last Supper and later was used by Joseph of Arimathea to catch Christ’s blood the cross and has since become one of the most sought after Christian artifacts of all time as well as one of the most mysterious since it is believed to hold some sort of power. Many tales are told about Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table who go off on a quest to find the Grail. Only a few knights are allowed to find the Grail, however, including Galahad, the son of Lancelot. The Grail has already been hinted at in S2, “Lady of the Lake,” during Snowing’s first wedding before Lancelot. It should be noted that whoever goes after Emma to find her–Hook, Charming, Regina, Henry, ect–they are themselves going on a quest to find a sacred object (literally: the savior) and thus we could make an analog between Emma and the Grail itself.

Excalibur: the sword of King Arthur that he supposedly pulled from the stone to signify that he was the rightful King. In other versions of the Arthurian tale, however, the sword is presented to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake. I’d wager that A and E will take a more traditional route and keep it as the sword in the stone, especially if they tie in the Disney movie. There are some magical properties associated with Excalibur–I believe it blinded Arthur’s enemies at one point. The scabbard is also believed to be powerful. In “The Death of Arthur” the sword is thrown back into the Lake and caught by the Lady of the Lake before vanishing.

The Round Table and its Knights: The group of Knights sworn to King Arthur at Camelot. The Round Table was thought up so that no knight would feel above or below the other, thus causing rivalries and jealousies. These knights of the round table went with Arthur on quests, like to find the aforementioned Grail. Some knights are more popular than others, for whatever reason: Lancelot, Galahad, Gawain, Gareth.

Obviously there is a lot more I could put here, but this seems like a fairly decent start. Anyone got anything they want to add?

[Irvin Martinez]

Since it was revealed that Merlin is the Sorcerer (and there’s a good chance we’re going to see Camelot and other Arthurian legends this fall) I thought it might be nice to gather some information about the original sources since A and E like to pull from the legends before twisting them. A bit of an upfront confession; I am by no means an Arthurian expert. I am drawing mostly from what I do know based on readings of original source material and a lot of popular culture references–like T.H. White and Marian Zimmer Bradley–but that’s how A and E work, so bare bones though it may be, it’ll be pretty useful. Maybe if @SirMedrut comes along, he can fill in some blanks since he seems to be our Arthurian expert? Arthurian Legends: People, Places, And Things Arthur: King of Camelot though early texts, like Geoffrey of Monmouth’s telling, have him as the King of All England, Norway and Gaul (which seems highly unlikely in the historical reality). The most popular tales about Arthur are the romances which introduced his knights, his round table, his Queen, and various quests. Arthur is believed to be the son of Ygrain and Uthor Pendragon, begat in a moment of deception when Uthor was so enamored of the Lady Ygrain that he asked the wizard Merlin to transform him into Ygrain’s husband in order to seduce her. In some tales, Arthur’s half-sister is Morgan le Fay (and if you’ve read Bradley, this sibling relationship is given quite a bit of weight) and the two have a highly contentious relationship and in many popular re-tellings Mordred is their offspring. The Disney movie that most of us have seen is based in large part on T.H. White’s “The Once and Future King” and there Arthur’s history is fleshed out a bit more: as a baby he was spirited away from his parents and raised by Sir Ector and tutored by Merlin in how to be a good king (and Merlin calls him Wart). He becomes known as the true king when he pulls the Sword Excalibur from the stone. Merlin: A Wizard of the highest order who trains Arthur in how to be a good king and various life lessons, normally taught by turning Arthur into various animals (to and fro, stop and go, that’s what makes the world go ’round). His traditional background is as half human, his father being an incubus. It’s interesting that some tales have Merlin as a villain, given his only half-human status. Bradley’s account for instance doesn’t necessarily cast him as a villain, but as someone who is trying to keep his people’s faith in tact in the growing and overwhelming Christianity. He can be a sometime prophet but is often seen more as a sage adviser to King Arthur. In some cases, and in the popular 1990s made for TV movie “Merlin,” he is in love with Nimue who betrayed him and, again, in some cases is responsible for his death. Morgan le Fey: “A witch!” or enchantress in traditional male-dominated re-tellings, who gets a bit of a revamp in the Bradley telling (I’m fairly fond of Bradley and think everyone should read ‘Mist of Avalon’) in which she is a sorceress (without the negative connotations) who is watching her world be overtaken by Christianity. As stated above, often written as the half sister of Arthur, sharing the same mother, the Lady Ygrain, though her father was Gorlois. There are a lot of different tellings that A and E could play with when it comes to Morgan le Fay, such as her supposed unrequited love for Lancelot and hatred for Guinevere, her apprenticeship under Merlin, her training with Vivien in Avalon. If they chose to go the traditional route that she is Public Enemy #1, then it’s possible she might turn out of the be the Black Fairy as so many of theorized. Guinevere: wife of King Arthur and secret lover of Lancelot. Everything a romantic leading lady should be: beautiful, charming, serene (unless you read Bradley and she’s a bit of an agoraphobic shrew who’s Christianity is constantly at odds with Morgan’s paganism…). There are some very popular stories about her like her abduction by King Melwas which casts Guinevere in a Persephone-type of role. But obviously her most popular story is of her love affair with Lancelot, Arthur’s friend and knight. It’s possible that OUAT has already hinted at this when Lancelot appeared in Season 2 and Lancelot mentions leaving his country over a woman he loved, in a flashback with Snow. The Lancelot/Guinevere love affair is said to be the downfall of Arthur’s Kingdom. Lancelot: A knight of Arthur’s round table and champion. He is supposed to be portrayed as the most perfect knight, though one that gives into his love for Guinevere and betrays his King. In later legends, Lancelot is associated with the Holy Grail and the quest for finding the cup of Christ, though early stories don’t tie him to this quest, despite his very Christian portrayal. He is often called Lancelot du lac (of the lake) because he is raised by the Lady of the Lake, Viviene. Lancelot himself is married to Elaine, daughter of the Fisher King, and together they conceive Galahad, one of the very few knights who is allowed to find the Holy Grail (because of super piety, ect). Mordred: Most commonly, the son of Arthur of Camelot either by Morguase (Arthur’s sister) or Morgan le Fey (again, his half-sister). He is conceived as being treacherous, opportunistic, and an enemy of Arthur alongside his mother, Morgan. In one of the most famous Arthurian retellings, Le Morte d’Arthur, Mordred knows about Lancelot and Guinevere and plans to use it against Arthur. Mordred and Arthur meet at the Battle of Camlann where Arthur kills Mordred but not before Mordred delivers a deathly blow to Arthur in return. This is the death of Arthur and he is taken to Avalon, in many cases by Morgan le Fay, interestingly enough. Might be worth noting that in some cases Arthur doesn’t really die but is simply taken to Avalon and everyone is just waiting for his return, making Arthur a bit of a messianic figure. Camelot: the castle and court of King Arthur. Basically, utopia or at least as romantic as one can cast a realm. If you think of Arthur as a messianic figure and “chosen by God to unite all England” then Camelot is really his paradise/heaven. It crumbles and breaks apart because of Lancelot and Guinevere. Avalon: An rather mystical island and heavily associated with the pagans and Morgan le Fay. It is often a place out of time and disconnected from the “real” world. It figures heavily in Bradley’s “Mists of Avalon” where it is the last refuge for Morgan and her people. The Holy Grail: the ultimate Arthurian quest object. The Grail was the cup Jesus and his disciples drank from in the Last Supper and later was used by Joseph of Arimathea to catch Christ’s blood the cross and has since become one of the most sought after Christian artifacts of all time as well as one of the most mysterious since it is believed to hold some sort of power. Many tales are told about Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table who go off on a quest to find the Grail. Only a few knights are allowed to find the Grail, however, including Galahad, the son of Lancelot. The Grail has already been hinted at in S2, “Lady of the Lake,” during Snowing’s first wedding before Lancelot. It should be noted that whoever goes after Emma to find her–Hook, Charming, Regina, Henry, ect–they are themselves going on a quest to find a sacred object (literally: the savior) and thus we could make an analog between Emma and the Grail itself. Excalibur: the sword of King Arthur that he supposedly pulled from the stone to signify that he was the rightful King. In other versions of the Arthurian tale, however, the sword is presented to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake. I’d wager that A and E will take a more traditional route and keep it as the sword in the stone, especially if they tie in the Disney movie. There are some magical properties associated with Excalibur–I believe it blinded Arthur’s enemies at one point. The scabbard is also believed to be powerful. In “The Death of Arthur” the sword is thrown back into the Lake and caught by the Lady of the Lake before vanishing. The Round Table and its Knights: The group of Knights sworn to King Arthur at Camelot. The Round Table was thought up so that no knight would feel above or below the other, thus causing rivalries and jealousies. These knights of the round table went with Arthur on quests, like to find the aforementioned Grail. Some knights are more popular than others, for whatever reason: Lancelot, Galahad, Gawain, Gareth. Obviously there is a lot more I could put here, but this seems like a fairly decent start. Anyone got anything they want to add?

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Thank you for the crash course on the  Arthurian universe. I was kind of nervous that S5 might not be as enjoyable for me because I didn’t know anything about Camelot. Hopefully this will make things a bit easier to understand.

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