Section 1 Chapters 1-7 pg 517-573
Summary:
Agravaine and Mordred are discussing how to revert Arthur’s kingdom back to the way it was before Arthur instituted his fight against right. Mordred still wants to get revenge against Arthur because Arthur tried to drown him when Mordred was just a baby. Agravaine brings to Mordred’s attention that if he ants people to follow him he needs a cause that is not personal. Agravaine though does not hold anything against Arthur but rather Lancelot. Agravaine plans to expose Lancelot and Guenever’s relationship so no one, especially Arthur can ignore it.
Soon the rest of the Orkney clan arrives. It does not take long for a quarrel to break out amongst them over Lancelot and Guenever. Gawaine discourages them to take it any further and to just leave it. Gawaine, Gaheris, and Gareth all want to leave it alone for they respect Arthur and believes he has always treated them fairly. Eventually Agravaine and Gawaine engage in physical fighting with Agravaine in possession of a dagger. Then, King Arthur arrives and smiles at them all and gives his son a kiss.
Lancelot and Guenever were sitting looking out upon Arthur’s kingdom. From this view, White leads in to a comparison on the Middle Ages before Arthur came to power. Some of the architecture of the time is discussed. White sates that the time was not far behind us in the way they thought. A typical view that someone would see if they looked out there window is described including some of the peculiar people one would see.
While continuing to look out on the kingdom Arthur and Guenever sing and talk about whether they can see each other tonight because Arthur will be home and they could get caught especially with all the hints people have given Arthur. Lancelot wants their relationship to be out in the open and Guenever tells him she does not want two husbands. What the two do not realize is that the king is in the room. Soon though a page arrives and Arthur enters as if he never heard what they had been saying. Arthur tells Lancelot and Guenever that he is Mordred’s father, how he tried to have Mordred drowned wit all other babies that age, and how Mordred could be the next king. Arthur also warns the both of them that if they will be executed if they commit a wrong against the kingdom.
The Orkney’s and Arthur meet in the justice room. Before Arthur arrives, they are quarreling for Mordred and Agravaine wish to cause trouble and pursue trying to catch Lancelot and Guenever. The rest of the Orkney’s wish for them to just leave it alone because of the good that Lancelot has done for them and it would cause a civil war. Arthur soon arrives and though the majority disagrees with Agravaine and Mordred, the matter is pursued. Eventually the justice room only contains Arthur, Agravaine and Mordred. The latter two wish to catch Lancelot and Guenever using Arthur’s justice system and not Trial by combat as used in the past. Although Arthur does not wish to comply with the wishes of the two, he does and he promises not to interfere.
Later when Arthur is away on a hunt Lancelot waits for Guenever to send for hm. While waiting Lancelot is greeted by Gareth who warns him not to go to the Queen because they could be caught. Lancelot however disregards Gareth’s warning and forgets to bring his sword with him to the Queen’s room.
Lancelot enters the Queen’s bedroom and begins to brush her hair. While he is brushing her hair, they talk about the warning that Arthur hinted about concerning Agravaine’s trap to catch them. They bolt the door but soon enough thirteen knights come. Lancelot however gets himself out of the sticky mess by sneakily allowing one knight to enter; he disarms the knight, kills him, and takes his armor. The knight just so happens to be Agravaine. Lancelot plans on fleeing to his castle and coming back for Guenever if she is condemned.
Vocabulary: None
Reflection:
I have seen some fathers and sons that have little in common but the difference between Arthur and Mordred is outstanding. Granted that Mordred was not brought up to even remotely like or respect his father, but still they are so opposite in what they stand for. Ironic how the Orkney that is most against Arthur is his own son, this takes rebellion from one’s parents to a completely new level.
Mordred and Agravaine scare me with how set they are on revenge. Those two are very dangerous together for they want to make their revenge not just some little event but something to completely tear apart the one they are after. Then they do not even take what their brothers have to say into consideration, they still want to go ahead and try to completely ruin what Arthur has worked so hard to achieve.
I cannot imagine being in Arthur’s position of having to put your wife on trial in such a way that she will probably be killed. However, I think that Arthur made the right decision solely because he was in a position where he really had to lead by example. If Arthur was to make an exception things would have gotten out of hand because as soon as one, especially on in power, can get away with something others are sure to try to do the same.
Truly, Arthur was put between a rock and a hard place when confronted by Mordred and Agravaine. It is amazing how two people can cause so much trouble when so many disagree. How they live with themselves knowing all the trouble they are about to release amazes me. They are like Pandora opening her box and throwing the monkey wrench into Camelot causing all its flaws to come crashing down around it.
I fid it curious on pg 536 that it is said that prayers and incantations were sewn on the Bishop’s champion. Although I believe that prayers are powerful, why would they consider it such a wrong and an advantage? Is it because of the mix of superstition and complete trust in what the church could do?
It is hard to imagine the church having such a hand in how things, such as wars, are settled. Today if the Catholic Church was to try to fix something like that, for none would seek the church out to solve it, they would be sent away before having a chance to survey what might be done to help.
Section 2 Chapters 8-14 pg 573-639
Summary:
The Orkney’s are meeting in the Justice room yet again only this time they are waiting for Guenever’s execution to begin. Mordred is the only one who truly wants her to be killed for the so-called sake of justice and revenge. However, Mordred is questioned by his brothers about whether he ran away when Agravaine was killed because he was he only one to survive Lancelot’s escape. Arthur clears it up though by confessing that he had told Lancelot not to kill his son. Arthur knowing that Lancelot will attempt a rescue asks Gareth and Gaheris to put their armor on to strengthen the guard. However, they refuse and stand guard unarmed. Soon Arthur and Gawaine are left alone; both of them wish to have Lancelot come soon to rescue Guenever because neither wants to see her die. However when Lancelot does indeed finally come he is forced to slaughter many. Unfortunately, among the twenty guards that are killed Gareth and Gaheris are among them and this tears Gawaine apart.
Fast-forward six months to Lancelot’s castle the Joyous Gard. Arthur has surrounded the castle an is attempting to starve Lancelot out of supplies. Lancelot regrets killing Gaheris and more especially Gareth whom he took under his wing. Lancelot worries about how much longer they can hold off Arthur’s men. In the end Lancelot and Guenever decide to bring the church into play to settle the dispute with the treat of excommunicating both sides if they cannot come to terms.
Arthur, Gawaine and Mordred are in the justice room waiting for Lancelot and Guenever to arrive so the terms for peace can be instituted by the Church. While waiting Gawaine and Mordred discuss the loss of their brother, Gareth, and how Lancelot is their enemy because of it. During the ceremony, Lancelot states that Guenever s innocent. However, Gawaine is more concerned that Lancelot slew his brothers. Lancelot says that he truly did not mean to but Gawaine cannot accept it and Lancelot ends up being banished.
Guenever is now living at the Carlisle castle in the north near where Mordred lives. She is here to stay safe while Arthur and Gawaine are fighting against Lancelot. Lancelot has beaten Gawaine at several confrontations they have had. Sir Gawaine ends up with a concussion and Arthur is sick of fighting his friend. Mordred was left as Lord Protector so that both king and heir are not killed. Mordred scares the Queen and some of her helpers in his sly ways. Mordred comes to have a conversation with Guenever in which he informs her that he plans to tell the kingdom that King Arthur is dead and he is the next King of England. In this plan of his, he also plans to marry Guenever.
Arthur tries to get Gawaine of calling it a truce and heading back home to England. While the two talk, a letter from Guenever arrives. The letter tells of Mordred proclaiming himself king and the Queen accepting Mordred’s marriage proposal only to retreat to a castle where she could prevent Mordred from getting to her as easily. Arthur and follows immediately leave to return to England. Lancelot receives a letter from Gawaine informing him about the recently transpired events concerning Mordred,
Arthur sits at his table going through petitions and either giving them his okay or his veto. Arthur is struggling because his world is falling apart between his family, friends, and all his worked for. Arthur contemplates whether or not man is good, bad, or neither. He thinks about wars and leaders, rights and wrongs, as well as how the past affects the present and the present the future. Arthur wonders if war was caused by possession. Soon Arthur’s thoughts are interrupted by a page; Arthur proceeds to tell this page, Thomas of Warwick, everything so that Arthur’s ideas will live on through the generations.
Vocabulary: None
Reflection:
Mordred annoys me to no end for he is like a seven year old in a grown man’s body in that he wants what he wants an doesn’t care that what he is doing and insisting upon is maybe the law but wrong, I think Mordred would have a shot at being a good politician.
Arthur has an interesting thought about why wars start and I think there could possibly be some truth in what he says concerning possessions. I have read several other books that deal with lack of possessions such as family and property including Ego and Brave New World. In both of those books the characters come to find that no possessions does not work as well as it sounds. Not to mention I think having something to call your own is human nature, wrong, right or indifferent for even toddlers become attached to the word mine quickly.
Guenever certainly has much to deal with all on her own when Mordred makes his move to become king. She shows her strength of character well she decides to move herself to a castle where she can keep Mordred out. This shows that she is not just a trophy wife for the king that she actually has a brain and knows how to use it. Granted that she has already demonstrated this but here she has no Arthur or Lancelot to help her or save her.
Arthur really had a passion for his ideas and he continued to believe in them to the very end. This can really be seen in how he tells his page everything at the end of the book in order for his ideas to live on after him. I cannot imagine being that page listening to Arthur telling me his life’s work. In addition, to know that the king was depending on me to make sure his ideas lived on would be simply unbelievable and probably sound overwhelming as well. This shows that maybe what once was can be resurrected after all.
I admire Gawaine for forgiving Lancelot even if Gawaine was on his deathbed he still made the effort. I do find in quite coincidental that Lancelot is responsible for the death of all the Orkneys (I am not including Mordred because he is a half brother). I like the fact that White put in that Gawaine and Lancelot forgave each other in the very end and Lancelot is genuinely shook up that Gawaine had died.
1 comment:
I love your connection to Ego and Brave New World! I agree that Gawaine is admirable - he tries to be the sane one in the group! What about the ending - is it hopeful or depressing?
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