Week 13 Reading Notes: King Arthur Part A

 Original Story from King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang. Source.

King Arthur (1903) by Howard Pyle. Source.

Uther Pendragon was the king but then died. The land fell into chaos over the right to succession, every knight wanted to become the new king. Merlin and the Archbishop revealed the Sword in the Stone in the Great Church. Whoever can pull the sword from the stone is the rightful king of England. However, people (nobles, knights, and other high-born) decided people could win the sword in a tournament. Sir Ector and his son Sir Kay enter the tournament. Except they forgot the sword from the inn so Ector's foster son goes back. However, inn is locked so Arthur decides to get sword from the stone. Arthur learns he is the rightful king of England and that Merlin brought him to Ector's house when he was a baby. Ector didn't know the son of Uther Pendragon lived in his house until that moment.

Except people don't want to except a boy as their king so months pass as knights travel far and wide to pull the sword from the stone. Over time, Arthur is crowned and promises to be a great king for the people. The scabbard has power so Arthur doesn't lose any blood.

Sword of Stone was for birthright. Excalibur from Lady of the Lake is magical and only used by Arthur in a deux es machina moment. Lady of the Lake asks a favor ( that she will not say) in return for excalibur. Arthur accepts.

Merlin visits in disguise and says that his sister's son will be his worst enemy one day.

King Arthur fights against a great knight and almost dies, except Merlin cheats for him so knight loses.

King Arthur asks Merlin for who to marry, he is most infatuated with Guenevere, the daughter of daughter of Leodegrance, King of Cameliard. Cameliard holds the round table, which apparently was a gift from Uther Pendragon. Merlin says if he can not be faithful to Guenevere, he could find other women as beautiful as she is that he could be faithful to. The round table is given as a dowry.

Sir Lancelot is to escort Guenwvere for the wedding preparations.

Merlin falls in love with a maiden (Nimue, Vivien) that he knows will kill her. However, Merlin continues to spend time with her and refuses to change the fate he saw. Merlin teaches Vivien magic, and Vivien buries Merlin alive.

Morgan le Fay is the sister of King Arthur. King Arthur killed a knight she loved and Morgan wantts revenge. She steals the scabbard of excalibur. King Arthur wants to punish her for treason, but almost accepts a gift from her that will kill him.

People decide to find the Holy graal despite Arthur's wishes and the kingdom is neglected in favor of the impossible graal.