Реферат: Synopsis For The Once And Future King

adopted the stereotypical Middle Ages of most fiction” (447). White uses the Arthurian

legend to illustrate a historical pride of England, as well as a view of the progression of

Aristotelian society. Also, White uses this view to expose faults in contemporary society.

The past stories of Arthur had glorified him almost to the point of making him immortal.

But White, when telling of the death of Arthur, writes that the “fate of this man… was less

than a drop, although it was a sparkling one, in the great blue motion of the sunlit sea”

(677). White sees that the Arthurian legend is not so much the glorification of one man,

but the basis and backbone of an entire country.

White also redevelops and expands the characters of the Arthurian legend, giving the

novel more consistency and allowing his readers to relate to these characters. White

exposes the emotions and personalities of his characters, rather than just telling of their

actions. White displays the characters’ emotions and feelings in order for them “to be

acceptable to the twentieth century reader” (Cameron 447). After Wart pulls the sword

from the anvil in the churchyard, making him the king of England, he is regarded with

much reverence by his companions and even his family. Observing this, he declares “Oh,

dear, I wish I had never seen that filthy sword at all.” After this “the Wart also burst into

tears” (210). White shows the emotions and feelings of Wart and gives a sense of reality

to this character. J. R. Cameron writes that “Malory made no attempt to analyze the

characters; Tennyson robbed his characters of most of their reality” (447). White,

however, gave much depth and realness to his characters, setting The Once and Future

King apart from other versions of the Arthurian legend.

Humor

Another important addition by White to the legend of Arthur is that of humor. The

Arthurian legend has been told with so much reverence and importance for many

centuries. White, however, adds humor to the story, giving his novel versatility. Stephen

Dunn writes that “White said… that humor was put in to make the moral and

philosophical pill which, in all conscience, is a fairly bitter one slide down more

easily” (365). White writes of the confrontation between King Pellinore and Sir

Grummore Grummersom in an extremely humorous manner. During the course of their