Anthony North: Most people have heard of King Arthur, but how many really know what he really was? We know of a character half mythological in his existence, but is there more to King Arthur than meets the eye? Indeed, in understanding King Arthur, can we grasp a better understanding of other icons, such as those of the present day like Elvis Presley, or Marilyn Monroe, or Diana, Princess of Wales? I think the Arthurian Legend speaks volumes. Camelot and co: The story is a simple one. A questioning boy realises his destiny when he pulls a sword from a stone, guaranteeing him invincible powers. This is the beginning of the story of the greatest of British heroes, King Arthur. And what we see is a representation of spiritual action leading to a form of charisma, as if young Arthur has transformed himself from a doubting wreck to a potentially great man. It is the story of all mythological heroes. Arthur goes on to establish Camelot and his Knights of the Round Table, assisted by the magician Merlin, and wife Guinevere. Slowly, a deeper spiritual quest manifests, imbuing each knight to transform himself. This is the quest for the Holy Grail, which will bring purity. And the search consumes them, puts them all on their own heroic path. This form of transition is vital to Arthur and the Knights, but also to society as a whole. For as the quest for the Holy Grail continues, the story of Merlin, the great pagan wizard, fades into its final outcome, as he becomes entrapped by his own magic. This is not only a story of the mythological character, but also the story of the times. For the story narrates known history, with a tranformation during the Dark Ages from paganism to Christianity. Merlin is that paganism, guaranteed to die out, whilst the Holy Grail represents the purity of the new Christian ideals arising.Eventually, Arthur is killed, and in his death a transformation appears in society, changing from a wasteland to the Medieval world. Of folklore past: The story of Arthur has a folklorist beginning in the many tales in ancient Britain of the Fisher King, a wounded hero who transforms society by searching for his own cure - a cure that requires his death for society to change, thus encompassing all aspects of the modern icon, who changes society best if he dies young and tragically.
View: Full Article | Source: Beyond the Blog
