Arthurian Traditions for Tuesday

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

"All right, class, today we'll be NaNoing like mad continuing our discussion of the role of women in Arthurian legends," Camulus begins without preamble. "We were talking about the segregation of the sexes in the City of Legions and how the chivalric code was tied to this." He grins. "Today we will be talking about how women are, in short, the reason for all the evil in this world. Not that I, myself, have anything against women. I happen to be an equal opportunity overlord. However, in Arthur's world women were the clue that held society together and functioning. More specifically, it was the virtue, chastity, and self-control of women that kept society functioning. You can imagine what happened when the women gave into their, ah, animal desires.

"I suppose this needs some explaining. Arthur's queen was Guinevere, who was the pinnacle of women in the City of Legions. Arthur also had a knight named Launcelot. Let's just say that Barbossa would be reporting with glee what these two got up to behind Arthur's back. Of course, Arthur found out and Launcelot was banished. Some stories say that Guinevere was burned at the stake for her adultery, but that is a very recent addition to the legend that isn't in any of the materials we work with. After Launcelot was gone, Arthur also had to leave, as he was called away by the Pope, who I believe is the First Prime of the Christian God. While he was on his way to see this man, his nephew seized power for himself. But more importantly, he seized Guinevere. Adultery number two on her part. She escaped Mordred and became a nun, but the important thing is that it is the so-called Rape of Guinevere that causes Arthur to come stampeding back to his death. Guinevere is also the reason that Launcelot and a good number of Arthur's knights are unable to aid him in this final battle, in which he dies.

"The begetting of Mordred himself is the sin of woman, as well. Mordred was not only Arthur's nephew, he was his son by Morgan le Fay. Morgan made sure the whole court knew about this relationship, as well. Morgan's bitterness was supposedly caused by being cast out of the court following an affair with Merlin, Arthur's chief advisor, who was also a wizard or a druid.

"Why then do we care? Because all this came to a head in the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, which we will be looking at next." He frowns down at the books stacked on his desk. "I couldn't find a suitable modern translation for you to read, but I can get one. I'll leave it in the classroom and you can pick it up sometime before next class."

He looks up at the class. "No homework, but I do have a question - what is the connection between the Holy Grail and Guinevere?"

[[So true about lack of Gawain online. I'll still be looking, but it may be in the form of scans of one of my books. Seperate post to follow.]]

Comments

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

He grins wryly. "How is that I'm losing already?"

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

She smiled, eyes flashing with mirth. "Because I've been honing my wits with Daddy the Master?"

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

"And who would this Master be if he isn't me?" Camulus asks with a smirk. "He must be lucky indeed to be on the receiving end of your particular brand of humour."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Ah ah ah. You know I don't kneel for any man except in WTF and then only if I feel like it," Beka scolded. "You could ask him yourself since you've been exchanging banter for half an hour. He may be get lucky, but I'm usually on the receiving end, of his humor of course."

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

"That fact you've made abundantly clear, my darling, on many an occasion," Camulus replies. "I think you should reconsider. I've heard that change can be good for the spirit."

[[The subtext is killing my poor abused brain. Barely at today's quota, with a right wrist that has declared mutiny and has me typing left-handed. You?]]

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"I'm going to pass right over you suggesting that I should kneel for you, and move on to the part where you said change was good for the spirit, because, you know, I agree," she replied evenly, almost sweet-naturedly. "Change is good for the spirit. How 'bout you try it?"

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

"I am insulted that you haven't noticed my efforts." He shuddered at some memory. "You should have witnessed my very brave efforts to interact with what I believe is a typical teenager. She made me reconsider the effort of blowing up this planet for more than military reasons." His tone is thoroughly disgusted.

[[*forms cheering section* You can do it! Rah rah rah!]]

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

[[And I'm off to ninja in the night watch MacGyver bed. Night!]]

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"I haven't seen you to notice," she said, not unpleasantly. "I'm certain you were quite brave and I would've been very impressed. I'd also advise not blowing up the planet - since you're currently stuck here under new admin policies and the wards that keep us here in Fandom."