Arthurian Traditions (01/17)

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

The students may notice a small change in the classroom when they walk in. An empty wheelchair is sitting beside Camulus' sarcophagus.

"Congratulations, class, on a perfect attendance record. For a whopping two classes," Camulus says, rather sarcastically. "Let's hope it remains this way. While I was lenient while trying to build up a power base last semester, I will not be so any longer. Three absences without a note or what I deem a valid excuse and you are in detention."

He stands up and moves to the board, once again writing rather haphazard notes on the board while he talks. They resemble more a list of names, dates, and places with no relation to each other. It's up to the students to create coherent notes from them.

"Last class I asked you to read the story of 'How Culhwch Won Olwen', which is an example of one of the early Wlesh sources of Arthurian lore. Before we look at Arthur's role specifically, I'll provide some background on the story itself. 'Culhwch and Olwen' is part of the Mabinogian, a collection of stories which forms the primary source of Welsh lore. While the oldest surviving manuscript containing these tales dates only from the thirteenth century, there is evidence that an older copy dating from the sixth century once existed. This is the Welsh text Gododdin, an account of a war in the country of Gododdin, in what is the modern Strath-Clyde region of southern Scotland. The eleven branches or sections of the Mabinogian are derived from the White Book of Rhydderch and the Red Book of Hergest. 'Culhwch' is the fifth branch, following directly after the Mabinogi, the core group of four stories which tell the story of Pryderi, a Welsh king. We won't be concerned so much with these, but may look at the second branch, 'Branwen', when we discuss Grail lore.

"Of the remainder of the Mabinogian, Arthur appears frequently, but as a background character who serves as a catalyst or bankroller for the main action. The final three branches - 'The Lady of the Fountain', 'Peredur', and 'Geraint and Enid' - are stories of Arthur's knights, in the bent of the French romances. The Mabinogian was heavily influenced by other literary and bardic traditions. Continental and international motifs appear again and again, often mitigating a Celtic code of conduct with French chivalry. Many of the same motifs which appear in the Mabinogian form the basis of several modern fairytales.

"But now to the specific story I have set before you. 'Culhwch and Olwen'. A fairly simple story. I trust you all read the excerpt. A few things I'd like to bring to your attention. The first is a very Celtic theme. Olwen's father, Ysbadden the Giant, is unwilling to give up his daughter to Culhwch - or any man - because he believes that he will die if he does so. Which is what ultimately ends up occuring anyway. Compare the Irish tale of 'The Wooing of Emer' by the hero CuChulainn - both giant, ogrish fathers go to great lengths to make their daughters inaccessible.

"The second thing I would like to point out is what is being won in the raid on Ireland - a magic cauldron. This particular cauldron produces unlimited food. Another magic cauldron in this cycle of tales - also in Ireland - reanimates dead soldiers which are thrown into it. Keep your eye on the cauldron, my students. Magic cauldrons have been connected to King Arthur far longer than the Cup of Christ.

"My final point is to make note of the companions that Arthur gives to Culhwch - Bedwyr and Kai. These two figures appear again and again as important knights. We'll be talking more about them later."

He turns away from the board, dusting the chalk off his hands fastidiously. "Alright. That was quite a bit of speaking on my part. Now it's your turn. Feedback on the story. Questions you had. Confusing sections. Something that struck you as odd, or you remember reading somewhere else. Theories. Interpretations." He gives them all the hairy eyeball. "Speak."

[[I didn't realise how long the version of the story I had found was. I meant to assign from part 7 onwards. Sorry! And also, Cammie's teaching style is based on my Celtic Lit prof from the Deep South. Why am I telling you? Because I'm tired and I'm not really sure. And sorry for the late post, there were . . . mitigating circumstances.]]

Comments

[forlornslayer.livejournal.com]

Buffy comes in with aome paperwork and goes to his desk.

"Professor Camulus? I'd like to join your two classes, please?"

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

Camulus looks pleasantly surprised. "Of course. There is plenty of room, Miss . . ."

[forlornslayer.livejournal.com]

"Summers. Buffy Summers." She hands him the slips to sign.

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

He signs both of them and hands them back. "Welcome to my dominion classes, Miss Summers."

[forlornslayer.livejournal.com]

"Sir, would you be willing to offer Arthurian Traditions as an Independent Study? I just realized that it conflicts with my Chemistry class, but I would like to take it..."

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

Camulus raised an eyebrow. "That would be fine with me. You may contact me when convenient to work out the details."

[[Too sleepy to do it now. *yawn*]]

[allie-cameron.livejournal.com]

Allie takes good notes.

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

Kawalsky signed in and listened, but he didn't understand all that much about what Camulus was going on about. He did, however, pick up on the connection between the magic cauldron and a certain piece of Goa'uld equipment sitting at the back of the class. The wheelchair sitting next to it was suspicious. Had he put someone into the sarcophagus? If so, who? He needed to keep a closer eye on Camulus.

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

As the class was being so silent, Camulus decided to pick on someone. That lucky someone happened to be the one glaring sullenly and suspiciously at him.

"Mr. Kawalsky. Perhaps you'd like to share your thoughts on the story?"

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

Kawalsky cleared his throat. "It was a story," he shrugged. "I think it wasn't meant to be taken for real, like literally. The story was probably a metaphor for something going on in the world at the time that couldn't be written down in full form either because the people involved didn't know what to make of it or because they feared for their lives."

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

[[No worries. Even I didn't read all of it.]]

After Kawalsky has finished, Camulus just regards him for a long moment with his fingers steepled, one eyebrow raised. "Enlightening, Mr. Kawalsky. I'm glad to hear that you don't think that the reader is supposed to believe in the factual existence of a giant so large his eyelids must be propped open with sticks and a magical cauldron that feeds the multitude."

He waves a hand dismissively. "But you could be correct. An interesting idea, that the story was used as a mask for real events which was created because, as you say, they feared for their lives. Perhaps you would care to provide another possible example. Or anyone else in the class . . ."

Camulus knew he was picking on the boy. But he didn't like the look on his face.

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

"When slaves are under oppression they find ways to explain their situation. It happens all over the world, all through history, from the 19th century Americas to, say.. Egypt."

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

Camulus's eyes narrowed. He was beginning to understand. The youth who glared at him was one of them. "Interesting, Mr. Kawalsky. But this course will be dealing primarily with Europe." He smiled, rather unpleasantly. "I never cared much for Egypt. I preferred the forests to the deserts."

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

He pointed glanced back at the sarcophagus. "Could've fooled me. Sir." The sir was definitely added as an afterthought.

[sea-incarnadine.livejournal.com]

Macbeth looked about the classroom, not about to be the one to speak up. Not after the farce of a paper that he had handed in for the first assignment in this class.
Nope.

[cerulean--eyes.livejournal.com]

Boone took notes, occasionally doodling something in the margins.

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

John signs in.

[psi16.livejournal.com]

Lyta looks up from her notes. Bedwyr and Kai? She furrows her brow, looking back down at the names. Where had she heard those recently? The answer came to her almost immediately: The Once and Future King. Garibaldi had loaned her the novel when he discovered her interest in the Arthurian legends. It was one of his favorites as a kid, he had said, and led him to a year of chasing after the neighbor's dragon cat with a toy sword and tin foil hat helm. Lyta treasured this memory as one of the few genuine moments she'd had in recent years...or what would have been recent years.

Recalling the story, she saw the parallels -- "Kai" would become "Kay," the bullying older brother to whom young "Wart" would squire. And Bedevere...wasn't he the one chasing after the Questing Beast? No -- that was King Pellinore. Bedivere was the one who returned Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. Lyta pursed her lips. She would definitely have to revisit the book again. If she still had it.

As quickly as the thought surfaced, her mind latched onto another thought, somewhat following on Kawalsky's idea. "If conditions had shortened the food supply -- and there was an inexplicable reason for its return, it makes sense they would speak in metaphors. The human mind often relies on allegory to explain difficult and foreign concepts -- especially when dealing with an era of fear and superstition."