mary_j_59: (Default)
mary_j_59 ([personal profile] mary_j_59) wrote2009-11-10 01:57 pm

Something I only just realized about the Arthur Saga-

This is passed on from eleanor X, who had posted the video to her own livejournal. It really is a terrific song; I can't get it out of my head, and the lyrics (in spite of a couple of infelicitous words like "puppetile" - why not "puppet-like" or simply "puppet's"?) are pretty astonishing. If you watch this, consider the relationship described between Morgana and young Mordred, and then go here:
http://sigune.livejournal.com/93168.html#cutid1

Follow the links for "the Darkest Hour" and read the whole thing - and you will see, quite clearly, what I only just realized. The Arthur legend is, at heart, a revenge tragedy about a seriously disordered family. And young Mordred - if you read him as the instrument of his mother's revenge; there are other ways of reading him - is actually not so much a villain, as the last victim of this family. Why didn't I see this before?

Anyway, the song and the comic are both terrific, and I look forward to reactions to them both. ) BTw, the little fellow who plays Mordred is much, much closer to my idea of young Harry than Dan Radcliffe. For one thing, he is slender and actually has greenish eyes.

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[identity profile] anne-arthur.livejournal.com 2009-11-23 11:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Sorry to take so long to reply - things have suddenly become very busy here! Yes, I do read French, and should be able to manage a French film with French subtitles. I will certainly investigate.

I hope 'Merlin' doesn't disappoint. Since you wrote, Morgause has appeared - she is Morgana's half sister, but Morgana doesn't know about her, and she clearly has some grudge against Uther and interest in Arthur - I suspect that she may turn out to be Arthur's half sister as well, the daughter of his mother and Morgana's father. And I do think that this version, though 'uncanonical' does have inner coherence and might potentially be going somewhere interesting.

I'm afraid I haven't got round to Gawain yet, but I hope to be able to do so soon!