The Endurance of Arthur

The legend and tales of King Arthur and his round table has been around for centuries past and present and without a doubt for the future as well. Readers absolutely love to take in the melodramatic fairy tale like Chronicles of the knights and their never ending journeys of pure adventure and excitement! The tales of King Arthur can be put on the same level as classic Disney stories such as Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast and Peter Pan for they have been around forever and every soul knows of them and their intrigue.
"' There is only one man living who can draw the sword from the stone, and he is the true-born King of Britain.'" (Le Morte d'Arthur, Malory p. 25). That line is the most remembered aspect of the legend of Arthur. Arthur was the one man chosen of out many to be the one that would rule the land and conquer over many others. The ideal of being in a position of such high power and being selected over so many others is something that all humans strive for; the elite-ness that King Arthur embodies is so desirable.
Power is not the only aspect that attracts the readers of the Arthurian tales. There is also the o so romantic and honorable side of the knights. The best example of this is probably from the tale of Sir Gawain and Lady Ragnell. Here Gawain makes a promise to marry an ugly grotesque woman in order to save Arthur's life. While he talked to his new bride she said that her ugliness was because of a curse her brother put on her and that it could only be broken by the honorable knight's wise choice. "'Gromer said that if, after i married the greatest knight in Britain, my husband freely gave me power of choice, the power to exercise my own free will, the wicked enchantment would be broken forever!'" (24).
Another part of the romance aspect that keeps the Legend alive is the passionate love triangle between Gwenivere, King Arthur, and his most trusted Knight Sir Lancelot. Though Arthur was warned that Gwen and Lance were destined to fall in love he wanted to marry her anyway. Lance and Gwen's love remanded a secret for some time but they were soon discovered. The Movie, "First Knight" directed by Jerry Zucker goes into a in depth view of the affair stirring up floods of emotions. "' I trusted you, loved you, and you betrayed me!' 'I never meant to hurt you my lord.' 'You leave me nothing! Nothing!'" (First Knight).
We as the audience feed of the drama that not only those three create, but what all the characters in the epic story craft together through their own battles and struggles. The people just cannot get enough of the trauma that happens for one simple reason; its interesting! Its not everyday stuff and something new for us to wrap our minds around. And that is why this amazing legend will never seize to exist!

King Arthur Readings Sum Up

I have been quite enjoying the readings of the medieval times and King Arthur. When I was younger I was really into this era and "The Mists of Avalon" was one of my favorite movies (which was set in this period), but since then it has died out a bit.
I do agree with you that it seems like alot of these stories are soap opera! With there never ending dramas and love sagas, especially with the incestual affairs, you would think you were watching "Days of our Lives"! Like in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight when we find the Lady of the manor trying to seduce Sr Gawain!
"And so she tested him, pushed and probed, trying to tempt him, pretending love, and Gawain was so gracefully evasive tat he seemed always polite, and nothing happened but happiness" (154-1554)
My favorite story so far has been "Sir Gawain and Lady Ragnell". In this story Gawain was a truly noble night all in order to save his uncle, King Arthur. He went through with a wedding to what was at first a hideously large woman with the utmost respect and dignity. When you asked in class what did women wish for the most i was sure it was going to be love, but then when Ragnell said sovereignty I knew that that definitely beat love. Because even though a woman may love her husband, she can always resent him for not being to do what she wants to do. Sir Gawain definitely gave Lady Ragnell all that and more! Letting her choose how she would spend her time as beautiful was the true key in letting her be rid of the horrible curse forever, which i thought was quite the surprise reading it; for I could tell that she would end up being beautiful by the start of the story, but the answer to the question and the surprise secret loop whole in the curse was a real shocker to me.

Post 4, Beowulfs hunger fo fame

I believe that Beowulf is selfish to an extent with his desires. But when you think about it, wouldn't you be too if you had to do the things he did?
"And a young prince must be prudent like that,giving freely while his father lives so that afterwards in age when fighting starts steadfast companions will stand by himand hold the line. Behaviour that’s admired is the path to power among people everywhere." (20-25)
Killing thousands of people and creatures and traveling though such horrid lands is so taxing and demanding.
"they looked down at the lake...watched the waves' blood-stained swirling..." (1422-1425)
"the kind that infest the ocean, in the early Dawn, often ending some ship's joureny with their wild jaws." (1428-1430)
I know if I was in his position I would want some recognition for it too! He does these acts not only for himself but also for the person asking for is help. He doesnt want to let them down so he trys his best to get the job done and if he just so happens to reack some extra benefits from it, so be it!

Correct Cover

I think that the second cover with the red/orange background and with what seems to be Ben perched on a landing and an adult opening up windows in front and below him. I believe that this cover best represents Lessing's novel, The 5th Child, because its color scheme gives off a feel of frustration and chaos that was felt throughout the book during Ben's life. The darkness of the silhouette the artist gave Ben extenuates the dark regions of Ben's brain and personality and how only he truly knows whats going on inside of there. The pose that the artist put Ben in also visually describes his animalistic qualities that Lessing constantly eluded to in the novel.
"Ben began banging a stone against a metal tray...with all his force...but the women waited until Ben stopped: interrupted, he would have raged and hissed and spat."(Lessing, 69).
The total reaction I get from this cover is a creepy, dangerous feel from how the dark, shadow-y Ben is placed behind the other figure, so unknowingly there, like he is about to attack. Even the subtleties like how you see individual fingers on his hands is almost claw-like, giving chills down my spine.

Frankie Article

This article talked a lot about how technology has had is affects on "Frankenstein". Many directors have put their takes on Shelly's classic tale, and have even added to it with sequels such as "Bride of Frankenstein" and "The Curse of Frankenstein".
I feel that this article correctly sums up the ways that Frankenstein have evolved and also kept tradition over the centuries past, and that the theme of monsters will forever be a part of tales that film makers and writers alike will create.

Frankenstein Reaction As of Now

Being this far into the book (about to start ch.23), I just expected this book to be more exciting then it is, like how it is in the movies; although I am enjoying it. I did not know it would focus so much on the turmoil the doctor endures, as well as the creature.
The monster in itself has lived up to few of the stereotypes Hollywood had created for him, so while reading his narrations I was surprised to see how actually humane he truly is.
Despite what I may have said in our debates, I do believe the monster has a soul and feelings, and should have a person to be his companion with in life, but it is just too risky for Victor to try and play God again.