The Once and Future King

[tcpip]

Over the past week or so I've been working my way through a great deal of core medieval literature, mainly courtesy of Project Gutenburg; Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (and others) obviously, but also those from the Arthurian legends, by which Bédier's Tristan and Iseult can be included, along with more obvious contenders such as Chrétien de Troyes Arthurian Romances. I will, of course, add Malory and Beowulf to the list, forthcoming. From what has been completed however, The Canterbury Tales does give an excellent eludication of life and language from multiple perspectives at the time despite a propensity for rhyming doggerel. Troyes is more evocative (Lancelot is particularly good), but it comes from a time when grammatical constructs such as a consistent tense was apparently optional, whereas Bédier has the most tragic narrative and more modern writing style.

Much of this reading is, of course, source material for the Pendragon game that I've been running in recent months. It started off as a "generation-per-story" game derived from the wonderful historical boardgame Britannia, but in recent months we've starting playing Pendragon as it is meant to be played, i.e., the full story of the Arthurian myth, which is, of course a genuine myth. There is a plot which includes impossible changes for narrative effect (i.e., with Arthur's rise the dark ages turn into the high middle ages - in technology and custom - and decline again). There can be no doubt that Pendragon captures this brilliantly, and is well-served by Phyllis Karr's extraordinarily researched The Arthurian Companion. It was quite a coup for Chaosium to be able to publish such a scholarly work; but at the same time I wonder that perhaps the author and the work will not receive the recognition deserved because it was published by a publisher that concentrates in roleplaying games.

Comments

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

If you hit Malory at some point, I'd recommend trying to find the original MIddle English, not the modern(-ish) "translation". Far more evocative language, and doesn't need "translating" anyway, it an easier read than Chaucer.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tip, I'll do that. The language side of Chaucer I actually found quite interesting (fortunately well footnoted), however, as mentioned, some of the rhyming verse did seem a little silly. Not being a student of literature myself, I don't know whether that's a common opinion or not.

[horngirl.livejournal.com]

I remember in my short-lived career as an arts student at Melbourne Uni, they had a whole semester subject devoted to Beowulf and it had a pre-requisite of (I forget which) Old or Middle English.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Probably old English, if memory serves me well.

The original computer clusters at VPAC were named characters from said book, a little pun on being beowulf clusters. So we started with Grendel, Brecca, Edda, Wexstan... And stopped at that point because too many people were having trouble spelling the latter!

[fluffyblanket.livejournal.com]

I don't profess to know much about Chaucer except what I've read in "The Canterbury Tales".His spelling was considerably more phonetic than anything post-Dr.Johnson.
He cerainly seems to have been a jovial,tolerant man and well in advance of sharia-
"wommen of kinde desiren libertee,
And nat to ben costreyned as a thral,,,"

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

There are mixed political messages. The tale of prioress stood to to me because of the extent of the anti-Jewish comments. They eat children, you know.

[fluffyblanket.livejournal.com]

Yes,religion has a lot to answer for.Today Christianity seems largely to have reformed , but Islam remains medieval...As I've received diksha and follow Advaita Vedanta,I must confess that the caste system still disfigures popular Hinduism-the putting togther of one's hands in greeting was originally to avoid physical contact with untouchables.Even Buddhist nuns do not have the same status as male bikkhus . Down with patriarchy!Up with Pope Joan!

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Up with Pope Joan!

She's almost certainly a myth (like King Arthur), but a beautiful one just the same.

There's a wine bar in Melbourne called "Pope Joan"

[mr-figgy.livejournal.com]

If your playthrough of Pendragon references Tintagel and/or Camel's Ford, I'll see about bringing you cookies whenever I'm back on your continent. :)

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Tinagel is most certainly part of the chronicle; not so sure about Camel's Ford. Although I do confess of hitherto being unaware that Castle Anthrax from Monty Python's Holy Grail was an actual place in Malory (the Castle of Maidens). Unfortunately, it is not quite as funny as it in that tale.

[zenicurean.livejournal.com]

Terry Jones is a massive history buff and very well-versed in the Arthur mythology. He's also written on Chaucer. I am in no way surprised that Lancelot is essentially a high-grade war-mongering lunatic in that film.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I knew that but I really didn't know that the killer rabbit is actually a genuine medieval critter.

The following is from Notre Dame..



Which I received from this marvellous article:

http://amandlapublishers.co.za/blog/1562-the-rabbits-of-counter-revolutionhttp://amandlapublishers.co.za/blog/1562-the-rabbits-of-counter-revolution

[zenicurean.livejournal.com]

First Call of Cthulhu, complete with Horror on the Orient Express and Masks of Nyarlathotep, and now you're continuing with all the Pendragon? You, sir, have a taste for the classics!

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Very much so. When I think over the major roleplaying campaigns that I've played and run over the last several years, "the classics" have rated quite high. For example, The Mouse Guard game that was run using The Enemy Within and The Death on the Reik from Warhammer went very well, as did the classic RuneQuest Prax campaign that used all the old major RuneQuest supplements from the first, second, and third editions.

[stephen-dedman.livejournal.com]

My copy of THE KING ARTHUR COMPENDIUM is in storage, but I'm fairly sure that the Chaosium edition is a reprint of a book that wasn't originally a game tie-in (that said, I think I bought my copy, a hardcover, from a games shop). Karr also wrote an excellent Arthurian mystery novel, THE IDYLLS OF THE QUEEN, in which Sir Kay sets out to clear Guenevere of a murder charge, relying on detective work rather than trial by combat.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I used to have the original King Arthur Companion. I recall it was relatively short compared to the newer edition, but by golly it had a beautiful dust jacket.

Thanks for the heads-up for Idylls of the Queen; I'll keep an eye out for that one.

[stephen-dedman.livejournal.com]

The newer edition is more complete? Damn, now I'll have to buy that as well!