HAVE YOU SEEN OUTLANDER? I hadn’t read the books but the new series on Starz (7 are available on demand now—the 8th and final one for this year is on at 9 pm Sat. 9/27). Check out http://www.starz.com/originals/outlander/videos/video/4f2ad33f42044d79b9561ea65a72313d Now I am reading the books by the way. Oh and a line in this movie I haven’t heard else where when the former 20th c nurse (who accidentally goes back 200 years through a stone circle in Scotland) is forced to marry (save me from this horrible fate) to save herself from abuse she asked the hunk if it doesn’t bother him that she’s not a virgin and he replies no not if it doesn’t bother her that he is. I fell instantly in love.
And since I’m on the subject of romances in the UK was there ever a better legend than King Arthur? I mean it has everything:
Arthur: The Once and future king, a man for all seasons. For a man who is so well known to the general populace all over the world it is interesting that his origins are generally debated: The first reliable reference to Arthur is in the ‘Historia Brittonum’ written by the Welsh monk Nennius around the year 830AD. Surprisingly he refers to Arthur as a warrior – not a king. He lists twelve battles fought by Arthur including Mount Badon and the City Of The Legion. http://www.caerleon.net/history/arthur/page3.htm
Lancelot: The flawed champion who is flawless in battle but who gives up his loyalty to his King for the love of an equally flawed woman. His first appearance as a main character is in Chrétien de Troyes‘ Le Chevalier de la Charette, or “Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart”, written in the 12th century. In the 13th century, he was the main focus in the lengthy Vulgate Cycle, where his exploits are recounted in the section known as the Prose Lancelot. Lancelot’s life and adventures have been featured in several medieval romances, often with conflicting back-stories and chains of events. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancelot
Guinevere: Wife of a great king, lover of a famed warrior– she does not seem to be very good at either. Again the woman takes the blame as the weak link. From the Norman French form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar, composed of the elements gwen meaning “fair, white” and hwyfar meaning “smooth”. In Arthurian legend she was the beautiful wife of King Arthur. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, she was seduced by Mordred before the battle of Camlann, which led to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur. According to the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, she engaged in an adulterous affair with Sir Lancelot. http://www.behindthename.com/name/guinevere
Merlin: The devil’s advocate, the dabbler, saged guide or great mage he always knows more than anyone else but never enough to stop the disaster. The first recognisable representation of Merlin the wizard appears in 1138 as a creation of Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae . The author, of Welsh-Norman descent, changed the name of Myrddin (a Scottish Bard) to Merlin because it sounded too similar to the French word for excrement! It is also through Geoffrey of Monmouth that Merlin becomes associated with the legend of King Arthur and becomes a half-mortal, half-magical being with supernatural powers. During this transformation Merlin is irrevocably associated with Wales and its rich Celtic history and literature. http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/the_scottish_roots_of_merlin_the_welsh_wizard.shtml
King Arthur Handmade Collectible Doll Created by Teresa Thompson, England $75.00
- Meg Cabot: Avalon High, a novel in which high school students find themselves to be reincarnations of characters from the Arthurian cycle.
Theatre: Merlin was a Broadway musical in 1983 featuring illusionist Doug Henning and music by Elmer Bernstein.
Opera: Harrison Birtwistle: Gawain (1991), libretto by David Harsent
Film: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a comedic parody of the traditional King Arthur legend…Arthur was played by Graham Chapman
TV: Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon was made into a miniseries by TNT in 2001.
Specials: The 2004 History Channel special Quest for King Arthur, hosted by Patrick Stewart, several historical figures who may have contributed to Arthurian legend
Series: , The French series Kaamelott features a humorous take on the legend.
There are also video games, comics and on and on–So whether you believe he was a real person or only a legend, whether King , War Lord or something in between you must admit that as far as Legends go this one is not likely to die out anytime soon.
“Then it is better, sir, to love whom one cannot have?” “Probably better,” Lancelot said. “Certainly safer.” ― John Steinbeck, The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights