A New month: March and this month I’m featuring various books on various subject and with various treatments….from today where I look at a book and the area that just might be involved with it…..to Friday when I look at a book that claims to have found something that has been illusive at it’s very best….and from there where else I wander—from murdered princes to heaven knows when or where it’s a look at literature from the deviated delusions of your diva friend—hey that’s me…
And of course you’re never far from my favorite books—and my lovely addiction: Outlander….yummy.
Oh and my pictures today are from King Arthur’s Great Hall in Tintagel, Cornwall—the UK…..and for those of you who are really in to Arthur—this hall is a must….and Tintagel is a great place to dream of a Once and Future Kingdom by the sea…..
You must learn to laugh, he once told me, or else you’ll just weep yourself to death.”
― Bernard Cornwell, The Winter King
The Winter King is part I of the author’s War Lord series a story about King Arthur and while many of the names are still the same, this accounting is more of a throw back to the Celtic legends and ancient gods and heroes rather than the 13th c French over-lay that you all have been spoon-fed as the Arthur legends.
Here you have a warlord who is the son of Uther, but an illegitimate one who returns to protect the grandson of Uther–Modred (both the son and the grandson’s name). Modred died being a very bad warrior and leaves a Christian wife who soon produces a lame son who becomes king on Uther death. Enters Arthur to protect him as well as many who wishes to control or even kill the less than perfect child.
Then Arthur who is kind but still a factor to deal with in battle–has failed in re-uniting the feuding clans of Britain and is fighting a loosing battle against the invading Saxons as well. All this story is told by a Saxon orphan that escaped a druid’s death pit to become one of Merlin’s collection of orphans and others at his fortress at the Tor. The boy becomes a skilled warrior and as was the way of warrior tribes, a Lord of the lands as well.
But fate, as Merlin always taught us, is inexorable.
ST. MICHAEL’S MOUNT
Nestled along the coast of Cornwall is this magical island (at high tide) dedicated to the Arch Angel St. Michael who legend has it appeared here in 495 BC. It became a Benedictine Abbey which also served as a fortress and after Henry VIII decided to dissolve the Monasteries it became a private home—or more like a mansion in 1659.
In Cornwell’s book about Arthur, the story teller has to go to an isle to rescue Nimimue. This isle created by Cornwell was an island or peninsula where families could send their sick or dangerously violent relatives to live away from the move civilized portions of society. As is the results elsewhere the strong (and craziest?) survived and the rest fell victim to them and died or became their playthings. The island was guarded by troops and once you entered the isle you were never allowed to come back…those who tried died. So for more reasons than one it was called The Isle of the Dead.
People who spend a lot of time thinking about fiction equated Cornwell’s isle to Dante’s Hell or the Ancient Greek underworld, a place of lost souls. Some have said that Druids spoke of an Isle of the Dead where the dark crippled god Crob Dhu resided. Christians would equate him to the Devil.
I do understand that you can look into someone’s eyes,” I heard myself saying, “and suddenly know that life will be impossible without them. Know that their voice can make your heart miss a beat and that their company is all your happiness can ever desire and that their absence will leave your soul alone, bereft and lost.
And some who read the book insists that this would have been an ideal place to provide such a place. In fact there is an actual legend that Aurthur once battled a ferocious giant on its summit as well as some tales of Jack the Giant Killer as well. But the Isle of the Dead is just a speculation of the novel readers and there has not to my knowledge been any real backing to the place that was so well described in the novel of the Winter King.
In fact I know of no evidence archeological or otherwise that there was ever such a place. But there has been speculation on the Druid and the Author’s site of origin and St. Michael’s Mount is only one of many islands along Britain’s coast that has been named as this island of the damned.
The current building dates from the 12th c (during the time it was an abbey) and is magnificent—I visited it several years ago and it’s a very impressive place.
The bards sing of love, they celebrate slaughter, they extol kings and flatter queens, but were I a poet I would write in praise of friendship
The isle is located off the coast at the town of
MARAZION
on Mount Bay
This is a town that dates to the 12th c and sets on the largest bay in Britain. It is Cornwall’s oldest Charter town (Traditionally the granting of a charter gave a settlement and its inhabitants the right to
town privileges under the feudal system. Townspeople who lived in chartered towns were
burghers, as opposed to
serfs who lived in villages. Towns were often “free”, in the sense that they were directly protected by the king or emperor, and were not part of a feudal
fief.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipal_charter).
Legend has it that King Arthur remains alive here in the form of a raven, while others believe it is a chough–what ever the belief it is considered very unlucky to kill either bird in this part of Cornwall.
Cornwall’s legends include Arthur’s death farther north–where I spent last summer:
Camlan in Cornwall, where Mordred was slain and Arthur mortally wounded. He bequeathed his crown to his cousin
Constantine, who was the son of Duke Cador of Cornwall. King Arthur’s last battle at
Camlann and his subsequent death are recorded in the
British Easter Annals of the year 539.
https://www.cornwalls.co.uk/myths-legends/king_arthur.htm
How much of our earth has been wet by blood because of jealousy! And at the end of life, what does it all matter? We grow old and the young look at us and can never see that once we made a kingdom ring for love
Celebrity draws will include Renner from “The Avengers,” members of the “Stranger Things” cast and the main cast from “Outlander,” according to Emerald City Comicon event manager Kristina Rogers and content manager Marykate Goodwin. “We’re seeing a ton of excitement around that,” Goodwin said, referring to the “Outlander” actors. http://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/events/comic-book-legend-stan-lee-to-help-emerald-city-comicon-mark-15-years/
More on the continuing filming: http://www.ibtimes.com.au/outlander-season-3-new-pictures-set-extras-try-hide-costume-black-blue-coats-1542315
Neat site on Outlander Clans and Families: http://outlander.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Clans_and_Families
“You’re not a Christian, are you?”
“No.”
“You should consider it. We may not offer too many earthly delights, but our lives after death are certainly worth having.”
I believe the Gods hate to be bored, so I do my best to amuse them. That way they smile on me. Your God,’ Merlin said sourly, ‘despises amusement, demanding groveling worship instead. He must be a very sorry creature.
$35.60
The Gods play games with us, but if we open ourselves then we can become a part of the game instead of its victims.
By the way all the quotes are from The Winter King
