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[magog_83]

DAMN IT, BBC. Stop being so interesting in the mornings! I have to get to work. Not only do you give me the Archibishop of Canterbury's articulate criticism of government policies (marry me, Dr Williams!) but also a magazine article on King Arthur. Only fleeting mention of BBC Merlin, this one is to coincide with the new series Camelot I think.

King Arthur and Camelot: Why the cultural fascination?

Also, WAVES AT GLASTONBURY TOR. I will be seeing you in about an hour and a half, just as I crest the hill on my way to work :D

Comments

[winterstorrm.livejournal.com]

Say hi to Glasto for me!

Thanks for the links *goes to read*

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

Will do :) No doubt I'll spend the rest of the month glaring at it, once the shop gets crowded with festival goers stocking up on beer ;)

[giecast.livejournal.com]

I think for me it's the magic. And loathly hags turning out to be pretty maidens.

I read the article and then right below it I saw: "Is the Olympic torch too bling?" I blinked. And then clicked.

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

Hahaha - I hadn't seen the olympic torch before. I see what they mean, it is a little bit odd looking... To be honest, I wish we weren't hosting the Olympics, it's just going to be one huge embarrassment with everything going wrong, I CAN SEE IT NOW.

[rotrude.livejournal.com]

Epic view on the way to work!

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

It is gorgeous! You can see all across the Somerset Levels. Although I was so busy staring at it this morning, I cruised right through the 40mph speed limit sign without slowing down. Oops.

[jelazakazone.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link. It is interesting to think about why this story is so "sticky". I find it fascinating that people all over the world seem to be drawn to the particular version that Capps and company have created. I love that Arthur is such a blank slate that you can embroider whatever you like overtop too!

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think you're right there! The legends are often vague themselves, and can be interpreted in so many ways. There is a huge cast, loads of locations, quests and myths associated with it. Arthurian legend really does have an appeal right across the board, and Capps has tapped into a lot of that and made it accessible for a family audience.

I remember watching a really interesting series once, presented by the historian Michael Wood and looking at British myths and legends. I watched the Arthur one and it ended with Wood on the shores of the supposed lake of excalibur, at sunset, saying the lines from Morte d'Arthur

Yet some men say that King Arthur is not dead, but hid away into another place, and men say that he shall come again and reign over England. But many say that there is written on his tomb this verse:
“Hic jacet Arthurus, Rex quondam, Rexque futurus.”
Here Arthur lies, King once and King to be.

And I actually got shivers! It's just so iconic, even to someone like me who has never studied it or read widely on the sudject :)

[jelazakazone.livejournal.com]

Somehow this has got me thinking of Robin Hood as well. Welcome to my free floating brain processes:D

Your thing about King Arthur not being dead makes me think of Christianity and Christ. Maybe Christianity borrowed from the King Arthur myth! (Sorry if I've offended you; I'm not Christian and I love to poke fun at Christianity some times.)

But I also wonder if that just means that the story is eternal and he will inspire us until the end of time.

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

I just love the epicness of it, the struggle for good and justice to triumph over evil.

Have fun at Glastonbury. I've been there a couple of times but never during the festival. I'm not big on crowds!

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I've never been either! My brother goes every year but mostly I just watch on telly, although this year I will be working over the entire weekend at a nearby Tescos. YAY. I sense it will be quite busy on the Wednesday at least, and the Sunday when all the locals go with their day tickets.

[jamie15.livejournal.com]

Clearly they do it on purpose to keep you from going to work :D!

Oh, I remember watching the 2004 movie in the cinema! But I've got to say, I didn't think much of it ... it was too ... militant for me. I like my King Arthur with magic via Merlin :D!

And yay for Geoffrey! :D (And that last sentence of the article is just the best finishing sentence ever!)

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

THEY DO.

I see their evil plan now. Or maybe not so evil if it lets me miss work...

I haven't seen the 2004 film actually, only little clips of it in fanvids. Was Merlin even in that one??

[jamie15.livejournal.com]

Aw, they've got your best interests at heart!

Ummm ... as far as I remember he was in that one too, yes. But for some weird reason he was working against Arthur as part of the Celtic resistance (and he was this barely clothed, doddery, old man who didn't seem very civilised to me ... but then again I was only thirteen when I watched it, so maybe some of the deeper meaning and context may have passed me by ... all I remember is that I was just really disappointed at the absence of all the magic (and frankly legend), to really pay attention :P!)