The King: Analysis of Major Characters
"The King: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complex portrayals of iconic figures from Arthurian legend, reimagined in a modern context. Central to the narrative is King Arthur, depicted as a figure grappling with the relevance of his kingship during a time of political turmoil, feeling nostalgic for the romantic ideals of the Round Table. His wife, Guinevere, is presented as a disillusioned queen, navigating accusations of infidelity while reflecting on the waning significance of her royal role. Launcelot, Arthur's chief general, embodies a thrill-seeker’s spirit, torn between his past with Guinevere and newfound camaraderie with the Black Knight, Sir Roger de Ibadan. Sir Kay serves as Arthur's confidant, voicing concerns about prophecies and the ongoing war. Additional characters, such as Lyonesse and Lieutenant Edward, illustrate the emotional dislocation caused by war, while the Red Knight critiques Arthur's outdated legacy. The Blue Knight represents the quest for power through the ultimate weapon, symbolizing the shifting values in a wartime society. This multifaceted exploration invites readers to reflect on the enduring themes of heroism, loyalty, and the evolution of myth in contemporary times.
The King: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Donald Barthelme
First published: 1990
Genre: Novella
Locale: Great Britain
Plot: Alternative history
Time: Early 1940's
King Arthur, the legendary king of Britain, presented as still living in 1940, or perhaps returned as “the Future King” of legend. He is a shadowy character. He involves himself in the military, leaving politics to “Winston” and the propaganda machines, understanding that against the propaganda machines and the manipulativeness of modern politics not much can be done. He vaguely believes that his kingly role has outlived its usefulness and feels keenly the loss of the old romantic Round Table. In this somewhat absurdist novel, he acts in ways the legends about him would anticipate. The novella closes with a surprise. According to legend, he dies in a battle with Mordred, but in this story he rather cavalierly rewrites the legend and defeats Mordred, this time without injury to himself. He explains that he “didn't like Merlin's prophecy.”
Guinevere, the queen, Arthur's wife. She plays the part of a bored and spoiled queen, in the tradition of Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur (1485). Guinevere spends much of her time with a maidservant listening to a traitor, Lord Haw Haw, who claims that she is bad for morale because she is sleeping with Sir Launcelot. She seems to accept these accusations, even though during the time period of the book she is sleeping with the Brown Knight and not with Launcelot. She feels weary and bored and perhaps understands that the romantic role of queens is dead. She insists, however, that “all myths come from queens.”
Launcelot du Lac, the chief general of King Arthur and, at one time, Guinevere's lover. The book opens with his rather random fighting for the mere thrill of it. His character seems to be defined by his first jousting with, then befriending, the Black Knight. The book ends with his dream of “the softness of Guinevere.”
Sir Kay, King Arthur's aide-de-camp. He acts as a sounding board for Arthur's discussions of war and kingship. He worries a lot about Merlin's prophecies because, although he has never read them, he knows that a battle with Mordred has been foretold. He also worries about the victories of General Rommel in Africa. Later, Arthur gives him a glimpse of the prophecies about the end of the war. Arthur then rewrites them, so the end is as much as surprise to Kay as to anyone else.
Sir Roger de Ibadan, the Black Knight, a visitor from Africa. He enters the book as a jousting foe of Launcelot, but after their encounter they shake hands and become friends. There is little racial prejudice in the book. Launcelot invites the Black Knight to join “our side.” Sir Roger is a vaguely passionate fellow and eventually falls in love with the female thief, Clarice. Her first love is her thieving, but she admits a certain affection for Sir Roger.
Lyonesse, the queen of Gore, a semimythical Celtic kingdom that appears in Arthurian literature. She is the wife of King Unthank. She claims that her husband does not love her and treats her badly, so she seeks comfort in the arms of Lieutenant Edward. She illustrates the dislocation of people and the dissolution of families that inevitably occur in wartime.
Lieutenant Edward, Lyonesse's lover, a twentieth century proletarian. This former plasterer is the type of commoner thrown into prominence by the war. He is a soldier freed from the bonds of duty and family, footloose and confused. He is ashamed of his common upbringing, especially after he falls in love with Lyonesse.
The Red Knight, Sir Ironside of the Red Lands, a communist rabble-rouser who spends his time calling Arthur a reactionary anachronism, using typical communist propaganda terminology.
The Blue Knight, who is searching for the Grail, the ultimate weapon. This ultimate weapon turns out to be a “bomb bigger than all other bombs” and is made of cobalt. He is called the blue knight because his colors are cobalt blue.