My King Arthur presenation

1. Michael Mitchell

2.  Write a “backwards blog” from the point of view of
Merlin.
 Because Merlin ages in reverse in The Once and Future
King, a blog by him would go in reverse, at least from
everyone else’s point of view.

4.  Our Merlin is a composite Merlin, built from the many,
many different interpretations we have of him.
 This means that the Merlin of our time is a man of
contradictions. He is, in fact, backwards.

5.  Magic/Scientific
 Pagan/Christian
 Prophet/Ineffectual

7.  One of the greatest kings
of myth.
 Isn’t that just a little odd
that a man of
contradictions can shape
a mighty king?

8.  Merlin not only brings about Arthur’s birth but, now,
in modern version teaches or even raises the boy.
 What does he teach:
 Politics
 Military
 Etiquette (“chivalry”)

9.  What Merlin provides a young Arthur is social
experience, good and bad.
 This is a time of no communication. There is no way of
easily passing on the vast stores of social information
that a king needs.
 It requires a more complex mentor to teach a hero the
good and bad that he will contend with.

10.  Lancelot: A Knight of  Only together are they an
Love effective force.
 Gawain: A Knight of  Separate, they are highly
Strength dysfunctional men.
 Percival: A Knight of  They are heros but they
Nature are not kings.
 Galahad: A Knight of
Holyness

11.  THE KING requires more than heroic deeds or
motivations. He has to be more complex.
 He requires the experience of society, of all sections of
society good and bad.
 Merlin brings the complexity of society. The mix of
influences. The experience a young king will need.

13. What I’m saying is it takes a man who was “born” out of a
tomb, raised by his lover, graffitis graves, assists in
adultery, casually dresses up as other people, takes
children that aren’t his, and may be the Antichrist to
represent the Internet and raise a perfect king.
And he should be played by Brad Pitt.