In the fourth book of the Once and future king, it starts out with Agravaine and Mordred plotting to tell Arthur about Lancelot and Gueneveres affair. Arthur however already knows this, but with the new laws he would be forced to execute them. Gawaine another Orkney tries to stop them. Arthur finally confesses that Mordred is his son. He also tells Lancelot and Guenevere that he knows about there affair and wont punish them. When Arthur goes away, Agravaine and Mordred go through with there plan. They catch Lancelot in Guenevere's room and Lancelot kills Agravaine but lets Mordred go. Him being a witness causes trouble and gets everyone sentenced to death. Lancelot rescues Guenevere from being burned for adultery but kills two of the Orkney boys. Lancelot goes to France, and Arthur and Gawaine go and put his castle under siege. In his absence Mordred takes over the castle. When Arthur and Gawaine find out they return to the kingdom and fight Mordred. Arthur wants justice and peace, remembering his childhood lessons with Merlyn.
I didn't like Arthurs reaction to Lancelot and Guenevere's affair. Just like in the last book I think he should have done something about it. Although I'm glad they weren't executed. He could have executed them, or he could have just left Guenevere which I think would have been the best decision. Lancelot seemed faithful to Arthur to me until the battle in London. Then when he returned to Arthur to fight with him I realized that he was faithful still after all. Gawaine has changed as a character. He is probably my favorite out of everyone in this book. He was once the same as the others, but he has progressed and became faithful to Arthur. The other Orkney boys stayed the same and came to there end. Mordred is an awful character. He has a right to hate Arthur, but he should have forgave him for his childhood, not try to bring down his kingdom. I really enjoyed this book and I liked how the book finished. It was confusing to me though. It says that Arthur went into final battle, but I don't know if he won against Mordred or not. In Le Morte d'Arthur, Arthur dies. It's not the same in this book. I don't know why he chose to end it this way, I think it would have been better if he told who lived or died. He could have done it to keep the readers guessing, or because he didn't want to have a sad ending.
Vocabulary:
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The Ill-made Knight
In book three of the Once and Future King, the story mostly revolves around Sir Lancelot. He is an ugly knight who grows up serving Arthur and becomes the most powerful knight on earth. Growing up he is trained by Arthur's Uncle Dap. Him and Lancelot become close. When he gets older he defeats many knights and earns his right as the best knight. He falls in love with Guenevere, Arthur's wife and they have an affair for many years. Lancelot goes on many quests and helps a lot of people. People fear to fight him, because he is simply the best. Even being the best though he still feels insecure because of his sins. He beats himself up over them, emotionally and physically. Lancelot and Guenevere romance goes through some challenges in this book. Lancelot sleeps with a women thinking she was Guenevere, and they have a child. Although being tricked Lancelot refused to take care of the child. Guenevere accuses Lancelot of loving the other woman, Elaine. While Guenevere and Lancelot fall apart he runs away and loses his mind. Elaine finds him and they give him a different name Le Chevalier Mal Fet, the ill-made knight. When he fights at a tournament he beats everyone there and Sir Degalis and Sir Ector find out his true identity and take Lancelot back to Camelot. While this is happening Camelot is constantly in chaos, and then out of chaos. After Camelot has been civilized for a long time it gets out of control again. Agravaine one of the Orkney boys killed Morgause their mother. Then them and Mordred go after Lamorak and kill him, because his father killed theirs. This is a time where Arthur sends his knights on a quest because he feels they are becoming weak. He sends them on a quest to find the Holy Grail. After a while the knights give up looking for it and return to England. When Lancelot returns to Camelot from his search for the Holy Grail, him and Guenevere romance picks back up. He will not keep having his affair with her though because he feels his sins are the reason that he is getting beaten by other knights. He washes away his sins and wears a hair shirt to pay penance for them. Elaine comes back and Lancelot wears her sleeve in a tournament, Guenevere becomes jealous and Eliane realizes Lancelot doesn't love her and commits suicide. Lancelot and Guenevere sleep together again and continue their affair and Arthur ignores this. When a man comes to Camelot sick, only the best knight in the world can heal him. Lancelot places his hands upon the man and heals him. Only he could do that.
I really like Lancelot, he is caring and does good deeds. Although sometimes he can be arrogant, and he is having an affair with Arthur's wife, but you cant help love and he has a right to be somewhat cocky. He feels bad for hurting Arthur though, so he wears a hair shirt for his sins. He has always wanted to be the best knight in the world, but when he saves the man he feels guilty for all he has done and doesn't think that he is the best knight in the world. I think that Arthur should do something more than ignore their affair, and if I was him I would ask them if they wanted to be together and if that is what they want then leave Guenevere. He is just going to hurt himself in the end. As far as Lancelot having a child, I think that he should have taken care of it whether he was tricked or not. The whole relationship with Lancelot, Elaine and Guenevere was messy, and I'm kind of glad that Elaine is out of the picture. I think that there affair is cute, but they shouldn't be going behind Arthur's back. This is my favorite section of the book so far, it was long but it was very interesting and a lot of lose ends are getting tied up. It has changed since the last parts of the story. It is more sad and it is starting to get more into the lives of the characters. In contrast to Le Morte D'Arthur I like this better. Lancelot is described as handsome in the other story. In this book he is ugly. This makes him and Arthur This part of the book was also sad. Pellinore dies and his son, and unfortunately I predict that Mordred will defeat Arthur and become king. I think that this book shapes Arthur as a more powerful and great king. He does a lot of great things and I don't want this book to have a bad ending. It talks some about the Orkney brothers, I'm kinda glad they killed their mother. She caused a lot of problems, but I don't think that have changed much as characters. They are still misfits and they love to hurt and kill. Overall, I am excited to read the end of the story and find out what happens to everyone.
Vocabulary:
Stinted, tempestuously, habergenonoly, poniard, parabola, heraldry, emaciated.
I really like Lancelot, he is caring and does good deeds. Although sometimes he can be arrogant, and he is having an affair with Arthur's wife, but you cant help love and he has a right to be somewhat cocky. He feels bad for hurting Arthur though, so he wears a hair shirt for his sins. He has always wanted to be the best knight in the world, but when he saves the man he feels guilty for all he has done and doesn't think that he is the best knight in the world. I think that Arthur should do something more than ignore their affair, and if I was him I would ask them if they wanted to be together and if that is what they want then leave Guenevere. He is just going to hurt himself in the end. As far as Lancelot having a child, I think that he should have taken care of it whether he was tricked or not. The whole relationship with Lancelot, Elaine and Guenevere was messy, and I'm kind of glad that Elaine is out of the picture. I think that there affair is cute, but they shouldn't be going behind Arthur's back. This is my favorite section of the book so far, it was long but it was very interesting and a lot of lose ends are getting tied up. It has changed since the last parts of the story. It is more sad and it is starting to get more into the lives of the characters. In contrast to Le Morte D'Arthur I like this better. Lancelot is described as handsome in the other story. In this book he is ugly. This makes him and Arthur This part of the book was also sad. Pellinore dies and his son, and unfortunately I predict that Mordred will defeat Arthur and become king. I think that this book shapes Arthur as a more powerful and great king. He does a lot of great things and I don't want this book to have a bad ending. It talks some about the Orkney brothers, I'm kinda glad they killed their mother. She caused a lot of problems, but I don't think that have changed much as characters. They are still misfits and they love to hurt and kill. Overall, I am excited to read the end of the story and find out what happens to everyone.
Vocabulary:
Stinted, tempestuously, habergenonoly, poniard, parabola, heraldry, emaciated.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Le Morte D' Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur starts out by telling the legend of King Arthur. It describes the history and the different tales of King Arthur. At the beginning of the story, Uther Pendragon has a son. His son, Arthur is sent with Merlyn to go live with a foster father. Sir Ector his foster father raises him until the time comes for him to receive heir to the throne. Kay his foster brother asks Arthur to retrieve his sword. When Arthur can't find Sir Kay's sword he pulls the sword Excalibur out of the stone, not knowing what he had done brings it back to Kay. When everyone realizes what Arthur has done they kneel before him. Some support Arthur and others don't believe he is the heir out of pure jealousy. He then has to battle and prove he is the rightful owner of the sword and the true heir to the throne. He fights battles as king, and many people follow under him. He creates the round table, that holds a group of knights not one more important than the other. Sir Lancelot a knight of the round table goes on a journey and gets himself captured. He fights and wins many challenges and does good deeds. When he returns to Camelot King Arthur and his relationship is ruined with the rivalry of Queen Guenevere. Sir Lancelot then leaves and Arthur's is left without his once favorite knight. He goes into battle with Modred, because Modred planned to take over the castle in Arthur's absence from Britain. This leads to the death of thousands of knights and soldiers, and the death of Arthur.
I enjoyed Le Morte d'Arthur. It was short and gave me an understanding of what I was going to read in the Once and Future King. Some of the characters in this I did not like, Sir Lancelot seemed rather pompous at times finding himself invincible, but at others seemed generous and brave. I was disappointed at the end when Arthur died. I expected more of a heroic death. He was warned not to go into battle but still did. Even though his intentions were otherwise it still lead to his death. I think Lancelot was more of a hero in this story than Arthur. He had more hero characteristics, he was pompous at times but also very generous and courageous. He was brave and liked to fight to save people. I found One thing that surprised me in this is when Sir Lancelot saved the woman from being molested. This story took place a very long time ago, and people still molest people today. Some of the ways things are done, good and bad haven't changed much.
Vocabulary:
Matins, copse, shrewd, trousseau and suzerainty.
Fickle was also in there, and that is my favorite word.
I enjoyed Le Morte d'Arthur. It was short and gave me an understanding of what I was going to read in the Once and Future King. Some of the characters in this I did not like, Sir Lancelot seemed rather pompous at times finding himself invincible, but at others seemed generous and brave. I was disappointed at the end when Arthur died. I expected more of a heroic death. He was warned not to go into battle but still did. Even though his intentions were otherwise it still lead to his death. I think Lancelot was more of a hero in this story than Arthur. He had more hero characteristics, he was pompous at times but also very generous and courageous. He was brave and liked to fight to save people. I found One thing that surprised me in this is when Sir Lancelot saved the woman from being molested. This story took place a very long time ago, and people still molest people today. Some of the ways things are done, good and bad haven't changed much.
Vocabulary:
Matins, copse, shrewd, trousseau and suzerainty.
Fickle was also in there, and that is my favorite word.
The Queen of Air and Darkness
In book two of the Once and Future King, King Arthur is faced with challenges he has never even imagined. It starts out with being in charged and not knowing what to do. He leans on Merlyn, who tells him that he needs to take charge himself. Being in a new position he starts taking it for granted. Merlyn tries to tell him that power and fighting isn't everything. Soon Arthur realizes that. He then believes in chivalry, fairness and being kind. He creates the round table, where no one is more important than anyone else. There is no more fighting over places in a hierarchy, he is a king of fairness. He goes into war with Sir Lot. He takes an easy win and attacks his knights in the night. King Arthur finds out that he is destined to marry Guenever. Merlyn also tells him that Morgause an evil mother is his half-sister. He then gets tricked into sleeping with her and having a child, Mordred. That makes Gawaine, Gaheris, Gareth and Agravaine his nephews, and they despise of Arthur because his father killed their grandfather and married Igraine, the count of Cornwalls wife. Meanwhile in the story there is the hunt for the questing beast with Palomides, Pellinore, and Grummore. Palomides and Grummore create a costume that helped attract the beast. Although the beast thinks they are her mate. They escape only to have the beast follow them and wait for them to show themselves.
At the beginning of book two, Arthur loses track of everything Merlyn has taught him. He fed on power, and thought that was everything. I think that was wrong of Arthur, and it made me happy when he finally strives on fairness. Unfortunately I believe this will be one of King Arthur's downfalls. He will lose sight of what is important and Merlyn wont be there to fix anything. Apart from the fighting and war in this story, there seems to be a type of romance and soap in it. Arthur is brother to Morgause, who is wed to Lot, who Arthur defeated in battle. He sleeps with Morgause and they have a child. Which when his nephews find out, I predict will anger them more. I dislike Morgause as a character. She treats her children with disrespect and is more concerned with herself. I am interested in seeing where the story goes with her and how she will changed and develop as a character. Her sons which are also Arthurs nephews, are ignorant and misbehaved. I blame it on the upbringing, Morgause is an awful mother. This is why I pity them. They way they whisper because they don't want to do something wrong. They way their mother beat them when they tried to do something for her. They did kill an animal but at least the thought was there. I believe if they had a better upbringing they would be completely different boys. The part of the story with Pellinore and the questing beast is my favorite. It is humorous and still relates with the story line. I am excited to see what happens to them and if they ever catch the questing beast for good.
I am really starting to enjoy this book. The only complaint that I have is that sometimes when the story is in detail it gets a little dry. It adds depth to the story, but I love the action in it!
Vocabulary:
These are words I came across that I thought were interesting and I didn't know the meaning.
Besieged, stolid, halidome, nigromancer, chaste, stoicism, piseog, pennoncells, prig, machicolations, antiphonically, abdicate, arquebus, brehons,shillelagh, gralloch, ogham, carapaces, nuncios and paynim.
At the beginning of book two, Arthur loses track of everything Merlyn has taught him. He fed on power, and thought that was everything. I think that was wrong of Arthur, and it made me happy when he finally strives on fairness. Unfortunately I believe this will be one of King Arthur's downfalls. He will lose sight of what is important and Merlyn wont be there to fix anything. Apart from the fighting and war in this story, there seems to be a type of romance and soap in it. Arthur is brother to Morgause, who is wed to Lot, who Arthur defeated in battle. He sleeps with Morgause and they have a child. Which when his nephews find out, I predict will anger them more. I dislike Morgause as a character. She treats her children with disrespect and is more concerned with herself. I am interested in seeing where the story goes with her and how she will changed and develop as a character. Her sons which are also Arthurs nephews, are ignorant and misbehaved. I blame it on the upbringing, Morgause is an awful mother. This is why I pity them. They way they whisper because they don't want to do something wrong. They way their mother beat them when they tried to do something for her. They did kill an animal but at least the thought was there. I believe if they had a better upbringing they would be completely different boys. The part of the story with Pellinore and the questing beast is my favorite. It is humorous and still relates with the story line. I am excited to see what happens to them and if they ever catch the questing beast for good.
I am really starting to enjoy this book. The only complaint that I have is that sometimes when the story is in detail it gets a little dry. It adds depth to the story, but I love the action in it!
Vocabulary:
These are words I came across that I thought were interesting and I didn't know the meaning.
Besieged, stolid, halidome, nigromancer, chaste, stoicism, piseog, pennoncells, prig, machicolations, antiphonically, abdicate, arquebus, brehons,shillelagh, gralloch, ogham, carapaces, nuncios and paynim.
The Sword in the Stone
In book one of The Once and Future King Wart is trying to discover who he is. When he goes on his quest to find Cully the hawk, he finds Merlyn. He also finds King Pellinore, he is on a journey to find the questing beast. Wart likes him immediately and they have an instant bond. Merlyn is a tutor that has help Wart in many ways. Merlyn and Wart become very close as he tutors. He sends Wart on many adventures that help him find his strengths and weaknesses. Years later when Kay becomes knighted, Wart becomes his squire. Once again under Kay. Kay tells Wart to go and retrieve his sword, but when Wart can't find it he sees a different sword. A sword in a stone. When Wart tries to pull it out, he cannot at first. He sees all of the different adventures Merlyn put him through and remembers all the lessons he has learned. He then pulls the sword out of the stone and is heir to the King.
I was really happy when Wart pulled the sword out of the stone. It always seemed like he was less important compared to Kay. Even more so when he became Kay's squire. Kay seemed pompous and ungrateful to me. He was very mean to Wart, but on some line it help Wart to see and act in a different way as him. I enjoyed the adventures Merlyn sent Wart on. He learned something about himself each time. All of the things that would help him become a great king. Bravery, compassion, heart, courage and war. These lessons are going to be really important later in the book. Merlyn was of great help to Arthur because the life lessons he learned are all vital to being a great king, and they will stick with him. The adventure I liked the best is when Merlyn sent Wart to the sky to travel with the geese. He sees there views on war and fighting. Being a king, it is really important that he knows how to fight, but to fight right. Fighting is only good when necessary, fighting for no reason is bad. The method of teaching Merlyn uses I think is very interesting. I've always thought that talking in class and having conversations was the easiest, to act it out and think about the information in a real life situation. The way Wart learned is simalier, except he did it in real life. I think that Merlyn was smart to do it this way because Arthur will remember and understand it for the rest of his life. When Wart pulled the sword out of the stone, I think he was right to reject it at first. His whole life had changed at that moment. When he found out the truth, I think he should be more open to his new life. I think as he becomes more comfortable with the new position he is in, he will be a great king. Faced with challenges and adventures but he will overcome them all.
Vocabulary:
These are words I thought were interesting and didn't understand. I also had trouble pronouncing some of them.
Scythes, yarak, doggedly, fewmets, brachet, hearken, portcullis, scombre, rheumatism, melodious, laboriously, stridulated, belligerent, ornithology, anseriformes and menagerie. I also want to know what the words Explicit Limber Primus are. Is it Latin?
I was really happy when Wart pulled the sword out of the stone. It always seemed like he was less important compared to Kay. Even more so when he became Kay's squire. Kay seemed pompous and ungrateful to me. He was very mean to Wart, but on some line it help Wart to see and act in a different way as him. I enjoyed the adventures Merlyn sent Wart on. He learned something about himself each time. All of the things that would help him become a great king. Bravery, compassion, heart, courage and war. These lessons are going to be really important later in the book. Merlyn was of great help to Arthur because the life lessons he learned are all vital to being a great king, and they will stick with him. The adventure I liked the best is when Merlyn sent Wart to the sky to travel with the geese. He sees there views on war and fighting. Being a king, it is really important that he knows how to fight, but to fight right. Fighting is only good when necessary, fighting for no reason is bad. The method of teaching Merlyn uses I think is very interesting. I've always thought that talking in class and having conversations was the easiest, to act it out and think about the information in a real life situation. The way Wart learned is simalier, except he did it in real life. I think that Merlyn was smart to do it this way because Arthur will remember and understand it for the rest of his life. When Wart pulled the sword out of the stone, I think he was right to reject it at first. His whole life had changed at that moment. When he found out the truth, I think he should be more open to his new life. I think as he becomes more comfortable with the new position he is in, he will be a great king. Faced with challenges and adventures but he will overcome them all.
Vocabulary:
These are words I thought were interesting and didn't understand. I also had trouble pronouncing some of them.
Scythes, yarak, doggedly, fewmets, brachet, hearken, portcullis, scombre, rheumatism, melodious, laboriously, stridulated, belligerent, ornithology, anseriformes and menagerie. I also want to know what the words Explicit Limber Primus are. Is it Latin?
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