THE SWORD IN THE STONE

THE SWORD IN THE STONE

War in England during medieval times is shown as one of the major themes in the novel. The protagonist, Arthur's initial years of reign in England are mired by wars by different prows which all are fighting for political gain. The lust for political influence and power makes war unavoidable and an important part of the English medieval society. White describes the war as an unjustifiable act of barbarism nod cruelty that results in a pointless tragedy. Arthur is made to believe by Merlyn, the magician that war is merely justifiable if it is being fought for self defense. However, the motive for war mostly is for personal purposes, and the cruelty it leashes cannot be justified. Even the protagonist is hurled into fighting a war towards the end for the purpose of revenge and strays away from the advice that Merlyn gave to him.

The novel though covers war in details and has this topic as one of its major theme, yet it tries to dispel a stance that is anti-war. The negative role that war brings on in the rule of Arthur serves to highlight this point that there would have been much peace and prosperity had there been no war. White's novel also refrains from brutal war details that are common with other Arthur novels. What the writer was trying to depict was the futility of war and not commending it in any means. Therefore one sees the absence of great military exploits by the character of Arthur as many other novels portray.

The few battles that Rae outlined, White uses them to describe the brutal carnage that accompanies war and cannot be avoided while depicting knighthood in a satirical way. These are the results that the central character, Wart or Arthur eventually learns at the end of the novel through his long experience.

This realization makes Arthur sees the knight as bullies in the battlefield who themselves are protected in heavy suits of armor while they prefer to kill the defenseless. This realization that the use of force to justify what is right is wrong, makes him form an order of knights, called the Knights of the Round Table to fight for the poor and end cruelty. Led the Knights of the Round Table.

King Arthur is portrayed as the protagonist of the Once and Future King. He is also the novel's narrator and the central character. The novel examines the life of Arthur from the very beginning till the end. The major events that cover his life are covered. Arthur's idea and concepts about the government after he becomes the king shape the English society. The setting of the plot and the chronology events set the change theta the English society goes through.

Arthur becomes a character of immense significance as the novel points out that even after his death, he will continue to be the ruler of England. Inspire of the considerable nod significant importance that he develops in ...