Morte d’Arthur is a popular tale that has been told again and again through out the ages. The adventures of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round table never fail to peak the interest of many consumers. Throughout the years there have been many film adaptations as well as parodies of this tale. Mallory’s tale has echoed through the times through movies, books, television shows, and even Youtube series.
One Television series that has adapted this tale is the British Tv show Merlin. It takes the overarching idea of King Arthur and puts its own spin on some of the politics as well as Arthur and Merlin’s relationship. The similarities between the two is that they are friends and Merlin is a heavy influence in Arthur’s developing prince hood as he is developing as a knight and future king. As well as this it includes many of the characters from Le Morte d’Arthur such as Lancelot, Sir Gawain and Guinevere. .However, some differences include that they portray Merlin as a young magician who is still only to grasp his understanding of sorcery. He lives in an environment where magic is outlawed and he must hide this from Arthur. In the traditional sense Merlin was more of an adviser to Arthur and wise with experience. In an article published by Athurian Legend it states ” Thereafter Merlin becomes Arthur’s constant advisor, slipping in and out of the narrative as the occasion demands, often in disguise, to dispense foresight, knowledge, and guidance, and Malory uses him as a literary device, foretelling the future in the manner of fate – what Merlin speaks will be fulfilled. ” In this sense they represent Merlin in a very different light than the original tale. The TV show Merlin can tell the future and helps Arthur in their adventures, but this illustration of boyish fun is contrary to the old, wise, and dark version that Malory presents.
Another adaption that is on the Parody side of this equation is Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Here this adaptation focuses on tale six which occupies books 13-17 in which Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table are searching for the Holy Grail. In Monty Python’s version however it proceeds to mock the medieval ages as well as the Knights of the round table in exquisite fashion. In an article by Seonaidh Ceannéidigh he states” The film earned such a vaunted reputation by remaining faithful to Arthurian and medieval literature despite its reams of absurdity and apparent non-sequitur. Even the animated interludes, drawn by co-director Terry Gilliam, reference and borrow imagery from medieval texts “. As well as this the film portrays the knights as satirical examples of themselves as they subvert themselves below our expectations immediately= .This film is a great example of the retelling of tale six and does a great job staying authentic to the medieval literature while applying a satirical interpretation of it. https://youtu.be/t2c-X8HiBng 2:05-2:32
Finally, another parody influence that shows how it still impacts pop culture today even in animation and Youtube series is Doraleos and Associates. During one of its intro episodes it introduces the Lady in the Lake and Excalibur situation depicted in Le Morte de’Arthur’s book one chapter 25. It however takes on a comedic turn as it illustrates a hilarious interaction between the two. Instead of it being Excalibur however it is the Zephyr Blade. The characters are still portrayed as a warrior and a wizard but instead of Arthur and Merlin it is Doraleous and Mirdon. This is a fun but smaller example that truly exemplifies the impact that Malory’s book has on our pop culture today. https://youtu.be/Dg1mxlzEP3Q 3:08-3:28
Le Morte d’ Arthur’s tale still has a massive impact on pop culture today. There are dozens of film and literary adaptations that all put their own spin on Malory’s original tale. Whether it is a satirical comment on medieval society or a goofy Youtube series it has affected hundreds if not thousands of creators. It has captivated audiences around the world for hundreds of years and is one of the biggest impacts on pop culture from the early British literature time period.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail and its Arthurian Antecedents
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