merlyn
05-26-2013, 12:40 AM
"The Fall of Arthur", an unfinished poem by J. R. R. Tolkien on the war between Arthur and Mordred, has just been published, edited by his son Christopher Tolkien. The poem only gets up to the first battle (a sea battle where Mordred tries to prevent Arthur landing in Britain), but was vivid reading (with especially strong descriptions of the natural setting and weather, as you'd expect from Tolkien), written in alliterative verse.
Tolkien made a few changes from the original story (apparently drawing from both Malory and the alliterative Morte Arthur). Arthur's overseas campaign during which Mordred rebels is a counter-offensive against the Saxons, that takes Arthur, Gawain, and their forces all the way to the edge of the forest of Mirkwood (the original Mirkwood, a forest in Germanic legend, that Tolkien borrowed when writing "The Hobbit"). Lancelot's love affair with Guinevere took place in this story, as did its exposure, the fight in the Queen's bedchamber where Agravain was slain, and the rescue of Guinevere at the stake where Gaheris and Gareth were slain, but no war between Arthur and Lancelot follows, or vengeance from Gawain (while Gawain advises against Arthur seeking the aid of Lancelot and his supporters against Mordred, he delivers it in a calm and reasonable manner, arguing that their loyalty is uncertain and that Arthur has enough fine knights still true to him that he does not need the assistance of the "de Ganis clan" - to use "Pendragon"'s term). Instead, Guinever (as Tolkien calls her) accompanies Lancelot to exile in Benwick, but dislikes the change that's come over him, as he broods in a penitential manner over all the knights he'd slain (especially Gaheris and Gareth) in delivering her, and at last leaves him and returns to Arthur. (Tolkien portrays her in an unfavorable light, as cold and heartless.) And the notes at the end for how Tolkien planned to continue the poem mention that Tolkien's intention for Lancelot's fate was not the familiar religious retirement at Glastonbury, but sailing west in search of Avalon; Lancelot never returns, and no one knows whether he found Avalon and was reconciled with Arthur there or not.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in both the Arthurian cycle and Tolkien; it's a fine read. I only regret he didn't complete it.
Tolkien made a few changes from the original story (apparently drawing from both Malory and the alliterative Morte Arthur). Arthur's overseas campaign during which Mordred rebels is a counter-offensive against the Saxons, that takes Arthur, Gawain, and their forces all the way to the edge of the forest of Mirkwood (the original Mirkwood, a forest in Germanic legend, that Tolkien borrowed when writing "The Hobbit"). Lancelot's love affair with Guinevere took place in this story, as did its exposure, the fight in the Queen's bedchamber where Agravain was slain, and the rescue of Guinevere at the stake where Gaheris and Gareth were slain, but no war between Arthur and Lancelot follows, or vengeance from Gawain (while Gawain advises against Arthur seeking the aid of Lancelot and his supporters against Mordred, he delivers it in a calm and reasonable manner, arguing that their loyalty is uncertain and that Arthur has enough fine knights still true to him that he does not need the assistance of the "de Ganis clan" - to use "Pendragon"'s term). Instead, Guinever (as Tolkien calls her) accompanies Lancelot to exile in Benwick, but dislikes the change that's come over him, as he broods in a penitential manner over all the knights he'd slain (especially Gaheris and Gareth) in delivering her, and at last leaves him and returns to Arthur. (Tolkien portrays her in an unfavorable light, as cold and heartless.) And the notes at the end for how Tolkien planned to continue the poem mention that Tolkien's intention for Lancelot's fate was not the familiar religious retirement at Glastonbury, but sailing west in search of Avalon; Lancelot never returns, and no one knows whether he found Avalon and was reconciled with Arthur there or not.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in both the Arthurian cycle and Tolkien; it's a fine read. I only regret he didn't complete it.