The Last Enchantment (Mary Stewart’s Arthurian Novels)
After a long break, yours truly usually publishes a huge post. So is the case now. If you're going to read this, I apologise for any possible grammar and stylistic mistakes, as well as for misprints; will edit, I swear. (I always edit those huge posts of mine. *feeling geeky*) Please don’t judge me too harshly for my crappy English here. :)
I've read some of those truly wonderful books that you're bound to remember forever. Those are Mary Stewart's Arthurian novels: the Merlin trilogy, consisting of The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, and The Last Enchantment, and also The Wicked Day (about Mordred), plus The Prince and the Pilgrim. Those books are usually classified into the 'fantasy' genre, but I am of the opinion that they are more than just that. In fact, this is one of the rare cases when I'd recommend the books to anyone, even to those who are not into fantasy or into Arthur at all!
The most famous books are those forming the trilogy about Merlin. Come on, choosing Merlin as the protagonist seems to involve the inevitable magic spells, miracles, and all sorts of supernatural things some call ‘Celtic nonsense’. :) Not so with Mary Stewart! I guess some of the younger readers might even be disappointed with her version of Merlin - realistic and psychologically justified.
What can be said about all of the books is that they are excellent historical fiction. The author tries to see the real stuff behind all the romantic and exciting legends; and as nothing is known for sure about the historical Arthur (or the historical Merlin), she writes of what could be reality. The places mentioned are real sites in Britain, even if the geographical names sound like beautiful music. The actions of the characters are linked to known historical events. What was a fairy-tale develops into a description of complex political situation, intrigues and struggle for power. A non-scientific, but convincing theory of its own about the Dark Ages of British history! At the end of each novel there is a short retelling of the generally known legend, followed by historical notes.
That alone could be very interesting, but there are also people… Mary Stewart makes her personages bright and believable, even though she doesn’t go into detailed characterisation. I don’t know how she does it; perhaps the secret lies in her mastery of detail. And of all the characters, surely the most outstanding one is Merlin himself.
Merlin’s life is followed from his lonely childhood to his mysterious ‘end’. This is not an all-powerful, all-perfect sorcerer; he is 100% real and 100% human. Yes, he was taught magic by an old wizard, but his reputation of an extraordinary being comes from much more sources than mere magic. To protect himself, he uses his scientific knowledge, his travels abroad, his natural wit and understanding of human psychology, luck and even simple trickery. He is most ‘un-heroic’ and not in the least idealised. He is a man with his merits and faults. His sense of humour makes him endearing as he narrates the story - not only that of his own life, but also that of young Arthur.
Arthur is thoroughly likeable, seen through Merlin’s eyes. His ‘son’ and his friend, partly a creature of his, Arthur naturally is very important to Merlin’s story, but somehow he never overshadows the wizard completely. Amazing.
Merlin’s magic is represented realistically - so far as it can be said about magic! :) Sometimes it is like some special don he cannot always control. When he performs something really extraordinary - and that happens rarely - the author doesn’t go into details and so preserves the general ‘historical’ tone of the novel. After all, the times she describes are so remote that some magic comes in naturally and doesn’t contradict the reality. It is part of the world’s poetry; also, part of the old pagan world that is living its last days.
And here we come to it - as in other books by Mary Stewart, I sense some nostalgia here. It is nostalgia of another sort than that of her contemporary novels. Pagan gods and goddesses with all the old manner of life have to give way to Christianity, which is something initially alien and even aggressive. It is not for nothing that the images of a sword and a cross intertwine. By the way, the novels are quite heavy with symbols, especially the second one, The Hollow Hills. Still, the symbols are so beautiful, so poetic, that they captivate the imagination, and at least for some slightest moment you’ll stay spellbound.
To add to it all, Mary Stewart remains a superb storyteller. (I can’t help thinking that the books could be made into most wonderful films everyone could enjoy!) The writer did her best to make a familiar story new. There are some great surprises and delightfully unusual plot twists (I think there are some that Agnetha might like ;))). Personally, The Last Enchantment is the most stunning book for me. It begins with a firm statement that Arthur never gave that notorious order to kill the babies. Then how?? - and an intrigue, seeming astonishingly complex, but simple in its nature, is revealed. After that, there is Guenevere’s story - surprises again! And then it’s Merlin’s turn, and here Stewart outdoes herself. No words; a most delightful book!
So, speaking of the trilogy, The Last Enchantment produced the greatest impression on me, and when I finished it, it was hard to believe that there could be an equally exciting and moving novel… but The Wicked Day, telling us the life story of Mordred, Arthur’s son, is one of the most poignant stories I’ve read. Ever.
As we remember, Mordred is the son of Arthur’s incestuous union with his sister Morgause. The Wicked Day tells the story from his boyhood in a fisherman’s cot, through his perilous life of a royal bastard, to the last ‘wicked day’.
Surprisingly, Mordred turns out to be a youth who is quite likeable: quick-minded, reasonable and brave. Imperfect, of course; but the key to the understanding of the character (and also of the novel) lies in the fact that Mordred is like his father, Arthur. He inherits not only the good king’s appearance, but also his ambitiousness and talent for statecraft - and perhaps even has more than that. In his ability to immediately assess the political meaning of seemingly unimportant events, he may remind us of Merlin. The amazing and the ultimately tragic fact is that he could have been a worthy successor to his father…
Mind that the traditional Mordred is the ultimate villain of Arthurian tales, so Mary Stewart had to work really hard for her interpretation of the events to have psychological and logical justification. And oh, she succeeds in that! In that book, surprises come one after another! By the moment when Mordred comes to the enchantress Lady of the Lake and tells her that, prophecy or not, he absolutely refuses to be the cause of his own father’s death, I confess I was more than interested how Stewart would pull this through and finish the story!
This is definitely a darker book than the previous ones. We see more of Morgause: her character is revealed further in its wickedness, but we don’t see Merlin any more, and the mood of gentle good-natured humour is gone. It is really heart-rending to read about some situations Mordred gets into. He reminded me so much of Jamie Douglas from the recently read A Folly of Princes, when he just happens to be in the wrong place in the worst possible moment, and try as he may, he cannot stop the folly of others - only to be blamed for it afterwards!
Last but not least: in what refers to the mysterious relationship between an author and her characters, this is an extraordinary novel. Now I don’t know if the following is a real spoiler, but if you care, you’re warned. The peculiarity here is that none wants the prophecy (about Mordred causing Arthur’s death) to be fulfilled. King Arthur doesn’t want it (naturally). Mordred doesn’t want it (not to kill his own father!). The Enchantress Vivian doesn’t want it (although she can see the future). And the author herself doesn’t want it! In her Afterword, she confesses of ‘a great temptation’ to write another finale, but… the prophecy was uttered in previous books, Merlin quoth and so on - the novel’s ending was set! What a situation!! Perhaps if it were for Stewart, she would save both father and son, have them cured at Avalon or something; she seemed sincerely sorry for what happened…
The Wicked Day may leave you with a sad feeling, but still not depressed… for it states that, whatever the circumstances or prophecies, you can fight against them, and that’s what really matters. Even if you have to lose in the end. :(
After those magnificent novels, The Prince and the Pilgrim, a later one, will inevitably look naïve and simple and undoubtedly less impressive… but it is amusing and nice.
I’ll say only a few words about this short and not too perfect novel. Of all the books, this one is of least literary value, seeming to lack real inspiration and even perhaps a well-thought plan. It’s just a sweet story of young lovers, Alice and Alexander, told from the viewpoint of… not Merlin or Mordred, but an elderly British lady, smiling condescendingly at the rashness of youth. There remains a certain charm, especially in the character of Alice the Fair Pilgrim, for whom Christ is the best friend and religion, a natural source of joy and happiness. What is more important, Alice sort of stands for the rise of Christianity, and the book is sunlit with the warm glow of the new religion. Morgane le Fay, on the contrary, stands for the old faith - stifling, stale, limited within itself, living its last days and having to stand aside for the new life - and none will be sorry about that! That’s a book of Christianity triumphant, and as such, very positive (even if somewhat simple) and a logically final book of all Stewart’s Arthurian novels.
Although all of the five books bring us into the world of King Arthur, they are different in mood, length and literary merits. You’ll like some of them better than others. Well, but what seems obvious to me now is that, through all of them, there shines most brightly a gentle, intelligent and kind - yes, kind! - soul of that fair lady, that last enchantress, Mary Stewart.