Merlin Meta: The Character of Lancelot

[zahrawithaz]

I’ve been meaning for ages to write a meta on the character of Lancelot in the Arthurian legends and how the show Merlin uses him, as a follow-up to the similar piece I wrote on Gwaine. Now seems to be the moment.

Comments

[selenak]

But the boldest stroke in this re-visioning is that by resolving the Guinevere-and-Lancelot story so soon and like this, the writers have effectively killed the idea that their affair will bring down Camelot.

brilliant observation! Born out by, very very small spoiler, by the behavior of the knights. In the aftermath being the inverse/opposite of what it is in many legends.

I would write more to your two posts but alas it is late in my time zone. Tomorrow, I hope.

[zahrawithaz]

I am intrigued by your very very small spoiler! Do write more after you've had a chance to sleep. Rest well!

[selenak]

Okay, since I've seen you've watched Herald of a new age now: what I meant is that the knights, instead of being divided and/or slandering Gwen (there is no slut shaming in this Camelot, hooray!), are all agreeing Elyan would have cause to be angry at Arthur for Gwen's banishment. (And also talking openly about it, which they never would have at Uther's court, without the show framing this as division, betrayal or beginning of the end, but as a sensible and normal interaction between comrades and friends and what makes the knights the Table Round.

[bluemagicrose]

Intrigued by the small spoiler too.

[silviakundera]

As usual, I find your Merlin meta very compelling.

I especially loved this insight:
In “The Last Dragonlord,” Merlin even tells Balinor that Arthur’s name is Lancelot, an ironic nod to the fact that Arthur has been re-positioned to embody Lancelot’s traditional qualities-above all, the role of Guinevere’s beloved.

I would be really interested in reading some meta from you once you finish S4 on Arthur's continued journey toward being a good king and competent ruler. (where the show has shown him as succeeding, the gaps between his destined role & current reality, what elements still need to be developed in order to truly show he's taken on this role) I'm always frustrated/intrigued by the differences in what we're shown vs (fore)told about Arthur and I very much enjoyed your commentary on this topic during Season 3.

[zahrawithaz]

Thank you!

And thank you for the suggestion. I'm not as Arthur-focused as some viewers, which makes me wonder if I'm the best person for that analysis, but S4 certainly is all about his journey, and narrowing the gap between current Arthur and the future Arthur of destiny. I will definitely think about it (or at least about adding it into the remaining reviews. I had a fair amount to say about this in 4x10).

And thank you again for the compliment. I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed my Season 3 commentary.

[bluemagicrose]

This has made me appreciate that episode so much more.

Thanks for this. :)

[zahrawithaz]

Thank you for posting!

I can see many different reactions to the episode itself (though I notice that most people who commented here and to my 4x08 review really seemed to like it), but I do think its use of the legendary material is quite clever and sophisticated.

And the whole positioning Arthur as Guinevere's true love has been a longtime ongoing theme--on some level I knew that's what they were doing, but it wasn't until this episode that I realized how much they had used classic Lancelot plots to do it.

Glad you enjoyed. :)

[deeannjay]

"The use of the jousting tournament, another classic Lancelot story element, is doubly clever-not just because it evokes the earlier episode in which Guinevere and Arthur’s courtship started, and subtly underlines the idea that Arthur is the real hero.."

That's actually not true. The writers made it very clear (by the device of Lancelot besting Arthur but yielding to him out of courtesy) that Lancelot was the hero on this occasion - Arthur said so himself.

"We know that Morgana will ultimately join with Mordred and win, that she will cause Arthur’s downfall and restore the Old Religion."

We don't know that this will happen at all. The writers have gone down their own route to such an extent with this retelling of Arthurian legend that we can't take anything for granted.

[zahrawithaz]

Let me clarify

[kathyh]

The entire episode plays out as a inversion of the Lancelot story of medieval legends.

Oh, fascinating, I hadn't thought of that.

one that both exonerates Gwen from generations of misogynistic tradition

I think the reason for the enchantment, which many people disliked, was really for the benefit of the audience, who are so used to seeing Guenevere as one of the villains of the story.