Comparing King Arthur and With Honors
Have you ever watched a movie or read a novel without a plot? Most likely your answer to this question would be no, because it would be dull. No one wants to hear a story with no intrigue or conflict. As you read a novel or watch a film, you want to connect with the characters and feel you can relate to the situations they’re dealing with. In every film and every story there’s a conflict the main character(s) is facing. The story of King Arthur, and the film With Honors appear at first to be on opposite sides of the entertainment spectrum. However, both are excellent examples of searching for ones inner human, and life’s meaning.
While watching the film With Honors one could pick up on a lot of symbolism, foreshadowing, and numerous heroes’ journeys. Each character goes through their own search and personal development. For example the character Courtney played by Maria Kelly. In the beginning of the film she’s head over heals for her roommate and close friend Monty played by Brendan Fraiser. As the story unfolds, Courtney’s eyes are opened to see Monty’s true inner human qualities.
The biggest heroes journey in the film With Honors is the journey Monty a Harvard law student goes through. During a heavy snowstorm one night, his computer freezes up, while he’s in the middle of working on his thesis paper, which he needs to pass in order to graduate. He goes to the library to make a copy of what he already has saved, but then he trips and drops his thesis into the basement of the library. Once in the library he finds a bum burning up his thesis for heat. The bum whose name Simon played by Joe Pesci. Simon makes a deal with Monty he will give him back his thesis page by page, for every good deed he does towards him. As the story unfolds Monty and Simon change each other’s lives. Monty starts off as an uptight, stereotypical, close-minded young man. Before knowing Monty, Simon is very set is his ways, and unapproachable.
Because Monty and Simon’s personalities are so different, they are FOILS. As Monty earns back pages of his thesis Simon becomes a father figure to him. He shows him what is really valuable in life. Simon keeps rocks from memorial places; the rocks represent Simon’s life.
Being one of the world’s most popular art forms, it was inevitable that these archetypes would find their way into film as well. In this essay I will argue that the films Pulp Fiction, Taxi Driver, Watership Down, and Trainspotting are all versions of The Hero’s Journey, consequently demonstrating just how prevalent these archetypes have become in modern cinema. And that mythology and storytelling are important parts of each culture because they prevent the darkness in our hearts from spreading.
King Arthur’s story about how he pulled the sword out of the stone has changed over time because the people telling the story make changes to it to satisfy the reader. Arthurian legends are much different now, than when they were told earlier in time. Many stories told earlier in time are not told today, but the ones that are told today are much different than the original. Earlier in time there was more religion involved and would have more blood and gore, but because the audience has changed, the story has changed as well.
For centuries, the Arthurian legend has captivated an untold number of readers. What is it about Camelot that draws us into its complex code of chivalry and amusingly brute anecdotes? Human nature, as one can surmise from antiquated literature, has still not changed in the least—we still experience the boons and pitfalls of love, joy, envy, lust and sorrow. This certainly explains why the tantrums of Malory’s jealous Queen Guinevere strike chords of familiarity and even evoke an empathetic chuckle. Yet it fails to explain why a certain well-respected knight would receive such acclaim after delivering a ruthless and fatal blow to an innocent man’s head simply for the use of his cart. A closer glimpse into the saga of Le Morte D’Arthur reveals one possible answer to the question of the legend’s continuing appeal. The lapse of a few centuries since the last time a Western political entity has expressly defined, enforced and lived by a multi-tiered code of behavior (one that accommodates pride to Christianity) makes the motivation behind the misadventures of the knights of the Round Table downright fascinating to the modern reader. This mysterious motivator—honor—is a dominant theme in Sir Thomas Malory’s work and easily claims paramount importance above all other Arthurian virtues.
There were not many major characters in this movie, but all played an important roll to the subject matter. Jimmy Morris was the main character, a young man, about 30 years old with a wife, three children, and a career as a chemistry high school teacher and baseball coach. His high school baseball team was the inspiration to him helping to achieve his goal of wanting to be a major league baseball player. Lori Morris, Jimmy’s wife, Hunter was his only young son who adored his father, and two young daughters Jessica, and Jamie. Jimmy’s father who was a military man played a minor part in the movie but, was the reason for a major controversy in the main character’s life.
In the sixth century there was a man named King Arthur who was born. Many people around the world believe that King Arthur was only a myth. While many other people believe he was a real man telling people about his time through recorded history. The novel “The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights” by Sir James Knowles is a very notable source explaining the life of King Arthur.
Cameron (the actor and former student) was awarded an oscar for best actor playing a gay soldier and while on TV, he thanked his “gay” teacher for making this possible. That’s the point where everything went bad. He lost his job, his parents came straight back to his house and had to ask him, his mother wanted him to really get married to a woman.Everyone around him treated him differently. He said a sentence which really made the viewer think about the protagonist mistreatment, and I quote “ Why are they treated me (Howard) any differently, I am the same person as yesterday.”. This really puts thing in perspective, people judge too much others because they are typically stuck in their stereotypes and want to stay in their appropriate boxes. In the middle of the story, during his wedding, it was his turn to say “I do” and he said” I’m gay” and everyone was shocked he lost his friends, his job because the principle and the school committee thought that he is a bad influence on kids that they might turn gay or lesbian one day, and family was devastated, which was kind of ridiculous but at the end everything turned out to be in his favour. He was happy he got his job, his students stood up for him during graduation, his parents and community also did. The ending was very nice because there was a marriage after all and his parents
It follows 5 stereotypical high school students where they are all reported for a Saturday detention and given an essay based around a thesis question of “Who you think you are?”. The type of belonging that is being in the majority represented is idealism within society. A strong example is in the opening sequence where Andy Clarke the athlete says “.. You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal… That’s the way we saw each other…”. The technique that has been utilised, foreshadowing creates an early introduction to the theme of stereotypes, also morals. It generates the character's initial impressions of each other and hints to the audience that within the film these have been modified due to upcoming events that have procreated some sort of moral amongst the characters. The tone created produces luring responses of the audience you want to know why and what has happened to change the relationships. Another example where belonging is found is where Andy Clarke once again goes on about how he feels the constant need to impress his father and coach. “I’m here today…because… my coach and my father don’t want me to blow my ride… coach thinks i’m a winner, so does my old man” This speech uses emotive language to enhance the metaphor of how trying to constantly impress someone can be detrimental. This new perspective of “The athlete” shows how significant labels are. Idealism
The movie, Dead Poets Society truly captures the essence of the conformities that children are facing. The difference is letting the hourglass run out of time, or making the best of time, facing tough challenges along the way. Todd Anderson makes the best out of his time thanks to the teaching of Mr. Keating, his beloved English teacher. From a misunderstood adolescent to a courageous man, Todd shows his true colors and releases the inferior thoughts stirring up in his developing, young body. In the end, romanticism crushes idealism with power and envy, showing the eye-opening ways that a teacher can contribute to such a tightly wound academy such as Welton.
The legend of Mature Arthur starts out when he becomes king of England. After becoming king he marries the most beautiful women in England, Queen Guinevere. When he marries her, her dad gives Arthur a round table that is said to sit one hundred people. As king his number one advisor and friend is Merlin. The two of them are on a trip, and stop at the castle of a lord where they meet a woman who falls in love with King Arthur. Arthur says he will not stay with her, and she orders one of her knights go and kill him. One of the does, but realizes who it is and does not kill him. During the fight King Arthur breaks his sword, and Merlin takes him the the Lady of the Lake. There he is given his magical sword Excalibur. When he gets back he finds
An Honorable Knight in King Arthur's Court. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight In a passage of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Part 2, 640-712), the main character sits upon his steed, Gringolet, in front of King Arthur's court, adorned in golden armor. He is about to depart in order to look for the Green Knight and the Green Chapel since he is the only knight brave enough to take up the Green Knightfs challenge, in which a volunteer is to strike the Green Knightfs head off with an axe, but in return, he has to present himself in the following year to receive a return blow.
Throughout history, who King Arthur was and when he lived is greatly debated. Some scholars believe he was a Welsh cavalry general between the years A.D. 500 and 517, while another said he was a fifth century British king called Riothamus who reigned from A.D. 454 to 470. No matter who King Arthur was, or the time he lived, it is evident that the society who conjured the tales about him were religious people who valued their honor and pride, respecting and loyal to those who fought well.
What role did the great King Arthur play in the way English Literature is perceived? The Arthurian Legends reveal King Arthur as a chivalrous king and not as a historical figure but as a myth of mass amounts of achievements. From his search of the Holy Grail, to his perfect society in Camelot and his development of the Round Table, King Arthur’s legend displayed his heroic character. Through the many countless legends of the glorious King Arthur, England’s society underwent a drastic change in the outlook on life. With the influences of King Arthur came an extreme change in philosophies and lifestyles. Countless situations on how exactly the people of England altered their views on life were they became more cultivated and highly intellectual amongst themselves. The majority of the English society felt the need to escape the strenuous lifestyle that the Industrial Revolution brought upon. The Arthurian Legends was an effect of the Romantic Era and resulted in the abstract thinking, and the beautiful arts such as music, paintings, poems, and stories. The birth of the Arthurian Legends came from Celtic mythology and medieval romance and the existence of the presence of magic confirm the conception of artistic intellect. Whether or not King Arthur truly existed the ideas of him dramatically changed the English society and English Literature to its current form. The Arthurian Legend has proven to be extremely influential and benefited the people of England during the Romantic Era. Therefore, even if he is a fictional figure of English history King Arthur’s childhood, his countless glorious achievements as the king of Camelot, the final down fall of his strong empire King Arthur validated his importance to English literature. ...
In almost every example of romantic epics, and definitely every story concerning King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the characters carefully adhere to a strict code known as the chivalric code.. The five main tenets of chivalric code or in other words the knightly code are: showing courage and bravery, being honest, having honor and being respected among peers, being kind to others, and being courteous and well-mannered especially toward females. Gawain is the very embodiment of these chivalric values but through his encounter with the Green knight and the lady he fails to uphold the code because of its rigidness and strictness.. Violence is the mechanism that Gawain uses to gain his capital which is honor and the upholding of the chivalric code. Even though violence does lead Gawain to respect and honor in the end of the poem Gawain points out how cowardly it is to follow a code that is so strict, that it allows no room for any human mistakes and that he was justified in trying to save his life over his honor.
Whereas Ralph and Jack struggle against each other, Simon represents a kind of innocent and spiritual human. Simon had been a member of Jack’s choir, but unlike the other choir members he chooses not to hunt animals. Rather, he would like to help Ralph to make the shelter. Furthermore, Simon is brave ...
The Great Ones Reveled Numerous stories about numerous heroes have been told and then retold. All of these heroes do different things and all of them have a different set of qualities which make them heroes. Due to the fact that there are only so many heroic adventures and qualities, most are shared in part with at least one other hero. Such is the case between the great hero, Beowulf, from the epic poem Beowulf and King Arthur from the story of Morte dArthur. These great heroes have strong similarities and a great deal of differences. Once their similarities have been compared and then dismissed it is evident that Beowulf is the greater hero of the two. True heroes do good things for good people. Such is the case in Beowulf, Beowulf leaves his homeland to help the Danish people rid themselves of the human eating monster, Grendel. This heroic quality is also evident in Morte d'Arthur, as Arthur consciously rides into a battle in order to rid his people of an evil knight who would not allow others to pass. Both heroes are displaying their concern for others by risking themselves in battle for the greater good. In the same aspect they are also striving for love and respect from the people they protect. In order to obtain maximum respect per battle, both Beowulf and Arthur enter into battle somewhat alone. Beowulf specifically asks, That [he], alone and with the help of [his] men, / May purge all evil from [the] hall (Beowulf, line 165-166).