How Did T. H White Use Feminism In The Once And Future King

In the 20th century there were many issues including fascism, the second world war, and second wave feminism. These issues were reflected in the works of T.H White and Marion Zimmer Bradley; they adapted the Arthurian legend to address the issues that were facing at the time as well as some of their own personal issues. T.H White used the Arthurian legend and it’s characters to comment on and look at fascism and World War II. During the 20th century Marion Zimmer Bradley used the Arthurian Legend to look at feminism as well as showing some conflict of religion that she might have been facing.
T.H White’s The Once and Future King reveals some of his thoughts about the war going on around him. During his lifetime T.H White saw the second world

war and he used the Arthurian legend to comment on it. In the first few chapters of The Once and Future King we see Arthur’s childhood and his years where he was growing up with Sir Ector and the relationship he has with Kay. In one of the first few chapters, Merlin transforms Arthur into an ant and he spends some time among a colony of ants. Once he’s there it becomes quickly evident that the ants are incredibly nationalistic and they all work for the betterment of the colony rather than the individual. Arthur, as an ant, starts to realize that they do not accept when the individuals chose against conforming. T.H White shows his thoughts on this, “A question was a sign of insanity to them. Their life was not questionable: it was dictated.” (White 128) He shows how he does not agree with fascism using Arthur’s comments. That fascism does not allow individual to ask questions and blindly follow is pure insanity to him. T.H White can’t understand why the ants would act this way. It seems that they are not truly happy, both the ants and the actual countries at war.
The ants are preparing to go to war with the neighboring colony simply because they are on the other side. There seems to be tension between the two colonies but there is no logic to their hate:

A. We are more numerous than they are, therefore we have a right to their mash. B. They are more numerous than we are, therefore they are wickedly trying to steal our mash. C. We are a mighty race and have a natural right to subjugate their puny one. D. They are a mighty race and are unnaturally trying to subjugate our inoffensive one. (White 129)

The ants are using this logic to try and invade the other ant colony, however the logic makes no sense and is counter intuitive.

It is contradictory with itself when trying to explain that their subjugation of the other colony is justified but if the other colony were to do the same to them then they would be unnatural. Clearly T.H. White is trying to explain how the entire war seems unnatural and is showing that through his own version of the Arthurian Legend.
Marion Zimmer Bradley also commented on her society through the Arthurian Legend. Her struggles with society included feminism. Marion was one of the first female authors to be successful in science fiction. The stories that she wrote revolved on the female characters. The Mists of Avalon is told in the perspective of the female characters, this is one of the things that shows Marion’s feminist side.
In the story there are two characters that show Marion’s internal and personal conflicts. Guinevere and Morgaine are two sides of a coin that made up Marion Zimmer’s life. Guinevere represented everything negative and all the hatred associated with Christianity. At one point she was trying to convince Arthur to carry a new flag that did not have a pagan symbol on it. Guinevere continually talked about sin and she radiated no positivity. Morgaine on the other hand was a more well rounded character and everything she did in the story was for the good of herself or other people. Unlike Guinevere she was more understanding.

The Arthurian Legend has been used for centuries to tell a story of how society was like during the time. It has been used to reflect upon society as well as the lives of the individual author. T.H White and Marion Zimmer Bradley added to the Arthurian legend by commenting on society around them as well as their personal lives. T.H was not very fond of the world war and used adventures that Arthur went on in his early childhood to show his dislike and comment on fascism. Marion used the Arthurian legend to show some of her personal struggle of growing up Christian and then later turning to a more pagan belief.