Talk:2007-08 AM Le Morte Darthur (1485)

Hi Olaf, just stumbled upon this course of yours and incidentally I am just listening to the Connecticut Yankee as an audio book. As far as I have checked it is a completely unaltered reading; don't know if this is helpful or not - personally I sometimes like audiobooks while running or driving to university or doing whatever that requires only part of my concentration: http://librivox.org/a-connecticut-yankee-in-king-arthurs-court-by-mark-twain/ If you do this course and "old stuents" are permitted entry you can almost count on me. --Nico Zorn 11:41, 7 July 2007 (CEST)

I thought you would like it - and of course you are welcome (who is a greater expert on the fantasy world that book created?) --Olaf Simons 12:42, 7 July 2007 (CEST)

Oh, I believe there are some ;) If you would like to include a recent novel, "Knight Live" might be interesting. It basically tells the story of Arthur being awaken from his sleep in our modern time and now going to help mankind...by first candidating as the mayor of New York. Of course Morgan, Medraud, Merlin, Guinevere, Lancelot and lots of other characters eomwhere got accross the times as well... I would have a German revised edition at my place. (The author recently re-worked the novel since the original was sold out and he felt like he should include some of the more recent developments - the politics of America were hopelessly outdated for example), cf: Amazon Not the best spoof but an amusing one and pretty recent. (But the Morte and the Yankee are already pretty long, of course) --Nico Zorn 13:48, 7 July 2007 (CEST)

My present problem is more to create a mixture of sessions on the text and its contexts... --Olaf Simons 19:57, 7 July 2007 (CEST)

The Project Gutenberg etext of the Connecticut Yankee might not really be the best text - but it surely has some nice scans of an 1889 edition and might perchance be worth a look: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/86/86-h/86-h.htm --Nico Zorn 22:31, 10 July 2007 (CEST)

beautiful - yes we should read the Yankee in the seminar. If only I had an idea how to get both things done: a seminar on the original text and on these later materials - which will not break into two halves. It might be done by themes - a series of 12 topics which have, however, to be chosen in a way that they do allow a continuous discussion of the 1485 text. Each topic should be well chosen to deal with two new books of the Caxton-text in each session - Caxton's text consists of 21 books. So it could be magic and witchcraft in one session focusing on books 8+9 (have not read them so far) and on let us say Twain's text. Nationalism and books 10-11 and a focus on this and that sort of additional material...

If only I had time - I am really looking forward to reading the Caxton text... --Olaf Simons 10:54, 11 July 2007 (CEST)

Regarding a "classic" of Arthurian Fantasy

I have done some inquiry (by simply asking around on what people who are no strangers to fantasy) would consider a classic of Arthurian fantasy.
The short answer: there is none.
The slightly longer answe: There is no real "classic", unless you count Mallory's Morte d'Arthur (which fits the classic part... the fantasy part is not that sure). It seems more like "every Fantasy author must write an Arthurian novel or story" (very short and cursory article) one day or another. This is taking "arthurian novel" in a very broad sense. It does show, at the very least, that Arthur is still a topic in fantasy today; even in non-Arthurian fantasy there are some traces of the legends surrounding the Round Table. One can observe similar developments in fantasy-related metal and other kinds of music (Blind Guardian: Mordred's Song; A Past and Future Secret...). What is left if there is no one classic? Lots of different interpretations.
I am Mordred puts, as can be guessed, a lot of emphasis on Mordred and his sight, presenting him in a more positive light than usual.
Mists of Avalon the perhaps most contemporary "classic" Arthurian fantasy similarly shifts focus by using Morgaine's (Morgan Le Fay) and Gwenhwyfar's point of view.
Excalibur allegedly puts a more realistic grip onto the story (cannot vouch for that - did not read it myself. and so on... Moreover, many of those novels are not stand-alone but part of a trilogy or an even larger series of novels. I am afraid it is impossible to find a real classic. The best move might be to have students short presentations abut Arthurian Fantasies they think are classics or original/worthwhile for some reason or the other and maybe read one standalone AF. The Mordred book would be acceptable for length (one book, 192p.; no series) but has the disadvantage(?) of being a children's book.
--Nico Zorn 22:40, 22 July 2007 (CEST)