The Fall of Arthur

So, today I read J.R.R. Tolkien's latest posthumous book, The Fall of Arthur. I like Tolkien as much as anybody (although, admittedly, I never could get through It was simply beautiful. It's an epic poem written in Old English alliterative meter about, obviously, the fall of King Arthur.

The meter reads so smoothly, so naturally, that you almost forget that you are reading structured poetry. It's odd to think that perhaps one of the best examples of ancient, alliterative meter was written in modern times. Usually, I would say that it's impossible to accurately replicate a writing style from a bygone time, but, in this case, Tolkien did a masterful job. Here's one of my favorite passages:

...Queen and lady.   But cold silver

or glowing gold  greedy-hearted

in her fingers taken   fairer thought she,

more lovely deeming  what she alone treasured

darkly hoarded.  Dear she loved him

with love unyielding,   lady ruthless,

fair as fay-woman  and fell-minded

in the world walking  for the woe of men.

Fate sent her forth.  Fair she deemed him

beyond gold and silver  to her grasp lying.

Silver and golden,   as the sun at morning

her smile dazzled, and her sudden weeping

with tears softened,   tender poison,

steel well-tempered.    Strong oaths they broke.

This passage is about Lancelot and Guenivere. I love the phrase 'strong oaths they broke', it so perfectly illustrates the magnitude of Lancelot and Guinevere's adultery. In cases like this less is more; four words say more than four hundred ever could.

Another great book about King Arthur

Right now, I'm taking a British Literature class in which we're reading a lot of Anglo-Saxon, old English poetry, so it was a perfect time for me to read the book. It dove tailed very nicely. Before taking this class, I'd never read Old English poetry, but I find that I'm really enjoying it. The short poems that I've read are tiny, dramatic punches of emotion. One of the reasons I liked The Fall of Arthur was that is was so short; I read it in a little over an hour. I like Tolkien's other books, but I think I would have liked them better if they were shorter. One of the appealing things about poetry is that they are so short and full of emotion.

Although, Tolkien's poem is unfinished and was originally intended to be longer, it read like a complete story. If you know the story of Arthur (if you don't, read The Once and Future King, it's the standard of goodness by which all good books are measured), it doesn't really matter though because you can sort of fill in the details in your own mind. Unusually for Arthurian legend, the poem does not, however, end with Arthur's death, but with his final battle against Mordred. Of course, the reader knows that Arthur is going to die, it's unimportant however because the book ends on a bitter-sweet note. We leave Arthur in battle, but there is still hope that he will prevail.

This is the heart of the Arthurian legend. While Arthur's death is recorded everywhere in legend, the great hope prevails that one day, when Britain is in need, Arthur will come again. Perhaps, this is why the Arthurian legend so resonates through the ages, why Tolkien, perhaps one of the most imaginative writers of the past century, choose to return to the subject. We wallow in the sorrow of Arthur's fall so that we can rejoice in his return. It's the most comforting sort of legend, a legend of eternal hope.

Just readin'