The Winter King: A Novel of Arthur, and: Enemy of God: A Novel of Arthur, and: Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur by Bernard Cornwell
1999; Scriptoriun Press; Volume: 9; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/art.1999.0055
ISSN1934-1539
Autores Tópico(s)Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies
Resumol62ARTHURIANA Burne-Jones's artistic development presents an elegant evolution ofa visual language for the legendary and the mythological. From the arcane medievalizing style he learned from Rossetti in his youth, he forged a powerful aesthetic form—tall, statuesque figures owing as much to Michelangelo and Mantegna as medieval illuminators— that he used not only for his medieval knights and Christian saints but for his classical heroes (Perseus) and African Princes (King Cophetua). Like Morris in his Earthly Paradise, Burne-Jones sought to present a world oflegend—not simply one aspect— and his late work offers his vision of physical beauty as the singular force through which we recognize and honor mythology. While many ofBurne-Jones's stellar Arthurian subjects are represented, including The Beguiling ofMerlin (Lady Lever Art Gallery), The Holy Grail Tapestries, and the four light Questfor the Sangreal windows (Victoria and Albert Museum), the grand scale Sleep ofArthur in Avalon does not appear. More than 21 feet wide and 9 feet high, it proved too difficult to arrange for the work to travel. But visitors to the galleries need not be disappointed. The exhibition Edward Burne-Jones: Victorian Artist-Dreamer offers a world of mythology from this singular artist's point of view. To try to characterize Burne-Jones as 'Arthurian' in his art sells him short. But, more than any other artist ofhis time, he dedicated himselfto drawing the ideal out ofhis imagination, creating a fragile, yet exquisite world ofbeauty that was—for him—the essence of legend, where the tales of Arthur and his knights reigned as part of a pantheon of mythological wonder, closer in spirit to Tennyson's 'Palace ofArt' than his Idylb ofthe King. DEBRA N. MANCOFF Chicago, Illinois Bernard cornwell, The Winter King: A NovelofArthur.TrieWariord Chronicles: I. London: Michael Joseph, 1995. Pp. xi, 435. isbn: 0—7181-3762-0. £15.99. U.S. isbn: 0-312-1447-4 $24.95. ------------, Enemy of God: A Novel ofArthur. The Warlord Chronicles: II. London: Michael Joseph, 1996. Pp. xiii, 397. isbn: 0-7181-0051-4. £15.99. U.S. isbn: 0—31215523 -9. $24.95. ------------, Excalibur: A NovelofArthur. The Warlord Chronicles: III. London: Michael Joseph, 1997. Pp. xii, 436. isbn: 0-7181-0057-3. £16.99. U.S. isbn: 0-312-18575-8. $24.95. Like Mary Stewart and Marion Zimmer Bradley before him, Bernard Cornwell comes to the Arthurian story after writing highly popular series. Where Stewart won success with romantic suspense novels and Bradley with fantasies, however, Cornwell made his name writing historical novels about war: first the Sharpe series, which is set during the Peninsular War and has lately been adapted for television; then the Starbuck series, set during the American Civil War. As might be expected, therefore, hardfought battles and smaller clashes form the major climaxes in his Arthurian novels also, and close attention is paid to the details of warfare: the weapons and armour; REVIEWS163 the tactics employed in both individual combat and set battles; and the conduct of men at war—their fears and superstitions, their cruelty and compassion, their courage and fortitude, and the bonds forged among those who have faced death side by side. These the author treats with keen insight and convincing realism. As in the medieval chronicles, thus, the emphasis falls upon war, and the series is aptly named The Warlord Chronicles. The Winter King opens with an account ofArthur's early struggles, culminating in his victory against an alliance ofhostile British kingdoms; in Enemy ofGod, he defeats not only a Saxon army, but also an attempt by Lancelot to seize the throne; in Excalibur, he resoundingly crushes an alliance of the Saxons at Mount Badon, but later his army is destroyed during Mordred's rebellion. Mortally wounded at Camlann, he departs with his family on the ship Prydwen, leaving the narrator to cast his sword into the waters. Arthur's warriors and their enemies arc firmly placed at the centre of events, and it is their story that we follow. Some are familiar from the pages ofmedieval romance, notably Lancelot, Bors, Galahad, and Sagramor; Arthur's son Amhar and the Saxon leaders AeIIe and Cerdic are drawn from the chronicles; while from...
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