In this section leading up to the Arthurian moment, we might begin marking differences between Geoffrey’s and Malory’s treatments of the narrative.
March 5, 2007
Geoffrey: Comments on the “House of Constantine” Section?
Posted by jvhalbrooks under Malory, Topics for Discussion[3] Comments
March 8, 2007 at 12:44 am
On page 263 I noticed a reference to homosexuality which I thought was interesting because I don’t remember that ever coming up before.
On the next page, Geooffrey goes off on a speech about how the people are always fighting, which gives us a look at the moral implications that Geoffery is trying to envoke in his book. It’s confirmed on page 274 when Cadwallo talks about the reason they haven’t been able to keep peace and their lands is because of God’s judgement on them. It also seemed like the last few pages where all about God’s judgement on the people throughout the different rulers.
March 9, 2007 at 12:56 pm
I was thinking on similar lines as Brittany when I read this section. This is a real hands-on God. This isn’t allegory, Geoffrey’s God makes some thunder and actually speaks to Cadwaller through an ‘Angelic Voice.’ The will of this God is also associated with the fulfillment of the Merlin prophecies and the Sayings of the Sybil–which suggests a conflation of Christianity, preternatural prescience and Classical Paganism.
March 9, 2007 at 12:58 pm
I agree with Brittany’s comment. It seems like Geoffrey might be trying to say that no matter who the king is…it is God’s final judgement that makes or breaks a people and their country. Kind of like the cycle we talked about a few weeks ago. It seems to be a cycle of war and history. Does God also decide which war is holy and just, and which war is wrong and unjust according to which king is ruling?