Essay about Arthurian Features in That Hideous Strength

Arthurian Features in That Hideous Strength Tales change with every teller. Features may be added or subtracted, stories may be broken apart or combined. Often the story-teller will adapt the tale for his own purposes to emphasize some theme of his own. C. S. Lewis uses and modifies older sources in many ways in his novel That Hideous Strength, incorporating themes and portions of Arthurian literature to add color and emphasize the subjects of his plot. Lewis includes many direct references to older Arthurian literature in his novel. The leader of his group of heroes is the former philogist Ransom, at first known as Mr. Fisher-King, who has a wounded foot. The name and the wound are obvious reminders of†¦show more content†¦As Cecil Dimble searches for Merlin in the woods, he recalls the ancient houses whose mortar had been ritually mixed with babies blood (Lewis, p. 233), reminding readers about the early stories of Vortigerns vanishing tower and the druids plot to destroy the young Merlin by having his blood spread on the foundation. When Ransoms friendly bear, Mr. Bultitude, destroys the awful severed head through which the leaders of the N.I.C.E. (National Institute of Controlled Experiments) receive instructions from the evil eldils, or spirits, Lewis seems to be referring to Arthurs dream in Geoffreys Historia where a bear and a dragon fight together. There the bear is slain, but here he is victorious against the supe rnatural beast he fights against. Dreams have been important in much of Arthurian literature, from the Historia of Geoffrey of Monmouth to Waces Brut and the alliterative and stanzaic Morte Arthures. In those works, a vivid dream came to Arthur at some crucial point or points, whether on the way to Gaul, in his camp at Rome, or in England before his battle with Mordred. In That Hideous Strength, dreams appear not just at important moments, but regularly. Jane Studdock discovers herself to be a seer, able to dream of real events either happening or about to happen, and thus supplies important information to the Pendragon and his companions. Her dreams are more realistic and informative thanShow MoreRelatedEssay about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight1732 Words   |  7 PagesSir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a poem written during the medieval period about the Arthurian legend. Although the author is anonymous, it is apparent that the dialect of Sir Gawain points to an origin in provincial England, and it represents the cultural centers which remote from the royal court at London where Geoffrey Chaucer spent his life (Norton, 200). This poem is considered one of the best works of Middle English literature. One reason is that theRead MoreFigurative Language and the Canterbury Tales13472 Words   |  54 Pagesthe author, poet, or playwright creating a work. 5. anaphora: repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginnings of successive clauses. †¢ The Lord sits above the water floods. The Lord remains a King forever. The Lord shall give strength to his people. The lord shall give his people the blessings of peace. -Ps. 29 †¢ â€Å"Let us march to the realization of the American dream. Let us march on segregated housing. Let us march on segregated schools. Let us march on poverty. Let us march