Memeage and updates

[cormac]

Your Monster Profile

Brutal Claw You Feast On: M&Ms You Lurk Around In: Closets You Especially Like to Torment: Priests

What's Your Monster Name?

Your magical style is Psychic.

What type of magic should you practice? Take the Magical Style Quiz by Paradox

Dear Santa... Dear Santa, This year I've been busy! Last month I ruled Iran as a cruel and heartless dictator (-700 points). In January I put money in toncherbaiser's expired parking meter (14 points). In October I turned traveblog in for farting in church (3 points). Last Monday I pulled over and changed jj_maccrimmon's flat tire (15 points). Last Friday I helped dalisair hide a body (-173 points). Overall, I've been naughty (-841 points). For Christmas I deserve a moldy sandwich! Sincerely, scottishdm

Write your letter to Santa! Enter your LJ username:

And now, the updates. As I posted earlier, Maile and I broke up. This upset many of our friends, who believed that we would be unable to function within the same space as one another. We have proven them wrong, and remain close friends. It's taken some work, but I think we will be able to keep the friendship we've developed over the past year, despite the end of the romance.

In November, I placed a bid for Baron of Lyondemere, with Meala Caimbeul as my potential Baroness. After a month of waiting, Thomas and Angelina were chosen as the new Reeve and Reevess (Baron- and Baroness-to-be). I wish them both the best of luck and skill in their new positions. If either of you need anything, you need only ask.

I've come up with not only the topic, but the argument for my thesis (this is good, as I've 1 1/2 years now to work on this argument). I intend to prove that Malory, in his attempt to appease as many of his fellow Englishmen as possible while staying true to the French Vulgate, he had to incorporate the goodly nature of Sir Gawaine, fhe Flower of Chivalry found in Old English romances, into a text that portrays Gawaine as a boorish thug whose penchant for vengeance leads to the downfall of Camelot. To resolve this conflict in literary traditions, Malory created The Book of Gareth, where all the goodliness normally attributed to Gawaine is instead given to his brother, Gareth of Orkney. I can't wait to see where this goes.

Comments

Org chart

[(Anonymous)]

How do the Reeves play into your attempt at Baron? And can they walk?

- Daniel

Re: Org chart

[cormac.livejournal.com]

Reeve and Reevess are the heirs to the Barony. Thomas and Angelina are the new Baron- and Baroness-to-be, respectively. So my bid was unsuccessful.

[dalisair.livejournal.com]

hey, you weren't supposed to tell anybody about that body!

[cormac.livejournal.com]

I never told anyone where it was. Your secret's safely in the basement of the Old State Building. Oops!

[magenta513.livejournal.com]

*Buys a moldy sandwich*

[cormac.livejournal.com]

Only the best for the oppressive dictator of Iran :)

[firedrake-mor.livejournal.com]

I'm -really- going to be interested in that thesis!

[cormac.livejournal.com]

Would you be interested in proof-reading as each chapter is completed? I could use an extra set of eyes.

[firedrake-mor.livejournal.com]

I'd be happy to!

[matrygg.livejournal.com]

Is Gawain in the story really that bad, though? I do think that Lancelot comes across better, but that in my opinion is the result of source material...do you have earlier references to Gareth? I'd be interested in reading the thesis as well.

[cormac.livejournal.com]

Gawain has his moments of goodness, but he and his brothers (with the exception of Gareth, who rebukes his brother and refuses to be seen with him) cause more trouble than Mordred. Gawaine's obsessed with his blood feud against Pellinore and all his kin, the four of them (Gawaine, Gaheris, Aggravaine and Mordred) find their mother in bed with Pellinore's son Lamorak and kill the both of them in cold blood, Gawaine goes around killing his brother knights when he gets bored with his lack of adventures on the Grail Quest, and it's Gawaine's unquenchable hatred of Lancelot at the end of the book that pulls the entire Round Table to France, leaving the throne wide open for Mordred to sieze. Yes, Gawaine was really bad in Malory, especially when compared to the Old English Gawaine tradition.

[matrygg.livejournal.com]

Ok, fair enough, but are you going to look at just the Tale of Gareth of Orkney? I think the tail end of Mallory very definately shows French influence and I agree with your accessment of Gawain there, but the Gareth tale doesn't seem to state that Gawain is bad, merely that he's not as noble as Lancelot. That's why I asked about the source material -- I think it would make a stronger case if you can show that it was a deliberate decision on Mallory's part.

[cormac.livejournal.com]

There is no mention of "Gareth" in the French Vulgate, or any other known source that Malory used. There is a "Gares" along with Gaheris and Aggravayne, as Gawaine's brothers, but there is no known story just about him. The Gareth tale has its titular character choosing not to make company with Gawaine because he was prone to fits of wrath and acts of extreme vengeance. Since there's no known source for the tale, and no real reference to Gareth anywhere I can find, I think my contention that Malory originated the tale is solid. Moreover, because so much of The Book of Sir Gareth parallels the OE Gawaine romances in style and characterization, I feel that the argument itself is very, very strong.

Thanks for asking these questions, though. It keeps me on my toes, and most of this conversation will likely end up in the paper, in one form or another.

[matrygg.livejournal.com]

I need to re-read the tale, then...I read it for Middle English so I was focused more on translating in my head and less on the nuances of the text. Also, my favorite romance is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, so to be fair I'm probably a bit biased when it comes to perceptions of Gawain. I didn't read Gareth's motivations as being as virulently against Gawain as you did.

The "Gares" point is a good one -- my next question would have been how important the name difference is if there is a story. Is there anything at all besides Malory, or just nothing in the Vulgate?

[cormac.livejournal.com]

Not much in the Vulgate. I believe that "Gares" fills the same role that Gareth does in the last episode, joining his brother Gaheris in escorting the queen to the scaffold to be torched, then slaughtered unarmed by Lancelot while the latter rides in to rescue her, but it's been a while since I checked that section of the text.