Episode 67: King Arthur Must Die!
Two takes on Arthurian lore: Tracy Deonn’s new book Legendborn, and the classic film Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Arthurian legends are everywhere lately, from Netflix's Cursed to a host of new books. We talk to Tracy Deonn, author of the brand new young-adult novel Legendborn, about why we're all still obsessed with Camelot—and how Arthurian lore is really just the original fanfic.
Notes, Citations, & Etc.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn, a bestselling new novel about Arthurian legends and tons more
There is a kernel of historical truth to these stories. Here's a crash course in the history and origins of King Arthur
Geoffrey of Monmouth helped put King Arthur on the map
Arthurian lore was some of the first stories told in people's own languages, not Latin
From the beginning, Arthurian lore was about present-day politics
John Boorman directed the movie Excalibur back in the day
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the most famous Arthurian texts
Britain's far-right British Nationalist Party organized an annual summer camp for young people called Camp Excalibur, which was described as a training ground for fascists.
Dr. Cord Whitaker is a Medievalist who has worked to redefine Arthuriana
Medievalist scholars have been engaged in an ongoing battle against white supremacists
T.H. White helped to cement the idea of King Arthur as the chosen one with The Sword in the Stone
Lovecraft Country has been exploring the idea of inheriting power
There have been a bunch of King Arthur retellings on screen lately, including Cursed, Merlin, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, The Kid Who Would Be King, and the upcoming The Green Knight, etc. etc.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the best King Arthur movie, full stop
The Round Table keeps everyone on equal footing
Mary Stuart's Crystal Caves books are all about Merlin
Morgana/Morgayne is a part of the lore that nobody has gotten quite right
Here's a handy list of King Arthur's knights
Doctor Who tackled Arthurian lore in "Battlefield"
Legends of Tomorrow gave us a wonderful spin on Camelot
Merlin is kind of the Spock of this story
UNC Chapel Hill really is full of secret societies
Another great recent King Arthur book is The Sword in the Stars by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy