King Arthur As A Christ Figure Analysis
In many literary stories, the protagonist is portrayed as a Christ figure. Such is the case in Idylls of the King, written by Lord Alfred Tennyson. The protagonist, Arthur, is portrayed as a Christ figure in three ways: as a king who desires law and order, as a king with questioned paternity, and as a king who was betrayed.
Throughout Arthur's life, he exemplified characteristics that are very similar to Christ, one of these being the desire for law and order. Arthur established order by defeating the barbarians in the country. Through this act, Arthur " drew in the petty princedoms under him, fought, and in twelve great battles overcame the heathen hordes and made a realm and reigned" (Idylls of the King, "The Coming of Arthur," pg. 19, …show more content…
lines 514-518). After he defeated the barbarians, Arthur established a code of chivalry for his knights to follow. This code includes how to act concerning the church, women, and any weakness. It also includes how to act in order to uphold ones own honor. Finally, as a final act to establish law and order, Arthur began the Knights of the Round Table. Arthur bound these knights "by so straight vows to his own self that when they rose knighted from kneeling, some were pale some flushed and others dazed" (Idylls of the King, "The Coming of Arthur," pg. 12, lines 261-265). Jesus also desired law and order in his kingdom. He defeated death when He rose from the dead after being crucified. He established law by reinforcing the Ten Commandments and other laws. These two kings had several similarities in their desire for law and order. Both kings defeated a major threat of evil in their domainp. Once the threat of evil was gone, they united their kingdom. Finally, when there was somewhat a sense of order, they established laws and morals for the people of their kingdoms to follow. This desire for law and order is one obvious characteristic in Arthur that shows him as a Christ figure.
Another way Arthur was portrayed as a Christ figure was the confusion about his paternity. There were three men who were thought to possibly be the father of Arthur. The first was Anton, who raised Arthur throughout his childhood. Arthur could not be the son of Anton, or he would have no possible right to the throne. The second man who could have possibly been Arthur's father was Gorlois. Gorlois was the husband of Arthur's mother, Ygerene, and he was killed in a battle against Uther. Uther then took Ygerne as wife, and was the third possibility for Arthur's father. Uther was the only man who could be Arthur's father if Arthur truly had a right to the throne. Because of the confusion over Arthur's father, the people told Merlin, "Away with him! No king of ours! a son of Gorlois is he, or else the child of Anton, and no King " (The Idylls of the King, "The Coming of Arthur, pg.11, lines 29-32). While the people argued over Arthur's right to be king, Merlin crowned Arthur anyway. Jesus was also a king whose paternity was questioned. Some thought that Jesus must be the son of Joseph. If Jesus were the son of an earthly man, he had no right to be proclaiming himself the King of the Jews. Another possibility was that since Mary became pregnant before she was married to Joseph, she could have had an affair. Jesus' father would then be some man not mentioned in the Bible. This would still mean that Jesus could not possibly be the Christ. The final and only option for Jesus' father was that his only father was God, and that he really was born of a virgin birth. This would give him the right to the "throne" as King of the Jews. There are several similarities between these two kings with questioned paternity. Both kings were raised by a foster father until it was their time to fulfill their duties as king. Neither king had their real father with them throughout their life. Finally, because their paternity was doubted, there were people who doubted their right to the throne. Arthur and Christ were similar in several ways when it came to their paternity.
Arthur is also similar to Christ in the way that he was betrayed by those closest to him.The person whose betrayal hurt him the most was Guinever.
Guinevere told Lancelot that she could not love Arthur because he was "too perfect" and she could not "gaze upon the sun in heaven" (The Idylls of the King, "Lancelot and Elaine," pg. 155, line123). Arthur loved her with an unending love, proven when he said on his wedding day "Behold, thy doom is mine. Let chance what will, I love thee to the death!" (Idylls of the King, "The Coming of Arthur," pg. 17, line 466-467). The second person who betrayed Arthur was Lancelot, who had the affair with Guinevere. Lancelot was Arthur's best friend and most beloved knight. Unlike Guinevere, Lancelot felt guilty throughout his life because of the love affair, proven by his saying, "I needs must break these bonds that so defame me" (Idylls of the King, "Lancelot and Elaine," pg.189, line 1409-1410). He does not actually end their relationship there, but it shows that he had a guilty conscience for betraying his best friend and king. The last betrayal King Arthur faced was the betrayal of his nephew, Modred, and the majority of his knights. Modred led a revolt to take the throne from King Arthur and many of Arthur's knights followed Modred. Most of the knights that did not take Modred's side were family of Lancelot, and they fought with Lancelot, leaving Arthur with very few loyal knights to fight two wars at one time. Christ faced betrayal by those closest to Him also. Two of the twelve disciples deserted Christ when He needed them most. The first was Judas, who actually turned Christ over to the authorities for thirty silver coins. The second disciple to betray Christ was Peter. Christ told Peter that by the time the rooster crowed he would betray Christ three times. Peter swore to Christ that he would never do anything like that, that he would even die for him. But, when the rooster crowed, Peter ran and hid because he knew he had
betrayed his Lord. The final betrayal Christ faced was the betrayal of the Jews, who sentenced Christ to death. There are several similarities between the betrayals Arthur faced and the betrayals Christ faced. Arthur forgave the people he was betrayed by, even told Guinevere that he still loved her and hoped that when they got to heaven, she would be able to love him the we he loved her. Christ also forgave the people who betrayed him, even trusting Peter with His "sheep." Another similarity is that even though they forgave the ones who betrayed them, some denied the forgiveness. Guinevere did not tell Arthur that she really did love him and could not even look him in the face. Christ forgave Judas, but instead of accepting the forgiveness, he could not deal with the guilt and hung himself instead. The way Arthur was betrayed was very similar to the way Christ was betrayed.
Thus, Arthur was portrayed as a Christ figure as a king who desires law and order, as a king with questioned paternity, and a king who was betrayed. These qualities of Arthur were shown through his trials and accomplishments. Through these, Arthur was successfully shown as a Christ figure.
Throughout Arthur's life, he exemplified characteristics that are very similar to Christ, one of these being the desire for law and order. Arthur established order by defeating the barbarians in the country. Through this act, Arthur " drew in the petty princedoms under him, fought, and in twelve great battles overcame the heathen hordes and made a realm and reigned" (Idylls of the King, "The Coming of Arthur," pg. 19, …show more content…
lines 514-518). After he defeated the barbarians, Arthur established a code of chivalry for his knights to follow. This code includes how to act concerning the church, women, and any weakness. It also includes how to act in order to uphold ones own honor. Finally, as a final act to establish law and order, Arthur began the Knights of the Round Table. Arthur bound these knights "by so straight vows to his own self that when they rose knighted from kneeling, some were pale some flushed and others dazed" (Idylls of the King, "The Coming of Arthur," pg. 12, lines 261-265). Jesus also desired law and order in his kingdom. He defeated death when He rose from the dead after being crucified. He established law by reinforcing the Ten Commandments and other laws. These two kings had several similarities in their desire for law and order. Both kings defeated a major threat of evil in their domainp. Once the threat of evil was gone, they united their kingdom. Finally, when there was somewhat a sense of order, they established laws and morals for the people of their kingdoms to follow. This desire for law and order is one obvious characteristic in Arthur that shows him as a Christ figure.
Another way Arthur was portrayed as a Christ figure was the confusion about his paternity. There were three men who were thought to possibly be the father of Arthur. The first was Anton, who raised Arthur throughout his childhood. Arthur could not be the son of Anton, or he would have no possible right to the throne. The second man who could have possibly been Arthur's father was Gorlois. Gorlois was the husband of Arthur's mother, Ygerene, and he was killed in a battle against Uther. Uther then took Ygerne as wife, and was the third possibility for Arthur's father. Uther was the only man who could be Arthur's father if Arthur truly had a right to the throne. Because of the confusion over Arthur's father, the people told Merlin, "Away with him! No king of ours! a son of Gorlois is he, or else the child of Anton, and no King " (The Idylls of the King, "The Coming of Arthur, pg.11, lines 29-32). While the people argued over Arthur's right to be king, Merlin crowned Arthur anyway. Jesus was also a king whose paternity was questioned. Some thought that Jesus must be the son of Joseph. If Jesus were the son of an earthly man, he had no right to be proclaiming himself the King of the Jews. Another possibility was that since Mary became pregnant before she was married to Joseph, she could have had an affair. Jesus' father would then be some man not mentioned in the Bible. This would still mean that Jesus could not possibly be the Christ. The final and only option for Jesus' father was that his only father was God, and that he really was born of a virgin birth. This would give him the right to the "throne" as King of the Jews. There are several similarities between these two kings with questioned paternity. Both kings were raised by a foster father until it was their time to fulfill their duties as king. Neither king had their real father with them throughout their life. Finally, because their paternity was doubted, there were people who doubted their right to the throne. Arthur and Christ were similar in several ways when it came to their paternity.
Arthur is also similar to Christ in the way that he was betrayed by those closest to him.The person whose betrayal hurt him the most was Guinever.
Guinevere told Lancelot that she could not love Arthur because he was "too perfect" and she could not "gaze upon the sun in heaven" (The Idylls of the King, "Lancelot and Elaine," pg. 155, line123). Arthur loved her with an unending love, proven when he said on his wedding day "Behold, thy doom is mine. Let chance what will, I love thee to the death!" (Idylls of the King, "The Coming of Arthur," pg. 17, line 466-467). The second person who betrayed Arthur was Lancelot, who had the affair with Guinevere. Lancelot was Arthur's best friend and most beloved knight. Unlike Guinevere, Lancelot felt guilty throughout his life because of the love affair, proven by his saying, "I needs must break these bonds that so defame me" (Idylls of the King, "Lancelot and Elaine," pg.189, line 1409-1410). He does not actually end their relationship there, but it shows that he had a guilty conscience for betraying his best friend and king. The last betrayal King Arthur faced was the betrayal of his nephew, Modred, and the majority of his knights. Modred led a revolt to take the throne from King Arthur and many of Arthur's knights followed Modred. Most of the knights that did not take Modred's side were family of Lancelot, and they fought with Lancelot, leaving Arthur with very few loyal knights to fight two wars at one time. Christ faced betrayal by those closest to Him also. Two of the twelve disciples deserted Christ when He needed them most. The first was Judas, who actually turned Christ over to the authorities for thirty silver coins. The second disciple to betray Christ was Peter. Christ told Peter that by the time the rooster crowed he would betray Christ three times. Peter swore to Christ that he would never do anything like that, that he would even die for him. But, when the rooster crowed, Peter ran and hid because he knew he had
betrayed his Lord. The final betrayal Christ faced was the betrayal of the Jews, who sentenced Christ to death. There are several similarities between the betrayals Arthur faced and the betrayals Christ faced. Arthur forgave the people he was betrayed by, even told Guinevere that he still loved her and hoped that when they got to heaven, she would be able to love him the we he loved her. Christ also forgave the people who betrayed him, even trusting Peter with His "sheep." Another similarity is that even though they forgave the ones who betrayed them, some denied the forgiveness. Guinevere did not tell Arthur that she really did love him and could not even look him in the face. Christ forgave Judas, but instead of accepting the forgiveness, he could not deal with the guilt and hung himself instead. The way Arthur was betrayed was very similar to the way Christ was betrayed.
Thus, Arthur was portrayed as a Christ figure as a king who desires law and order, as a king with questioned paternity, and a king who was betrayed. These qualities of Arthur were shown through his trials and accomplishments. Through these, Arthur was successfully shown as a Christ figure.