Most Real Character In Mists Of Avalon example essay topic

Devotion, Love, Despair and Betrayal The Mists of Avalon throws the throbbing pulse of femininity into the reader's face. It expels a truth which can be felt through every sentence, paragraph and chapter. It is a grouping of heartwarming characters, horrifying plot twists and several tragedies surrounding many different themes. The Mists of Avalon becomes a legend seen through new eyes, with details, majestic language, and haunting foreshadowing that hold the reader through its more than 800 pages. It is a story of another time and place. It's the legendary saga of King Arthur and his companions at Camelot.

Their battles, love, and devotion are told this time from the perspective of the women involved. Women are what bring this story to such cavernous depths. We are not brought into the perspective of the men, we are, however, told about how they are loved, hurt, and manipulated by the women. There is a scale of personality among the ladies which ranges from the pious uncertainty of Gwenyfar to the essence of strength from Morgaine. We are first enthralled with Igraine's love, repulsed by the sinister Morgause, respectful to the lady Igraine, enchanted by Morgaine's wisdom and angered by Gwenyfar's ignorance. The qualities possessed by these woman can be both glorious and destructive.

The Mists of Avalon's politics and intrigue take place at a time when Christianity is taking over the island-nation of Britain; Christianity vs. Faery, and God vs. Goddess are dominant themes. Marion Zimmer Bradley lets her opinion on Christianity show through with shocking statements such as: "Then (Morgaine) sighed and said, ' I think it is a sin to believe that God can be cruel or vindictive, and you would make him meaner than the worst of his priests". The ancient druid religions are presented as kinder and gentler while Christianity is raging through Europe. The Mists of Avalon is laced with religious philosophy that adds to the atmosphere of this entertaining story. Viviane is 'The Lady of the Lake,' the magical priestess of the Isle of Avalon, a special mist-shrouded place which becomes more difficult to reach as people turn away from its nature- and Goddess-oriented religion. Viviane's quest is to find a king who will be loyal to Avalon as well as to Christianity.

This king will be Arthur. Viviane's power is significantly strong. It is that power which inevitably drives all those who love Viviane away from her. She must use her power to do the work of the Goddess, which is not always understood. Morgaine, who is raised by Viviane feels the power being used on her and leaves, as well as Viviane's son, Lancelet, who is to afraid of his mother to see her. Viviane is a strong character who's spirituality is thought provoking.

Gwenhwyfar, Arthur's Queen, is an overly pious, fearful woman who successfully sways her husband, Arthur, into betraying his allegiance to Avalon. Arthur's incredible love for Gwenyfar is confusing at times because there is no real development of their relationship. Arthur just seems to have fallen deeply in love with a woman who's stupidity is infuriating. However, Arthur is not the only one who is madly in love with Gwenyfar; Arthur's best friend Lancelet is as well. Igraine see's this in the beginning and tries to undo the arrangement of her marriage to Arthur, but it could not be stopped. Gwenyfar returns the love to Lancelet and the reader somehow manages to feel compassion for the poor woman locked in a triangle of despair.

The reader grows to hate Gwenyfar as she is the ultimate rock in the bottom of Morgaine's shoe. The Mists of Avalon depicts Gwenhwyfar as a blind cultist, rather than the wise and loving queen. Set against Gwenyfar is Morgaine of the Fairies, Arthur's sister, love, and enemy - and the most powerfully believable person in the book - who manipulates the characters like threads in a tapestry to achieve her tragic and heroic goals. Morgaine can cast spells, but they take the form of potions or ESP. Her potions are as powerful as prescription medicine and the quiet love in her words is touching. Gwenyfar's hate for Morgaine is propelled by her jealousy of the priestess's intelligence and the relationship between her and her brother Arthur.

Morgaine is the most real character in Mists of Avalon. Throughout the book, there are passages entitled, Morgaine Speaks. These are incredible and allow for powerful foreshadowing and relief from whatever action they may interrupt. The Mists of Avalon strives to maintain a plausible outlook on Arthurian myth. The health is also realistic, Gwenhwyfar almost dies from a miscarriage, and Arthur spends months recovering from a wound. This realism helps to make the characters attach to the reader on a personal level, rather than a superficial level.

In most Arthurian stories, Lancelot makes love to Gwenhwyfar out of lust not love, but in The Mists of Avalon it is a gift to him from Arthur, and later to help Gwenhwyfar recover from a brutal rape. These deep and infinitely complex motives prevent the reader from making simple decisions of right and wrong. Actions which would normally be assumed inherently evil, such as when Bal an strikes Viviane with an axe in King Arthur's court at Pentecost, have twists. Viviane assisted his mother with suicide. The layers of motive that entwine this tale must be unravelled slowly by the reader, making this a philosophical piece, just as it is entertaining. The Mists of Avalon is a great book to read.

It encourages thought on difficult subjects like religion, and shows an entirely original side of King Arthur's tale. The Mists of Avalon is the opposite of Arthurian stories like Monty Python's, the Holy Grail, and The Sword in the Stone. While they depict King Arthur as the main character, and the story is in a basic or humorous light, The Mists of Avalon is involved and draws the reader into it. The women are amazingly accurate contradictions of one another and Marion Zimmer Bradley's way of writing is a pleasure. It is a journey into the devotion, love, despair, and betrayal that one life can behold.