The Once and Future King

“By this and by that […] why can’t they get us the electric light and the company’s water?”

Within moments of introducing Merlyn, White establishes his eccentricity and mysteriousness. Throughout the narrative, Merlyn refers to events and developments far in advance of the work’s medieval setting (the theory of evolution, modern weapons, Freudian psychology). This is because Merlyn is a time traveler, constantly moving backward through time, which gives him unique foresight—assuming he can remember the events he’s already seen.

“The Castle of the Forest Sauvage is still standing, and you can see it’s lovely ruined walls with ivy on them, standing broached to the sun and wind.”

The narrator frequently steps out of the narrative to address his audience directly, usually to provide historical context. Here, he acts as tour guide, creating a bridge between past and present. These asides allow the reader to find the contemporary relevance in a centuries-old tale, which is in keeping with the novel’s emphasis on The Importance of Cultural Myths. Myths must reach across the span of time, proclaiming their ageless themes to all audiences, much as Sir Ector’s castle remains standing.

“The great body, shadowy and almost invisible among the stems, ended in a face which had been ravaged by all the passions of an absolute monarch.”

Arthur’s first adventure into the natural world takes him into the moat where, as a fish, he meets the “king,” a massive pike called “Mr. P.