The Sword in the Stone

Introduction

Post-WWI Britain

The effects of WWI made people ask the questions, “What should Britain be? What should it stand for?”

There was political upheaval—rise of fascism, Nazism, Edward VII’s abdication

This time period led to a number utopian and dystopian novels in response to the political atmosphere Utopia: An imagined place or state of things in

which everything is perfect Dystopia: An imagined place or state of things

in which everything is unpleasant or bad

A. A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh (1926)

Aldous Huxley, Brave New World (1932)

P. L Travers, Mary Poppins (1934)

J. R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit (1937)

T. H. White, The Sword in the Stone (1938-39)

George Orwell, Animal Farm (1945)

This is the golden age of political

commentary disguised as

children’s books

T. H. White Born in 1906 in Bombay

Educated at British public schools and Cambridge

Became a schoolmaster

Passionate pacifist Pacifist: A person who

believes that any violence, including war, is unjustifiable under any circumstances and that all disputes should be settled peacefully.

England Have My Bones (1936)

Burke's Steerage or, The Amateur Gentleman's Introduction to Noble Sports and Pastimes (1938-1939)

The Sword in the Stone (1938-1939)

The Queen of Air and Darkness (1939)

The Ill-Made Knight (1940)

Mistress Masham's Repose (1946-1947)

The Book of Beasts, A Translation of a Medieval Bestiary (1954-1955)

The Candle in the Wind (1958)

The Once and Future King (1958)

The Book of Merlyn (1977)

White’s Major Works

Basic Information on The Sword in the Stone Genre: education novel (a

plan of education is set forth for a young person)

Describes the political and emotional development of a young leader

Very formulaic plot: • Loss separates hero from

family• Hero undergoes maturation

and education• Hero leaves safe haven for

“real world”

You’ll learn about the hero’s journey in 10th grade!

Basic Plot of The Sword in the Stone The Wart is left with Sir Ector to be raised

He must be educated in preparation for his future

He must prove his abilities through a series of tests and challenges (under Merlyn’s guidance)

He must grow into leadership

He fulfills his destiny near the end of the novel

What do you think the novel’s main motif is?

Important Characters The Wart: Raised by Sir Ector at the Castle

of the Forest Sauvage. He undergoes an education at the hands of Merlyn. "The Wart" is a nickname for "Art," and the Wart eventually becomes King Arthur.

Sir Ector: The Wart and Kay's father and a kind, good-humored landowner who is Lord of the Castle of the Forest Sauvage.

Kay: Sir Ector's eldest (and onlynatural) son. His stubbornnessand craving for honor arerevealed in many of his wordsand actions.

Important Characters Cont’d. Merlyn: A wise and sometimes

absent-minded magician whooversees the Wart's education.

Archimedes: Merlyn's talkingowl, who teaches the Wart to fly.

Uther Pendragon: The demanding Norman King of all England. At the end of the novel, the Wart learns that Pendragon is his father.

King Pellinore: A comical figure who hunts after the Questing Beast (or "Beast Glatisant”).