tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897228097627164771.post1949307977106612224..comments2024-03-26T01:52:45.563-07:00Comments on Fred's Place: Nathaniel Hawthorne: King Arthur in Boston?Fredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10233846613173866140noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897228097627164771.post-50059264931060546182017-08-03T08:44:34.551-07:002017-08-03T08:44:34.551-07:00Shadow Flutter--I hadn't read that story befor...Shadow Flutter--I hadn't read that story before. Thanks for bringing it up. I can see why you would be reminded of it. <br /><br />Another Gray Champion, only one with a very different message.<br /><br />His sudden appearance is similar to that of the Gray Champion's. Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10233846613173866140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897228097627164771.post-78518990838849534782017-08-03T08:33:52.927-07:002017-08-03T08:33:52.927-07:00R.T.--I hadn't looked at it that way. Interes...R.T.--I hadn't looked at it that way. Interesting idea--King Arthur and the Gray Champion as symbols of the old ways, the conservative solutions, what worked in the past, etc.<br /><br />Carrying the analogy a bit further, then it also suggests that the old ways are only effective as long as the crisis doesn't change. Later in the American revolution, it appears as though the old ways, the conservative solutions were ineffective for England, and King Arthur and the Gray Champion did not appear for either side.Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10233846613173866140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897228097627164771.post-14683727244133255312017-08-02T14:57:31.964-07:002017-08-02T14:57:31.964-07:00Reminds me of Twain's The War Prayer. There a...Reminds me of Twain's The War Prayer. There are differences, but still ...Shadowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05353532874773316117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897228097627164771.post-62129694708763241772017-08-02T06:00:14.967-07:002017-08-02T06:00:14.967-07:00Fred, the story strikes me as a tale -- political ...Fred, the story strikes me as a tale -- political parable -- about resorting to conservatism as a solution to contemporary problems. In other words, people look to lessons and exemplars from the past in order to deal with the issues confronting them in the here and now. Hawthorne's world was animated by tensions between what we would call conservative v. liberal politics. RTDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17113953356514605424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897228097627164771.post-11315628397579426592017-08-01T20:01:51.137-07:002017-08-01T20:01:51.137-07:00Brian--any one particular issue seems particularly...Brian--any one particular issue seems particularly important or significant?<br /><br />I doubt that I would have seen the resemblance to the Arthurian legend if his statement had been different. It was the reference to coming back once again to help his people. Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10233846613173866140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897228097627164771.post-46935581512300946682017-08-01T16:55:10.119-07:002017-08-01T16:55:10.119-07:00I just finished a reread of The Scarlet Letter. M...I just finished a reread of The Scarlet Letter. Many of the issues touched on in the above story are also reflected in that book. <br /><br />I have not read The Grey Champion or anything from this collection. I should do soon. Based on your commentary, it does sounds as if the story references The King Arthur Legend. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897228097627164771.post-66100380546452745192017-08-01T14:47:35.186-07:002017-08-01T14:47:35.186-07:00Mudpuddle, It's the fourth story in the book....Mudpuddle, It's the fourth story in the book. I just finished a Teaching Company series of lectures on King Arthur, twelve hours of lectures to be exact, so I'm probably sensitized now to any references to Arthur or the legends. Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10233846613173866140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897228097627164771.post-85938512934106205962017-08-01T14:24:37.368-07:002017-08-01T14:24:37.368-07:00in my ignorance, i read the Celestial Railroad com...in my ignorance, i read the Celestial Railroad compilation twice, but i just can't recall Grey Champion... i remember liking most of the stories, but they're gone now... i might get back to them some day if i can ever drag my way out of Revelation Space...<br /> interesting comparison between Arthur and Champion; i read King Arthur books to the saturation point when i was young, even tho i missed out on Tennyson and Malory; but i never would have spotted the connection with Hawthorne... original idea...Mudpuddlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17194891656971454279noreply@blogger.com