The Mythology of Arthur Frodo Skywalker

Myths and legends often describe the war between Good and Evil. At their heart is usually a central protagonist and antagonist around which all other characters and landscapes spin.

This central conflict is often complicated and interdependent and fuelled by honour and malice in equal measure. An imbalance in this power struggle usually leads to victory for one side or the other for an indefinite period.

 

 

One myth, that of King Arthur and the Knights of The Round Table, is so rooted in British legend that it is part of our cultural make-up. The King, Excalibur, The Lady of The Lake, Merlin. They all conjure up a time when knights were bold and sorcery was rife across the land.

 

 

At the heart of the legend is the idea that the land is the King and the King is the land. They are one and the same and as such will prosper when the bond is strong and perish when weak. The King without the land and the land without a King would lead to darkness and doom.

 

 

I would like to suggest that this ancient myth has influenced many modern tales of power. Two that spring readily to mind are JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and Goerge Lucas's Star Wars. Like the Arthur legend, both contain a central character thrown from everyday life into a world of war, where dark forces are rising ominously. They and no other can unite the armies of Good and defeat the legions of Evil.

 

 

As with Arthur's legend and its central tenet that the land and the King are one, we find similar philosophies in both Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. These can be summed up as 'one ring to bind them all' and 'may the force be with you' respectively. Like that found in Arthur, both these beliefs are rooted in the unison of Man and Nature, both bound together across time and space.

 

 

I have attempted to pull out specific similarities between the characters and devices used in these three 'legends', so see what you think.

 

King Arthur   LOTR             Star Wars

Arthur -          Frodo           - Luke Skywalker

Merlin -          Gandalf        - Obiwan

Lancelot -       Aragorn       - Han Solo

Mordred -       Sauron         - Darth Vader/ The Emperor

Uther     -          ?                 - Darth Vader

Guinevere -    Galadriel      - Princess Leia

Morgana -      Saruman       - ?

Knights           Orcs             Stormtroopers

The Dragon - The Rings    - The Force

 ?                   - Shadow      - The Dark Side

Excalibur      - Narsil         -  Light Sabre

Round Table - Fellowship - Jedi

Avalon         - The West     - ?

?                    - Balrog        - Rancor

?                    - Gollum      - ?

The Sword
In The Stone - ?                   ?

Holy Grail       One Ring     ?

Lady of The
Lake                ?                   ?

?                      Mordor         Death Star



Any further suggestions/ thoughts/ gaps/ rebuttals/jokes gratefully received as always! May the force/ land/ ring be with you!