The Shift from Malory and Bakhtin's Grotesque Realism

“Someone had Vomited Over the Round Table”: The Shift from Malory and Bakhtin’s Grotesque Realism in Bernard Cornwell’s The Warlord Chronicles Master Thesis Literary Studies: Literature and Culture (English) University of Amsterdam Samantha Warnaar Student number: 10211810 Supervisor: Dr. R.D. Eaton June 30, 2016 Acknowledgement on Plagiarism I hereby acknowledge to have read and understood the UvA guidelines on plagiarism, and I confirm that this thesis is my own work. I have also acknowledged all references and quotations from both primary and secondary sources. Samantha Warnaar June 30, 2016 2 Table of Contents Abstract 4 Introduction 5 Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur and Cornwell’s The Warlord Chronicles 6 Chapter 1: Connections Between Cornwell and Malory 10 Physicality and Renown in Le Morte D’Arthur 10 Physicality and Renown in The Warlord Chronicles 12 Idealism and Oaths 15 Impulse and Passion 23 Conclusion 28 Chapter 2: Physicality and Grotesque Realism in The Warlord Chronicles 30 Grotesque Realism and Degradation 30 Ceremonies and the Feast 33 Grotesque Realism in The Warlord Chronicles 36 Arthur’s Physicality and Elevation 40 The Connection Between Physicality and the Ceremony 42 Conclusion 46 Chapter 3: The Idealization and Physicality of Women 49 Parallels Between Malory and Cornwell 50 The Grotesque Realism and Degradation of Women 54 Conclusion 60 Conclusion 63 Bibliography 66 3 Abstract In comparison to the traditional Arthurian Romances that are influenced by Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur, Bernard Cornwell paints a completely different world in his grittier and historically-based The Warlord Chronicles. Though it is tempting to disregard these two Arthurian texts as representing completely different worlds, Cornwell establishes connections with Malory that allow him to engage with familiar elements of the Arthurian Romances and subvert expectations, while simultaneously illustrating that these elements hold a universality even in contemporary Arthurian texts. The primary manner in which Cornwell deviates from the Arthurian Romances is through employing physicality: he utilizes elements from Mikhail Bakhtin’s framework of grotesque realism. By degrading the trilogy’s characters to the physical realm, Cornwell undermines the idealization prevalent in the Romances. However, Bakhtin’s framework does not comfortably apply to The Warlord Chronicles. While Bakhtin analyzes grotesque realism and degradation to subvert class dichotomy and ceremonial practices through laughter, Cornwell employs these elements in a different context. In The Warlord Chronicles, grotesque realism does not occur in a class dichotomy and is rarely utilized for laughter. Cornwell portrays a physicality that is a necessary part of the lives of the characters in his trilogy – including their ceremonial practices. This different utilization of grotesque realism illustrates a shift in the perception of medieval society: though nonexistent in medieval Romances, physicality has changed from an element of subversion and laughter to being normalized as a part of life and the ceremony in contemporary Arthurian fiction. The sole exception to this shift is Arthur himself. Cornwell’s Arthur is subject to the same flaws and idealism as his medieval counterpart. Though he displays a physicality, he holds an elevated and therefore idealized position compared to his grittier and more physical environment. 4 Introduction The popularity of Arthurian fiction is evident through the constant visitations of the legend even in contemporary society. All of these re-engagements subscribe to certain expectations and traditions that define a work as Arthurian. Larrington states that all Arthurian texts participate in an Arthurian universe, arguing that “[a]lthough the characters have distinctive roles in the plot of any one tale, their actions and fates are, to some extent, constrained by tradition” (3). Nastali confirms this constraint in Arthurian fiction; a reader has “certain expectations” involving Arthurian works, which means there is “...the obligation to adhere to traditional themes, relationships among central characters, incidents, even the use of motifs and symbols”. As an example she names the Grail Quest and the love triangle between Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot, all of which “had their origins in the romance literature of the Middle Ages” (7). Despite the many visitations of Arthurian fiction, there are recurring elements that define a work as Arthurian. However, in contemporary Arthurian fiction, a more historical approach to the traditional themes of the medieval Arthurian Romances seems to emerge, which portrays the medieval period differently than the Romances. As Raymond Thompson states: “Historical novels endeavor to recreate the spirit of the age of Arthur through attention to authentic detail. Setting is carefully constructed, based upon the latest knowledge of the period....” (Qtd. in Snyder 115). Snyder writes that this historical turn emphasizes “...representations of life in the Briton age” (Snyder 119). This historical representation is in stark contrast with the universe in the Arthurian Romances, offering a completely different world that indicates a shift in how medieval society is perceived. The more historically-based world requires a reworking of traditional Arthurian elements. “Traditional Arthurian themes, the Grail quest, the Round Table, even the Tristan and Iseult affair are recast here in Dark Age trappings” (Nastali 18). This means that, even 5 though the traditional Arthurian elements are represented in these contemporary novels, they are often reworked in different ways, bringing new elements to the table as well as “...variations on traditional themes and characters, new interpretations of old incidents, and even radical revisionism” (Nastali 20). Zambreno argues that the ambiguity and variations in the Arthurian Romances allow for such reinterpretations (124). After all, even in the medieval Romances there are a remarkable amount of differences among the texts. Though there is an obligation to include elements of the Arthurian tradition in contemporary Arthurian fiction, at the same time, the nature of the medieval romances allows room for re-engagement with its traditions. Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur and Cornwell’s The Warlord Chronicles In Le Morte D’Arthur, Sir Thomas Malory narrates the adventures of knights and their meetings with hermits, clergymen, or noble ladies. The text focuses on the higher classes and exemplifies certain expectations in regards to Arthurian fiction, defined by Nastali as follows: Until the middle of this century, much of the historical fiction dealing with King Arthur was inspired by the romanticized Middle Ages portrayed in Malory and was set in the familiar world of questing knights, damsels on white palfreys, chivalric codes, tournaments, and so forth (5). This romanticized version of the middle ages is informed by a concern with knights and their quests and tournaments. This tradition, of which Malory is the most influential, inspired many Arthurian works up to the middle of the 20th century, which also portrayed this chivalric world of knights. Bernard Cornwell, on the other hand, paints a grittier version of medieval society through a more historical approach to Arthuriana and medieval society. According to Sanz 6 Mingo, Corwell portrays a Britain defined by religious and political tensions, which are based on assumptions of how the political and religious climate must have been like: Britain was torn apart by religion in the fifth and sixth centuries. [...] [S]ome of these religious differences in the Celtic kingdoms caused, in turn, political and social problems which eventually led to their fragmentation and the ultimate Saxon success. [...] Cornwell reflects in his characters the quarrels and strife common at that time due to religious differences (“Dark Ages...”, 21). The historically-based tensions between the different religions are reflected in the trilogy’s characters, which indicates that The Warlord Chronicles portrays a world that is different from the Romances. Nastali confirms this: “Cornwell [...] attempt[s] to evoke a sense of sub- Roman Britain that is less idealized, more culturally diverse in both the native populations and invading peoples, and more intense in conflicting traditions” (18). By including post-Roman elements and cultural diversity, Cornwell attempts to portray a non-romanticized image of life in the middle ages that is completely different from Malory’s text. However, Cornwell engages with Malory through establishing parallels and twisting them in interesting ways. This way, Cornwell displays a different perception of medieval society. One major difference between the two works is the extent of physicality they portray. Cornwell’s portrayed physicality not only deals with injury and death as a means to acquire renown, but also displays bodily functions such as eating, urinating, vomiting, and sweating. Mikhail Bakhtin defines the concept of grotesque realism, which involves the lowering of the abstract to the physical realm through degradation and utilizing the lower stratum, usually to subvert the official ceremonial qualities of the higher classes. Due to the kind of physicality present in Cornwell’s text, Bakhtin’s framework becomes an interesting tool for analysis. However, Bakhtin argues that degradation invokes the notion of laughter, which is for the most part not a connection present in Cornwell’s text. Moreover, The Warlord Chronicles

Load more