COMMENTARY.
Note that each of the three parts is composed of
(1) a Masque, i. e., a musical (operatic) interlude
or prelude, foreshadowing the events to follow,
dealing with the supernatural elements of the myth
and symbolizing the philosophic, aesthetic and ethical
elements of the series; (2) a Tragedy; and (3)
a play ending with a partial (Parts I and II) or
complete (Part II) reconciliation and solution.
Launcelot and Guenevere are placed in a position
where they must either sacrifice the existing order
of things to themselves or themselves to the existing
order of things.
Part I.—They attempt to set their relation to each
other above their relation to the world. Tragic
issue. (Thesis.)
Part II.—They attempt to set their relation to the
world above their relation to each other. Equally
tragic issue. (Antithesis.)
Part III.—The reconciliation. (Synthesis.)
Subordinate to this, as background:
Part I deals with the growing power of the Round
Table, the rise of Arthur, and culminates with
Arthur's highest reach of empire.
(Great event in the legends The Roman War.)
Part II with the height (stationary) of the power
of Arthur and the Round Table and the first mutterings
of their impending fall.
(Great event in the legends The Quest of the
Graal.)
Part III with the fall of Arthur and the Round
Table.
(Great event in the legends The Last War.)
There is an interval of nearly twenty years between
Parts I and II, and of five or six years between
Parts II and III.
But the dramas in each part are immediately successive.
The Masques:
The Quest of Merlin foreshadows the events of
the whole poem, but particularly of Part I, i. e.,
the marriage of Arthur to Guenevere. Symbolically,
it suggests the philosophical drift of
the poem.
Taliesin foreshadows the events of Part II (the
Graal search, etc.). Symbolically, it suggests
the aesthetic drift of the poem.
Fata Morgana foreshadows the events of Part III
(the treachery of Mordred, death of Arthur,
etc.). Symbolically, it suggests the ethical
drift of the poem.
They might be called “the Masque of Fate and
Evolution,” “the Masque of Art” and “the Masque
of Evil” respectively.
The Plays:
Part I—Individual and sex relation (true family)
set above Society or the State:
(a) Marriage of Guenevere—(Love overthrowing
friendship as well as more general social
obligations);
(b) Birth of Galahad—(Love still supreme, but
seeking and partly finding a way to be loyal
to friendship and the State, too.
Part I, Tragic; (a) all tragic; (b) partly reconciliated.
Part II—Society and the State set above the individual
and sex relation or true family:
(a) The Graal—(Love renounced; religion
sought as means of renunciation. Failure of
attempt.);
(b) Astolat—(Gradual reconquest of love over
religion, etc., etc.).
Part II, Tragic; (a) all tragic; (b) partly
reconciled.
Part III—Reconciliation of Religion, State, Society,
Family, and Individual:
(a) Morte d'Arthur—(Essential conflict made
objective and settled with the sword. Tragic
solution of Death.);
(b) Avalon—(True harmonic solution).
Part III, Harmonic; (a) tragic; (b) completely
harmonic or reconciled.
