J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis played an important part in exposing me to fantasy literature, as did T.H. White with his Arthurian writings. They’re not only great fantasy authors, but their work provides a great lens for asking important questions about Arthurian books and movies. Is a real warrior just a fighter, or someone like Faramir who values “the sword not for its sharpness” but for what it defends? What does it take to be warriors of chivalry, as opposed to “men without chests” as Lewis put it in The Abolition of Man?
When Daniel Lowry’s movie The Green Knight (which I keep mistakenly giving the poem’s full title) came out in theaters, I had a lot of fun talking with friends about what the movie said about those themes. After discussing it with some members of The Inkling Folk Fellowship, I developed my thoughts a little bit more. The literary magazine Fellowship & Fairydust was nice enough to accept my resulting article:
I hope you enjoy it. And let me know in the comments what you thought about The Green Knight (the movie, Tolkien’s version of the poem, or any other rendition you enjoy).
Other Articles You Might Enjoy:
Book Review: The Impulse of Fantasy Literature by Colin N. Manlove
Book Review: The Fantasy Literature of England by Colin N. Manlove
Book Review: Modern Fantasy by Colin N. Manlove
The Once and Forgotten Fantasy: On T. H. White’s The Once and Future King.
G. Connor Salter 
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