Knight Notes: The Knight, Chapters 68-69

This post covers the conclusion of The Knight.

Chapters 68-69: In the Grotto of the Griffin, Grengarm

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 68 begins with Able and Toug back in Mythgarthr, apparently at the headwaters of the Griffin. They find a cave leading to the lair of Grengarm. A Griffin is present, and says the cave was his former home. Able enters alone, falls into a well, and must discard his boots and armor. He finds a grotto and altar with Aelf runes, and realizes he can speak the language.  He dives back into the well to recover his boots, and descends into Aelfrice again. He comes up with the sword Eterne and a new suit of armor.  He puts on the new armor, and examines the sword. As he does, Grengarm emerges in the grotto.  A procession of Sea Aelf, including Uri, arrives carrying a drugged Morcaine. Morcaine is placed on the altar as an intended sacrifice.  Grengarm approaches, and Able draws Eterne, which summons one of the phantom knights of the sword.  The knight challenges Grengarm.

In Chapter 69, Grengarm dismisses the phantom knight as no threat. However, Able reveals himself and the battle is joined. The Knights of the Sword slay the Sea Aelf, and Able wounds Grengarm. Grengarm transforms into a dwarf and flees back down the well.  Able assists Morcaine, who thanks him and disappears. Able leaves the Grotto, and encounters the Griffin. Toug is also there, and can now speak since Able has recovered Eterne. They mount the Griffin in pursuit of Grengarm.  Able wounds him with a few arrows. Toug agrees to paint the Griffin on his shield at Able’s request.  Grengarm swims under the sea for a while, and after apparently hours of pursuit rises to engage. The Valfather’s Castle is near, and its inhabitants cheer him on. Able leaps onto Grengarm’s back and deals a death blow with Eterne.  Grengarm opens his his mouth wide, and Able sees something in his mouth.

As Able falls to the sea, he is caught by Alvit the Valkyrie. She kisses him, and bears him up to the Valfather’s castle in Skai. Able was apparently mortally wounded in the fight, and this is why the Valkyries came for him.

The Griffin

The Griffin claims to be the former occupant of the Grotto.  Its the only one we meet in the WK.  Its not clear whether Griffins were native to Mythgarthr, like Org the Ogre, or if it is supposed to be a supernatural emissary from Skai or a higher world (e.g. like Michael or Gylf).  The Griffin apparently survived the battle, as Toug was safely returned to earth.  The Griffin is white colored, like Cloud and Michael, suggesting he is a force for good. Griffins were often servants of the gods in mythology.

Greek Mythological Counterparts

In the post on Heracles, I stated that the slaying of Grengarm is the WK’s version of the slaying of the Lernaen Hydra.

Eterne and Moorcock?

In the prior chapter review, I suggested that the WK may be acknowledging the influence of Moorcock’s “Eternal Champion” sequence of books. The sword’s name may be another example of this.  Eterne appears to be a black blade, like Elric’s Stormbringer (but the blade in The King of Elfland’s Daughter was also black).  Able thinks he sees writing on the sword, and the sword in The King of Elfland’s Daughter and Golden City Far also had runes. Eterne also summons the spirits of knights who bore her unworthily, and they will fight for the sword bearer.  This reminded me of Moorcock’s “Corum” books.  In those stories, Prince Corum is an incarnation of the Eternal Champion. He acquires a magical eye and a silver hand which replace ones he has lost.   Corum can use the Hand of Kwll to summon the spirits of those he killed to fight for him. Possibily just a coincidence, or both Moorcock and GW are alluding to a shared source.

Able’s Golden Mail

I have had a hard time identifying the literary or mythological source for Able’s new mail armor. He says every fifth link is of gold. Its not magical, but the wearer is “blessed.”   My initial hunch was that the armor he finds in the well is the WK’s “Golden Fleece.”  The Fleece was found in a special grove, and the armor is found in a “grotto.”  The last wearer of the armor was Sir Skol, and Skol sounds a bit like “Colchis”, where the Fleece was located.

However, I now doubt this link.  I believe it could be related to Beowulf’s armor, which may be described as golden in color. MAD has suggested that this is the source.  The armor protected him in his underwater fight with Grendel’s mother.    Wayland the Smith made this armor. Another alternative is from the Norse story of Sigurd and Fafnir.  Sigurd slays the dragon Fafnir, and one of his treasures is a suit of golden armor.

Beowulf

I have not posted about the Beowulf story, but the WK may also be alluding to this legend.  In the story, Beowulf wounds Grendel, a monster that was menacing a Norse kingdom. He then must travel to an underwater lair to finish the job.  Grendel is dead, but Beowulf is attacked by Grendel’s mother.  Beowulf finds a magic sword with which he kills the mother.   Beowulf is protected by magical armor during this fight, sort of like the armor Able finds in the well. Similarly, Able fights a “Gren’ creature with a magic sword in an underground lair. Beowulf is later slain by a dragon in another adventure, and Able dies due to wounds from Grengarm.

Grengarm

The Grengarm name, which is made up for the WK, may derive from Grendel. Michael Andre-Driussi suggested this in his WKC, and I agree. I also agree with his view that it also derives from Garmr, a monster of Norse legend. Grengarm is a dragon from Muspel.  He apparently was actively working to take over Aelfrice and/or Mythgarthr. He took a Lothurling queen as a bride, leading to the half-dragon race of Lothurlings we meet at the end of The Wizard. The Lothurlings talk of a “speaking table” which apparently allows Grengarm to give instructions for further conquest. He received sacrifices at the Mountain of Fire.

The Overcyn Lothur and Grengarm may have a connection of sorts. Given that they both have a tie to the Lothurlings, perhaps Grengarm is Muspel’s version of Lothur. Morcaine says that if Grengarm had eaten her, he would be as strong in Aelfrice as he was in Muspel. He would be able to move and fight in daylight at full strength, which lower creatures ordinarily could not do.

Morcaine

Morcaine is, in part, based on Morgan Le Fey of Arthurian legend, who was Arthur’s half-sister and could do magic. In the WK, Morcaine is Arnthor’s sister, and a sorceress. She is also Hellawess in her pursuit of Able/Lancelot.

I think she is also an allusion to the “woman taken in sin” in the Gospel.  This woman was to be stoned for adultery, but Jesus saves her.  In the WK, Morcaine was to be sacrificed to Grengarm, but Able saves her.  Morcaine, like this woman, also seems to have issues with sexuality, and repeatedly propositions Able in the WK.  One of the images from this scene in the Gospels is Jesus appearing to write something in the dirt with his fingers. Similarly, Able traces the Aelf letters he finds with his fingers in the Grotto of Grengarm.

For a long time the sinful woman and Mary Magdalene and/or Mary of Bethany were believed to be the same person. The RC Church and most scholars now think that the “Sinful Woman”, Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany were three distinct people. I have another candidate for Mary Magdalene who we will meet in The Wizard.

Ragnarok

The fight with Grengarm may be a foreshadowing of Ragnarok. During that battle, Tyr and Garm slay each other. I have proposed that the Tyr/Zio is Skai’s version of Jesus.  Able in turn is a Christ like figure in Mythgarthr. Able and Gregnarm slaying each other foreshadows the mutual death of Tyr/Garm at Ragnarok.

Able’s Death

Toug sees Able fall into the sea. His spirit or soul is taken to Skai, and apparently he is provided a new body.  We learn in The Wizard that it is Alvit’s kiss that finally slays him. It is done to spare the chosen further suffering.

Christian Allegory

Swords often have a cross shape, and Eterne may represent the Cross. Able takes up the Cross, and dies but defeats death in the form of Grengarm.  We learn in The Wizard what Able saw in Grengarm’s mouth. It was the souls of those the Osterlings had sacrificed to him at the Mountain of Fire. Able presumably frees those souls by slaying Grengarm. Able’s fight with Grengarm is one of the crucifixion events in the WK. He dies, like Christ dies. He returns to Mythgarther several days later, as Christ returned after three days. Additionally, The Book of Revelation speaks of Jesus returning on a white horse, and Able returns on the white Cloud (Revelation 19, 11-16).

Able freeing the souls stuck in Grengarm is the WK’s version of The Harrowing of Hell.   Grengarm’s open mouth was the Hellmouth.  In Christian theology, Christ descended to the underworld after his death and liberated all the souls trapped there since the Fall of Adam and Eve. They were now free to enter Heaven.

“Harrowing of Hell” by Michael Burghers (1647/8–1727)[2] – Copied from the 1904 work “Plays of our Forefathers” by Charles Mills Gayley. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harrowing_of_Hell.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Harrowing_of_Hell.jpg

Knight Notes: The “Real” Able and How He Died

Remember, spoilers in every post! This is one of the big mysteries of the WK, and I will propose a solution.

Much of what happens in the seven worlds of the WK universe is reflected in the worlds below, but in a different form. Many people of Mythgarthr are named after the gods of Skai, or are reflections of the gods.  I think Woddet is a reflection of the god Frey, for example. The one-eyed Pouk is a wise, human version of the one-eyed Valfather. Idnn is a reflection of Norse goddess Idunn (Both were menaced by a giant named Thiazi).

The “Real” or first Able, Bold Berthold’s brother, was Mythgarthr’s version/reflection of the Norse god Baldr.  Bold Berthold was a reflection of Baldr’s brother Hodr.  Mag was a version of Baldr’ s wife Nanna (which means “mother”). The name “Able” is a partial anagram for Baldr.  And the second syllable of Berthold’s name is a close match for Hodr; Berthold= Hodr.

In Norse legends, Loki had Baldr killed out of spite or jealousy. Loki is Lothur in the WK.  Loki tricked Hodr, who was blind, into killing Baldr with a mistletoe projectile.

Baldr is dead by the time of the events in the WK. Baldr’s death is alluded to in several places in the WK. When Able is talking with Setr in The Wizard, Setr asks if there are bad Overcyns. Able says:

I explained that there was said to be one at least, and that the rest—though they punished him—did not take his life for his brothers’ sake.

This is a reference to Loki’s/Lothur’s plan to kill Baldr, and his subsequent punishment by the other gods of Skai/Asgard.   Loki was not killed, but imprisoned until Ragnarok in Norse mythology. Its unclear how the gods of Skai punished Lothur for Baldr’s death.

Lothur later threatens to kill Gylf when we finally meet him near the end of The Wizard. Lothur says that the Valfather would forgive him, as he has already forgiven him “worse.” Another reference to the death of Baldr.

I think the generally poor state of affairs in Mythgarthr is cosmic fallout from the death of Baldr. His death has left a spiritual void or upset that has affected the lower worlds. In Norse legend, Baldr’s death began the negative chain of events that eventually culminated in Ragnarok.

Let me expand on the “Real Able”/Baldr connection in the WK.  First, Baldr has a blind brother in Hodr and, and Able had one in “Blind” Berthold.  Second, Berthold mentions that he and other surviving men of Griffinsford were herded into a pond by the giants after their battle. They were then surrounded and had “brands” thrown at them. This is a good match for the death of Baldr in Norse legend.  The other gods had surrounded him and were throwing sticks, rocks and other objects at him as sort of a joke, since nothing could harm him (except mistletoe).  Berthold mentions that he hid in the pond, but when be got out, he slipped, and his shadow fell back in the pond and stayed there.

The reference to the “shadow” may be the signal that the Real Able died in the pond.  The Real Able was Berthold’s little brother, and like a “shadow” to him.  I also note that Neil Gaiman published a book in 2001, American Gods, that featured a reincarnated Baldr with the name …… “Shadow“.  Gaiman and GW are friends and have collaborated on work before, and I can believe that GW would subtly allude to a Gaiman novel that featured the same protagonist.

As an aside, American Gods and the WK have some intriguing similarities:

• Both are about the gods of mythology interacting with people from contemporary America. In Gaiman’s books, versions of the Norse, and other, gods exist in America. In the WK, an American goes to a world where the Norse gods are real.
• Both have a central character who is a version of Baldr who dies during the course of the story
• Both American Gods and Golden City Far (a companion piece to the WK) have supernatural female characters with similar names based on legends of the Middle East: Bilquis, Biltis.
• Both character’s primary divine relationship is with Odin. Loki/Lothur is an adversary in both works.

I wouldn’t be shocked if the two men jointly came up with the idea to write these two books.  It reminds me of how J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis made a deal where Lewis would write a “space” story if Tolkien did a “time travel” story.  Lewis wrote his “Space Trilogy”, and Tolkien started, but did not finish, “The Lost Road.” Remember, Gaiman also had the only cover blurb on the first edition of The Knight.

One of Able’s dreams may show exactly how the Real Able died. In Chapter 41 of The Knight, Able dreams about trying to save someone who is drowning.  The person he helps won’t let go and is now drowning him. I think the Real Able was trying to save his bigger, stronger brother from drowning in the pond.  The badly injured Berthold accidentally drowned his brother Able in trying to stay alive. An alternative possibility is that the Real Able was struck by one of the brands the giants threw at the men in the pond. A brand would probably be a wooden torch or stick, sort of like the mistletoe arrow that Hodr shot.

In Norse mythology, Hodr was punished for killing Baldr by being killed in turn.  Berthold is sort of “punished” by being captured and blinded by the giants. After Baldr died, his wife Nanna (“mother”) killed herself.  The Real Able’s mother, Mag, committed suicide on the Isle of Glas around the time of the Real Able’s death.

Able/Art is also troubled by bad dreams for much of The Knight, and Baldr was troubled by bad dreams before he died.  According to wikipedia, the name Baldr also means “king” or “lord” in Old English, and Mag tells Able that he was a “king” to her, Berthold and her husband.

Hodr and Baldr’s tale does have a happy ending of sorts. They are freed from Hel and reunited after Ragnarok. In the WK, Able rescues Berthold and heals him and Gerda.

version 1.0

Knight Notes: Lord Dunsany

Another writer whose work influenced the WK is Edward Plunkett, the Lord Dunsany.  GW uses his poem “The Riders” at the beginning of the WK, and dedicates The Wizard to him.  But Dunsany’s primary influence on the WK is his novel  The King of Elfland’s Daughter.

In this story, a human lord from the land of Erl sends his son Alveric into Elfland to find an elven bride.  His people wish to be led by a magical ruler.  The father intends the son to marry an elven bride who will bear a son with magical powers.

At the outset of his quest, Alveric obtains a magic sword from a friendly witch.  She speaks three magic runes in its making, like the three magic words Bill Wachter finds speaks from his own sword in Golden City Far. It is a black sword, like Eterne, and made from metals from space. It is implied that the metal of Eterne may be from space too.

Alveric meets the Elven princess Lirazel and she returns with him to Erl.  Alveric learns that 10 years has passed, because time moves more slowly in Elfland.  GW uses this same time dilation mechanism in the WK.  Time passes more slowly in Aelfrice for Able, and he finds that days or even years have past when he returns to Mythgarthr.

Alveric and Lirazel wed and have a child, Orion. However, Lirazel grows tired of Erl. She reads a magic rune sent by her father, and is drawn back to Elfland.  Alveric chases after her, but Elfland has receded from our world, and he cannot find his way in.  The Elf King can apparently detect his magic sword and uses that to keep him away. He quests for ten years to no avail, and his son Orion grows to manhood.  Orion meets a flying unicorn, which he hunts and slays.

Lirazel is not happy in Elfland either, and longs to see her son.  The humans of Erl are unhappy, because magic is now flowing into their lands, disturbing them.

The Elf King then reads his last, greatest rune.  The glittering border of Elfland begins to expand, overtaking the human land of Erl.  Alveric, Lirazel and Orion are reunited, and healed of their hurts.  Erl and its people become part of Elfland, timeless, calm, and apart from the rest of the human world.

Like the WK, Dunsany’s book dwells on the tension between the fairy realms and those of men. Man’s ordinary efforts at reconciliation are futile. It will take a special intervention to resolve the problem.

version 1.0

Knight Notes: Golden City Far

Golden City Far (GCF) is a short story (or novelette, novella, I can’t keep these straight) that was published in 2004, the same year as the WK.  It can be read in the GW anthology Starwater Strains.  Like La Befana, I think it can be analyzed for insight into the formation of the WK, and can be seen as a companion piece.

I have a theory that GCF was a failed, first attempt at the WK. GW did mention that he was “struggling” with the WK in in his 2001 essay “The Best Introduction to the Mountains.”  Perhaps he started with something like GCF, gave up, and then restarted with what became the WK.  If its not a failed attempt, perhaps GCF is composed of leftover ideas that didn’t make it into the WK.

The protagonist of the story is William Wachter (Wachter means “guard” or “watchman”), a teenager living in contemporary America.   Bill seems to be living a middle class, suburban or small town life. He lives with his parents, and has an older brother (as does Able).

Bill begins to have a series of very vivid dreams at night.  In the first, he finds himself in a beautiful, uninhabited setting. He can see mountains in the distance, and a city high up on one.  He wants to go there. Able has a similar experience seeing the flying castle (Skai) in the clouds in the first chapter of The Knight, and his pursuit of it.

Bill records these dreams in a journal, apparently during study hall. He daydreams during study hall and is awakened by a teacher, a Mrs. Durkin (Durkin in gaelic means “surly”).

In the second dream he continues his journey to the mountain.  He sees a beautiful, naked woman holding an apple while resting on a rock in the ocean. She wants a kiss, but he is afraid and flees.

In the third dream he meets a magical black and white dog, which reminds him of a neighborhood dog named Shep. Shep becomes his companion in the dreams and his waking life. Shep can talk, sort of like Gylf from the WK.  Bill then drinks from a pool, which may be magical.

We then meet a classmate, the beautiful Sue Sumner (which means “summoner”), who notices Shep following Bill.  Separately, Mrs. Durkin sends Billy to see the principal, Mr. Hoff, apparently out of concern about his daydreaming and writing in his notebook. Bill is apparently refered to the school psychologist. Durkin thinks he is psychotic, Bill says later.

We learn of, but don’t see, Bill acquiring a beautiful sword (Eterne?) and scabbard in his dream. This from a dwarf on a horse.

Sue then sees her Aunt Dinah after Bill speaks 3 words written on the sword. We learn from Sue that Dinah is dead. Aunt Dinah may be a ghost summoned by the magic words.

Bill then encounters another beautiful young woman in a dream, one whose foot is caught in a hole. Bill helps her out. This is similar to Disiri pretending to be stuck under a fallen branch, and Able helping her. She calls Bill her wizard. She says her name is Biltis, which seems to be related to Baaltis or Ba’alat Gebal, a Babylonian goddess, and related to the ancient goddesses Astarte and Aphrodite.  She is small and light, sort of like Disiri. Bill later sees photos of Aunt Dinah as young person, and she looks like Biltis.

Bill then has a meeting Dr. Grimes (Grimm’s fairy tales?) the school psychologist. We learn the school has taken his notebook, and she implies that Bill is using drugs and alcohol.

Bill drinks from another magic spring in his dream, and becomes very strong, like Able did after he took in the strength of the sea.  Bill also becomes very wise and strong in the real world too, impressing his teacher with an essay, and successfully joining the football team.

We then meet Dinah Biltis, a young woman who emerges from Aunt Dinah’s house. She kisses Bill and gives him a letter jacket that seems to act as magical armor.

There is then a school meeting with Dr. Grimes, Dr. Hayes and Dinah Biltis. Hayes is apparently another psychologist. The conference descends into farce. Hayes thinks the magic sword of Bill’s dream is some sort of phallic symbol representing Bill’s insecurities. Biltis is using magic to be present and fool Hayes and Grimes, as she is not truly on the school board.

A sword is delivered to the meeting. It seems ordinary, but becomes magical as power flows from Bill into it. Bill compares this to divine power flowing out of Jesus, and that the Holy Grail became holy because Jesus used it. This calls to mind the Claw of the Conciliator from the Book of the New Sun.  This holy relic, a thorn, apparently got its power because it pierced the skin of Severian and drew blood.

The story reaches its climax when Sue is taken prisoner by monsters in the school basement. Bill, Dinah and the teachers head down to investigate.  Bill and Dinah slay some monsters, and Bill heals Shep when he is hurt.

Bill then rescues Sue from a deep tunnel. He is hlelped by a huge creature cowering in a crevasse. The beast helps, but then turns on Bill. Bill stabs it with his sword up to its “scales.” This beast sounds a bit like Org, who cowered before Able and had scales. Bill, Sue and Dinah escape from the school.  Dinah flies away on a large bird, and Bill and Sue then begin their  journey to the mountains.

To restate, we have the following similarities between the WK and GCF:

• A teenage American boy as the protagonist.
• A desire to get to a faraway, beautiful place
• Visiting a magical, parallel world.
• Both have a supernatural, female love interest: Disiri, Biltis
• Both protagonists acquire a talking dog as an ally
• Both obtain a magic sword
• Meeting a dangerous, scaled beast who is afraid of the protagonist
• Both Bill and Able have an older brother
• The protagonist summons a ghost by speaking magic words. Aunt Dinah in GCF, the witch Huld in Lord Escan’s chamber in WK.
• Bill, like Able, becomes much stronger due to some connection with water. Drinking from a pool vs. the sea.
• Bill heals Shep, like Able healed Gylf
• Both fight bullies over a status issue. Able fights knights in Duke Marder’s castle who says he is not a knight. Bill fights football players who challenge him for wearing a letter man jacket.

Given the above, and the timing of publication, there is a clear connection between GW’s development of the WK and GCF. My theory is that GCF was either a first attempt at the WK that didn’t pan out, or that its ideas and elements that were considered for and not used in the WK.

version 1.0