"Mists of Avalon"

by Mulan 16 Replies latest jw friends

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  Mulan

  Did anyone watch this show on TNT this week? It's another version of the Arthur legend. I finished watching it tonight. (okay, I can't sleep.....the wedding is tomorrow, and I can't relax)

  The 4 hour show is about the conflict between the old religion of the time, EArth Goddess worship, and the new religion, Christianity. Arthur is a Christian, and tries to do good all the time, as does his Queen. Well, most of the time. In her desire to bear an heir to Arthur, she capitulates to an idea he has that Lancelot join them in their bed to "help". If she conceives, neither will know actually who the child's father is, and she can truthfully say it was conceived on the King's bed. But, it was not to be, and she did not conceive, and felt they were being punished for not following the Christian ways. However it was an interesting Menage a Trois.

  At the end, Arthur's sister, Morgan, who is a priestess of the old religion, realizes that the Goddess has abandoned her. Years later, she goes into the church in Glastonbury, where the nuns are praying to, and doing obeisance to "the Goddess", or as they call her, Virgin Mary. It's the same idol. So Morgan says, as the show ends "the people merely changed the goddess into something that would work in the new way."

  It seemed so poignant to me. Did anyone else see this?

  Marilyn (a.k.a. Mulan)
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  Englishman

  Mulan,

  I often visit Glastonbury, some weird vibes around there I can tell you.....

  Englishman.

  ..... fanaticism masquerading beneath a cloak of reasoned logic.
• 

  JAVA

  Hi Marilyn,

  My spouse read the book, but we didn't see the TNT movie. She enjoys topics like earth-based spirituality, and goddess mythology. From what I understand, Mists of Avalon is a little bit of both. Christianity and other male-deity religions have a history of crushing others in their efforts of promoting loving gods. I'm not sure "the people merely changed the goddess into something that would work in the new way." I think the Roman Church demonstrates the male hierarchy of god mythology by relegating the "Mother of God" as one who gets Big Daddy's attention. The goddess was defrocked, not "merely changed."

  Hope you're able to relax after the wedding. If the punch is spiked, that helps!

  Englishman: I just saw your post after I posted; great photo!

  --JAVA

  counting time at the Coffee Shop
• 

  COMF

  I wasn't able to watch it, but read about it in the paper. I note that Loreena McKennitt supplied the music for it, including the theme, "The Mystic's Dream." Anyone who has not yet discovered Loreena would be well advised to run, not walk, to your nearest CD outlet and purchase both of her most recent albums, "The Book of Secrets" and "The Mask and Mirror." Incredible stuff, as is her story.

  COMF
• 

  TweetieBird

  I taped it but have not watched it as yet. I plan on spending some of the weekend watching it, as we are suppose to get rain ALL weekend.
• 

  MoeJoJoJo

  Mulan,
  I read the whole Mists of Avalon series years ago-the author is Marion Zimmer Bradley, so I had to see the movie. My opinion, the book was way better but Julianna Margulies did a great job as Morgaine. If you liked the movie then you have to read the book-look in the historical fiction section at your library.
  Morgaine eventually becomes the lady of the lake but I won't tell you anymore. That happens in the book that followed Mists of Avalon - I can't remember the title.
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  VeniceIT

  I watched it and was glad to have all my misconceptions of the Evil Morgan corrected! I did enjoy watching it and seeing how the two relgions intertwined over time.

  I thought she did a great job too. Although I did have a REALLY HARD TIME, not quoting from Monty Python while watching it. Esp. with the lady of the lake aka wattery tart, moistned bint.

  Glad I was watching it alone and no one could yell at me ahhahha!!!!

  Ven

  "The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong, is to let him have his own way."---Josh Billings
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  Lindy

  I watched it and found it very entertaining. I have it taped too. My youngest daughter has just finished reading the book. The book is very thick so the movie must have only touched on the book, as most movies do based on a book. I enjoyed the fact that they were trying to tie the pagan and Christian religions together. Before the movie was released there evidently was some controversy on this issue of the two religions being placed on an equal and mixing level. A group representing the "Christians" didn't want it released. Always someone trying to play “God” somewhere....

  Lindy
• 

  cynicus

  Englishman:

  I like the vibes of Monty Python's version a lot.
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  Mulan

  Englishman, thanks for the photo of Glastonbury. We wanted to take a day trip there, in 1996, from Bath, but spent too much time at Stonehenge, and then Avebury. We just have to go again.

  Question: Is it pretty well established that Arthur was a real person? I realize he wasn't the King of all Britain, but there was a local King name Arthur, wasn't there? Not just legend?

  Marilyn (a.k.a. Mulan)