The kingdom of Camelot was a realm that was held together by the beliefs of its
sovereign and subjects. The monarch of Camelot, Arthur, instilled these values on his
subjects. From the time he was a child Arthur was able to view the world differently than
anyone else because of his relationship with Merlyn. With Merlyn's help Arthur was
capable of changing into animals we could only dream of becoming. With each animal he
turned into he was able to gain a better understanding of humanity, valor, and eminence.
The ideas that Arthur conveys most throughout "The Once And Future King" by T.H.
White, are the great chain of being, chivalry and courtly love.
The great chain of being was an idea during the middle ages that listed a hierarchy
of living and non living things. Aristotle established this ranking which includes, God,
angels, king, church, lower nobles, merchants, yeomen, soldiers, servants, beggars,
actors, thieves, animals, and inanimate objects. Wart becomes aware of this idea when
when he thinks to himself " ...by being a second-rate squire and holding Kay's extra
spears for him, while he hoves by some well or other and jousts with all comers...".
In this quote Wart is realizing that he is beneath Kay in social standing and that he will
now be spending less time with him because of it. "The Once And Future King" plays
with the idea of the great chain of being when Wart unexpectedly becomes king. At the
time period in which this book takes place many things are uncertain to many people, but
one thing is clear to everybody and that is one's place in the universe and for a person of
Wart's social station to become king basically turns the cosmos upside down. Because of
Arthur's background he is able to identify better with the common man. As the book
...