Le Morte d’Arthur

On the radio the other day I heard a discussion of Mallory’s work Le Morte d’Arthur. Part of the discussion centred round the character of the author: he was a thug. The presenter of the programme asked wonderingly how it was that a thug such as Mallory could write something so beautiful.

I have heard this sort of thing before. It is quite common. For example, I recently heard a guest on a radio show wonder how it was that thugs and brutes like the Nazis could listen to, and like, something as beautiful as Mozart’s music. Actually, the explanation is quite simple.

In a world of power addicts, culture, just like Sauron’s Ring of Power (Lord of the Rings) is imbued with the spirit of its creator and thus, into the music or poetry or art created by the power addict is poured “his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life”. That is the spirit in which Mozart wrote his music. That is the spirit in which Mallory wrote Le Morte d’Arthur. That is why the Nazis listened to and liked Mozart. That is why Mallory’s Le Morte d’Arthur is admired.