Today we are looking at the word “Camelot” as it relates to the novel we are currently studying on the blog: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain.
Definition
As Britannica defines it: “Camelot, in Arthurian legend, the seat of King Arthur’s court.” Camelot itself is typically depicted as a resplendent castle where Arthur and his knights rule through acts of justice, goodness, and mercy. Likewise, Merriam-Webster defines it as “the site of King Arthur’s palace and court” and “a time, place, or atmosphere of idyllic happiness.”
The latter definition intrigues me as it relates to many literary allusions and political idolatry. For instance, as Peta Stamper writes in “Inside the Myth: What was Kennedy’s Camelot?”:
“For centuries, King Arthur and Camelot have been referenced by monarchs and politicians hoping to align themselves with this famed myth of a romanticised society, typically one led by a noble king where good always wins. Henry VIII, for example, had the Tudor rose painted on a symbolic round table during his reign as a way of associating his rule with the noble King Arthur” (Stamper).
In this way, “Camelot” transcends just a time and a place, but it also touches on a feeling, whether that feeling be propagandistic or idealized. As we will find in A Connecticut Yankee, Mark Twain brushes both ideas across the readers’ noses, and to both show what could be possible and also what could never be possible due to innate human flaws and error.
Works cited
“Camelot.” Britannica. Encyclopedia Brtannica, Inc. Accessed: July 9th, 2023. Web. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Arthurian-legend
Stamper, Peta. “Inside the Myth: What was Kennedy’s Camelot?” History Hit. Nov. 18th, 2021. Web. https://www.historyhit.com/inside-the-myth-what-was-kennedys-camelot/
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