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(All references to page numbers are to the ACE paperback version)
As far as I know only Disney's cartoon "The Sword and the Stone" tries to remain faithful to the book, and that is only the first part of the book.
"Once and Future King" concerns itself with what it takes to be a good king (ruler, leader, etc.). It also offers the author's views on war (mainly, that war is fought by the poor and the young and that we should be very careful about the kinds of things over which we go to war).
"The Sword in the Stone" portrays Arthur (Wart) as a young boy growing up as a foster son in the castle of Sir Ector. It protrays his foster brother Kay as an older bully who is really a coward. It also depicts their education at the hands of Merlin (who changes Arthur into many different animals so he can see how power is used in the animal world (Arthur likes the geese!).
Part 2 ("The Queen of Air and Darkness) describes how Arthur comes to learn the truth about war. The central question of Power and the entire structure of the Order of the Knights of the Round Table is found here. The central question that Merlin wants Arthur to consider is this: Does Might make Right? In other words, Just because a person has the power to do something, does that make it right to do so? (pp. 221-226 are important here and the allusion to Hitler on pp. 266, 267 is relevant). The change in war that Arthur has thought of are implemented in chapter 12 of Book 2, and Arthur turns the world on its ear. Last, we also find at the end of the second book that Arthur commits a sin in the eyes of God--incest and adultery (though he didn't know about the first), and that will bring his reign to an end.
Part 3 ("The Ill-Made Knight") concerns itself with Lancelot and Guenever and their love for each other. Their adultery causes Arthur more confusion and more trouble. Under his new way of governing through laws (the old way was through power and death), the laws had to encompass everyone. Everyone had to obey the laws. By sleeping together, Lancelot and Guenever had not only committed adultery, they had committed treason against the king--a crime punishable by death. Yet Arthur does not want to punish them. It is only when the crime has been brought into the open (in Book 4)that he is forced to do so, and even then he prays that Lancelot will come and save Guenever from the executioners flame. Because he fails to enforce his own laws, the country has another reason to fall into ruin. The speech at the end of chapter 9 of book 3 (pp. 365, 366) is important--also Lancelot's miracle on p. 376-380. The Holy Grail on pp. 468-470 shows how far Lancelot has fallen his redemption is at the end of Book 3.
Book 4 ("The Candle in the Wind")--Lancelot and Guenever are "found out" and Lancelot is called a traitor. Arthur goes away and leaves his son Modred (or Mordred--a son by his half-sister Morgause) in charge. Modred tries to take over the kingdom and Arthur has to return and claim the throne again. Both Arthur and Modred are killed in battle. At the end, just before he dies, Arthur tells a young boy named Tom to write down all about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The boy (whom we can only expect is Sir Thomas Mallory who wrote "L'morte D'arthur") agrees.
by Kent Hawley
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