Idylls of the King Dreams, Hopes, and Plans Quotes

Arthur wants to marry Guinevere, which he thinks will free her from the "land of beasts." Now there's a marriage. Of course there's no denying that one of his motivations is a desire for companionship. Dude’s lonely. His reference to stars that “shudder” over him and earth that sounds hollow under him as he reigns alone reflects his perception of the world as threatening to him unless he has someone to share it with.

Continuing to meditate on the oppression he feels by the “mighty world” without a partner, Arthur reveals that he feels like “nothing” in it without his marriage to Guinevere. Arthur idealizes this marriage as a union that will allow him to carry out his plans for the kingdom and to establish his authority over it. We think he may be over-idealizing a bit.

Arthur imagines himself and his future wife living one life and sharing “one will in everything.” This is probably impossible between two human beings, yet Arthur rests his hopes of transforming his world upon it.

Gareth would like to travel to Arthur’s court to become a knight, while his mother would prefer him to stay at home and engage in harmless pursuits like hunting. Rather than “follow the deer,” Gareth believes his purpose is to follow Christ and the King, which he understands means to live purely, speak truly, and right wrongs. Gareth calls these things a “man’s work,” which tells us that his idea of man's true nature is right in synch with Arthur's.

Vivien plots to worm her way into Arthur’s court and seduce his knights one by one, proving that the rumor of their purity is a lie. Even Arthur, she believes, is corruptible if the forces of fate, skill, and foolishness align. Vivien reveals herself to be Arthur’s perfect opposite: while he hopes to perfect those around him, Vivien wants to corrupt them.

Arthur laments his knights’ plan to ride on a quest for the Holy Grail, which to him seems like a useless search for “wandering fires” and shadows. It’s especially disturbing because it means that other noble and just deeds will go undone. Yet Arthur must uphold the sacredness of vows, since they comprise the foundation of the order. He has no choice but to let his knights go.

In an attempt to make Guinevere understand what she's destroyed, Arthur looks back upon his plan for the Order he created. He wanted the Round Table to be the pinnacle of human potential, “the flower of men” that would serve as a model for the rest of the world to imitate. He also hoped this Order would mark the beginning of a new era, but that hope has now been destroyed.

True to his belief that humans have an infinite capacity for self-improvement, Arthur holds out hope that Guinevere will truly repent and recognize him as her husband in heaven. He does not give Guinevere a chance to speak, perhaps fearing that what she says will ruin this “last hope.” That detail gives us a bit of suspense, too.

Arthur’s hope for Guinevere’s reformation at first feels like mockery to her, since she's so bummed and hurt already. But she finally sees Arthur clearly and realizes that he would not mock her. She quickly embraces his hope for herself as her own. This unity of will between husband and wife is exactly what Arthur hoped for when he married Guinevere, but it came too late.

Ever heard the Yiddish proverb, “Man plans, God laughs”? That’s kind of what Arthur realizes here. The world may be beautiful when considered in light of God’s plan for it, but men’s minds cannot conceive this plan. Arthur's a man without a compass here. He spent his whole life trying to be God’s instrument on earth, and now he thinks that his efforts were useless. Of course, it’s possible that God has used him for good in ways that he is unable to perceive.