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War
White was an unflinching pacifist—in fact, his anti-war views are pretty in your face in The Once and Future King. And they get progressively darker, since he continued to write and revise his works after he saw man's horrific inhumanity to man in WWII.
One of the major aims of these novels is to use a medieval setting to contemplate modern warfare. The book also looks at the ways the ugliness of warfare is covered over by pretty masks of chivalry, glory, and nationalism. Underneath it all, though, is just the ol' Might makes Right drive.
White ends his work on an optimistic note. One day in the future, humans will be able to overcome their warlike instincts, and true justice will prevail.
The ending of the book is basically pessimistic. Arthur is about to die, and there's no way he'll be able to return, because humans will never evolve past their desire to use Might. That candle in the wind is going to blow out, no matter how hard Tom tries to shield it.
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