Monday, February 14, 2011

Arthur and Gwen

I can't believe myself. I am not one who likes fantasy at all as a choice for reading or entertainment, but for some strange reason, I've been enjoying the BBC TV Merlin series dvd's given to Neesie by a friend. At first, I just sat on the couch doing something else while it was on, but then found myself getting interested in the stories. I always appreciate quality acting and good story development and I saw that first, even though there were strange looking creatures and all that crazy stuff which I usually hate. The long and short of it is, I'm finding it very engaging.

This series is a very loose adaptation of the King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table legend, which I never got into. In many ways, they're not sticking to the legend, which I could care less about. I don't want to go on too much about it, but do want to say what I like best. That is, even as old as I am, I still like fairy tales. I still like to dream a little about such things. And this series very much has a fairy tale woven in.

The time setting is before Arthur became king. He's crown prince and a brave warrior, etc. etc. There is this servant girl named Guinevere. Well, cutting out a lot of detail on the reasons why, in Season 2, Episode 2, the prince goes undercover, hiding out in the home of the servant girl for a couple of days. (He already knew her well, by the way.) She lives alone and was helping out in the particular situation. Well, this and that happened, she had to serve him, of course, and there was much that was amusing, but there was a point at which the young lady became so irritated with her guest that she "boiled over" and told him, in no uncertain terms, a few things about himself. She also told him of the importance of humility in a king, if he's to be a good one. The best part is that he listened. You could tell he did. You could also tell throughout the entire episode that this young future king was falling in love with this servant girl. Oh my. His father would have a heart attack if he knew that.

But here is what I really liked. This was the perfect setting for, at the very least, innuendoes about some sort of "hanky-panky" between the two. There was not the least hint of that. Somehow, in this day and age, they kept it clean. Even when Arthur assumed the only bed was his, not even considering that she would only have one, the focus was on his thinking only of self. Nothing else.

On this day on which romantic love is celebrated, I was thinking about this, and I'm glad the focus was on love, not on, well you know. A later episode confirmed that what had developed between the two of them was true love. I don't know what they'll do in the future with these lovers; I suppose I should expect that passion is coming. In the legend she is the queen (but she had never been a servant). There are many indications it may end up that way here, but the prince and maid will surely have to go through a lot for that to happen! It would be nice if they would keep the focus on love and that it would indeed lead to marriage. That's a lot to expect these days. (No spoilers if you know future happenings!)

Ladies, enjoy and be thankful for your prince today, if you have one. Mine has gotten gray and quite thick around the middle, but he's still my prince! And remember, prince or no prince, God's love is best.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY. Their first kiss near the end of the episode: (Many young ladies wait until marriage for that first kiss and that's so nice when that happens! May the Lord lead each girl to do what is best and right in her situation.)

13 comments:

Beverly said...

Very sweet! I know how much you've been enjoying this :-)

Amelia said...

Oh very romantic! I didn't know you were such a romantic! *giggle*

My girls are waiting for their first kiss at the altar but we can enjoy movies like "It's a Wonderful Life" just knowing our own convictions on things. : )

Thanks for cluing us in on this series, I look forward to more series that you like, sometimes it's hard to know on the BBC series which ones are okay so to speak.

Thanks Maxine and have a sweet Valentines Day.

Maxine said...

Well, Amelia, I don't know how much you'll appreciate all the monster/fantasy part of things. I usually HATE all that. Lots of magic, etc. Don't ask me why I like it. I can't figure that out myself. I think I'm going off a little in my old age. :)

I guess I'm saying I wouldn't recommend it for everybody, but for some reason, I've loosened up a bit for this and so far have not been offended with any sexuality or language. Even the violence is not graphic I would say. You know, the swords and armor and all that is not handled to graphically. Actually, I have been laughing at some of the monsters.

It's been fun. Takes my mind off the state of the world we're in today! I only hope they continue to handle the girl/guy things tastefully or I'll be sad.

Maxine said...

Oh, forgot to say, Amelia! I am VERY much a romantic!!!!

Linda said...

Happy Valentine's Day Maxine.
I love a good love story too! I watch my Jane Austen tapes over and over again...sigh...

Laurie said...

I loved reading about this, Maxine, because of what it doesn't have as well as what it does. I haven't seen this, but it soundds good, especially since you like it, and you have good judgement. Happy Valentine's Day to you and your prince!

Maxine said...

Oh Linda, I too am a great fan of the Jane Austen movies. We can sit and still be dreamy, can't we dear? I hope I never get too old to enjoy doing that! Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours.

Laurie: Like I said to Amelia, some folks may not appreciate all the fantasy but I am not minding it for a change and sure do like the love story part. Let's always be romantic, Laurie, and you enjoy your prince this Valentine's Day too.

Sara said...

awww, this was such a sweet post! I'm so glad you're enjoying this series, because I'm having fun talking with you about it. =D

I love how they keep their relationship innocent too...and I won't give you spoilers for season 3, but I can tell you that their relationship remains pure. ;)

Maxine said...

Thanks for letting us borrow the dvds Sara, and thanks for that tip. That's not a spoiler at all; I want to hear that.

Cathy said...

:) very sweet, Maxine ~ I would probably like that too. I like the old movies and light romantic movies. Hope you had a Happy Valentine's Day, sweet friend.

Patti said...

This was a very sweet post. I have not heard of that series, but it sounds lovely, so I will look into it. Back in high school, our class did the play Camelot, and although it was the typical Arthur/Gwenivere/Lancelot story, I really enjoyed it. (I actually had a mild crush on the guy that played Lancelot, so that might be part of the reason I liked it.)

I am so with you on the passion/sexual issue. That's one of the main reasons I mostly watch old movies. There was a FAR different standard back in the 30's and 40's. In those movies, they always made it a point to let you know that there was no hanky panky going on if an unmarried couple happened to be spending the night together (I think of It Happened One Night for instance. They hung a sheet up and made it clear that Gable's character was on one side and Colbert's on the other.)

Anyhow, love and hugs,
Patti

Maxine said...

Yes, Patti, that's sort of what they did here. She went to sleep on the other side of a curtain that was hanging; he said goodnight to her and she back at him, but he's in the bed and she's on the floor! At least when he realized it he was horrified that she had slept on the floor. It was shortly after that that she told him off. lol! I really enjoyed that part! Every prince needs a good chewing out once in a while!

Susan Skitt said...

It is hard to find movies these days that are wholesome, I agree. Glad you are enjoying this - I love a good story too!

And yes, God's love is the best of all - an everlasting love story!