Arthur the Ageless: Modernization of the Arthurian tale in Jack Whyte's 'The Eagle'

This paper compares of Jack Whyte's The Eagle (2005) with two medieval works, Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae and Thomas Malory's Morte Darthur. This comparison points to the fact that Whyte demystifies and modernizes the tale, moving away from the magical and religious towards a more pragmatic and realistic story, in order to adjust his telling for his modern audience. The first chapter addresses the general changes Whyte has made to the plotline, and his different approach to the narrative presentation by employing his Lancelot character as narrator. In the second chapter more specific changes are addressed, regarding Whyte's approach to the sword in the stone, the order of knighthood, and the Round Table. The final three chapters look at alterations in the characterization of Merlyn and Mordred, Gwenevere and Lancelot, and finally Arthur.