[PREV - HAPPY_BREED] [TOP]
LIGHT_EXPECTATIONS
March 20, 2003
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's
"The White Company" (1891):
Set in the 14th century: Medieval
warfare, with Brits trooping about in
southern France, fighting against
Spain. Swords and longbows, and an
occasional catapult.
This is some of the work that Doyle
regarded as his real writing
(he was much annoyed at the extreme And further, he was
popularity of trifles like Sherlock annoyed that "The White
Holmes). Company" was always
praised more as a rousing
adventure story than
But it alternates slices of for it's Serious aspects.
meticulous 14th century
historical detail with action
that would go well in an old
Errol Flynn movie, and many of
the secondary figures have all
the well-realized
characterization of Doc
Savage's henchmen
(e.g. there's a fat knight
that continually talks about
food in the middle of battles).
While this book champions chivalry it does
it without cheating. It's about an elderly,
accomplished knight by the name of "Sir A later book titled
Nigel". Sir Nigel is the model of old school "Sir Nigel" is a
chivalry to the point of often seeming like prequel about his
a cartoon, a Don Quixote figure. But Doyle younger days.
seems serious about upholding chivalry as an
ideal, and Sir Nigel is really intended to
be an admirable figure. He grapples with a
terrible world in a way that he regards as
honorable... though it's not at all clear
that he and his kind are making it a better (But how different is
place: this really from the
infamous Don Quixote?
France is totally in ruins, the Without having read
countryside devastated by eternal much of Cervantes
combat and high taxation to support myself, I get the
it: the pursuit of honorable combat impression that
doesn't seem to be doing much good Quixote is a total
in the world. clown, a Mr. Magoo of
a knight. Some fans
The nobles Sir Nigel fights of Cervantes profess
for quite often seem to see something
thoroughly useless, they (or honorable in Quixote's
their allies) are vicious deluded ideals,
bastards, and many of the though, so maybe I
combatants are far more need to look at it
interested in loot than more closely.)
glory. "The White Company"
had degenerated to little
more than a marauding gang of QUIXAND
bandits before Sir Nigel
arrives to become captain.
There are also some interesting
scenes we are shown of a French
mob that rebels against some of
the more obnoxious nobles, and
then engages in some mindless
mob violence, slaughtering a
priest who was actually on their
side.
So: this is a multi-sided
conflict where none of the sides
seems worth defending...
And yet, "Sir Nigel" conducts himself
according the the strict rules of his
code, and is proud of having done so.
Perhaps, the contrast between the
world, and Nigel's code is supposed Existential
to make the upholding the code even absurdity.
more admirable?
The struggle is more
Chivalry as a code of conduct heroic if it's impossible.
for an imperfect world?
Another related theme:
the importance of
We count ourselves as practical living engaged with
people, and we are therefore the world, as opposed
"results oriented". For us, to cloistered
means are used to obtain ends. contemplation of the
Even the idealists have definite soul...
goals in mind, and plan their
actions accordingly.
A kind of realism, but
without disengagement
But an idealist, insisting on and disillusionment.
bringing about a better world,
is eternally frustrated and
unhappy.
The end always seems distant.
The world seems irredeemable.
Trying to improve the world
is a recipe for frustration:
But a set of ideals that focuses
on "means" is more achievable, A meta-goal, a
at least when it's just your own need for
means that you worry about. achievable
goals. If you
Finding a way that's need to win
worth living in a fights, then
worthless world. fight winnable
fights.
Live with honor, fight well, do things the right
way without regard to the way other people do
them. Let the end result wait for the end.
And you'll be happier.
And the world might even become a better place,
as a side-effect, if not as your main intention.
--------
[NEXT - DARK_HOPE]