Genre
Mythological story
Setting and Context
The action takes place in the distant past in England.
Narrator and Point of View
The action is told from the perspective of a third-person objective point of view.
Tone and Mood
The tone and mood found here is a neutral one.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Merlin and the antagonist is the King.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is a political one and is between the current King and the next person in line.
Climax
The story reaches its climax when Merlin gives Arthur the sword which used to belong to his family.
Foreshadowing
The fact that Arthur's life is put in danger the moment he is born foreshadows the later challenges he will have to face.
Understatement
When the King tries to convince Merlin to bring back Arthur into the country and vowes to not harm him is an understatement because it is later proven that the King planned from the beginning to kill the young boy.
Allusions
The main allusion in the story is that no matter how many differences may exist between the people living in a certain place if they have a common goal or desire they will always find the strength to come together and fight for what they see as being right.
Imagery
N/A
Paradox
One of the main paradoxes found here is the idea that the King is willing to kill his own son just to make sure he will continue to rule the country for a few more years.
Parallelism
A parallel is drawn here between Merlin and the King, two people interested in Arthur's faith. However, while Merlin tries to protect the young boy, the King tries to kill him. This parallel is an important one here because it has the purpose of identifying the one who is really interested in the country's future in comparison with the one who is only interested in his own well-being.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The throne is used in the story as a general term through which the narrator makes reference to the idea of power.
Personification
We have a personification in the sentence "the roads were ruthless to the lonely traveler."
