The Arthurian Legend and the Apocalypse

"Artie's Angels" by Catherine Wells was nothing like I expected from the book we are using in class, titled Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse. It was a biography of a flawed but heroic figure named Artie who was accompanied by a girl named Faye (Similiar to Moran LeFey) as he starts a bicycle business on post-apocalyptic Earth. It was a fictionaly biography inspired by another life's story which is truly legendary: the life of King Arthur who started his famous Round Table of Knights. I have looked up King Arthur's history, though a lot does not mirror too much of Artie's life. Still, there are tones from the Arthurian legend that make it to the short story.

Like Arthur in legend, Artie was pragmatic, clever, and resourceful. He was also good moral support for Faye, who was told no one could hurt her because she was "magic." Artie began amassing several followers and even instated a code where thieving was necessary but that no one could steal from anyone poorer than his group was. Artie's gang rides on bicycles. Because of this, Faye (Who renames herself Morgan) dubbed her group as the "Knights of the Wheel Round." There is certainly a reference to the "Knights of the Round Table," where Arthur and his knights had their meetings.

Artie also had another hobby that can be attributed to most famous male figures: woman chasing. Artie had several girlfriends and even fooled around with some while another woman was waiting for him. But the only one he takes for granted is Faye, who had ill confidence of being with him. Artie also kept refusing to focus on working with building bigger machines than bicycles. There was technology developed to save humankind from doomsday but Artie wanted to continue helping those who could not help themselves. Artie, though a womanizer, had immense credibility. Rather than looking out for himself and pursuing means that could advance his life in a time of apocalyptic crisis, Artie ignored greater risks imposed on himself.

Like Arthur, Artie's presence became larger after he died from a gang's shotgun blast. Faye put it this way, "The stories of Artie's exploits grow richer with each telling; and in them he succeeds, in ways he could only dram of, in protecting the helpless and improving the lives of those he left behind." The stories of King Arthur was very popular today in literature, movies, comic books and any other media you can think of. Artie was placed in a cryogenic chamber by Faye after his demise much like King Arthur was placed Avalon by Morgan LeFey.

Even in the apocalype, some old stories would carry on to create new ones. "Artie's Angels" is an example of this case, where themes from a previous source would still be prevalent in a new one.

- Kristopher