A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court: 2

We have finished the Connecticut Yankee for this entree and I have to admit that I enjoyed the novel. Since my last entry, the Yankee has fortified his position as Boss and is even more powerful than the king. I wad correct in foreseeing the Yankee crafting an arsenal of gun powered weapons. When his adversary, Sagramor, returns from his adventures to take up the challenge, the Yankee uses a revolver and kills him in a single shot. He than challenges the entire royalty and kills off 11 of a massive 500 knight attack with his two revolvers and they retreat. This reestablishes his position of power. He later brings and sets up modern 19th century technologies such as telephones, electricity, and steamships. He introduces new ideas of equality and sets up a west point military academy to train a group of loyal followers. By the end of the Novel he plans to modernize England by overthrowing the church and establishing a republic. He marries sandy and when they have a child he travels to France. After a month, he returns to England to find complete chaos. The kingdom has reverted back to its old ways. He finds that there was a battle between the king and Lancelot and the church had reestablished its influences. All of the people have reverted to their old superstitious ways. He summons a group of loyal followers and sets up a stronghold with Gatling guns, mines and electric fences. When the empire attacks he kills thousands of the assailants. He later goes out to aid the wounded and an ungrateful noble stabs him. As he sleeps that night Merlin sneaks in and cast a spell on him that puts him to sleep until he is back in modern times.

I found this last part of the story to be very interesting. I was surprised how the entire nation would revert back to its old ways after only a month without the Yankee's guidance. The unappreciative nation actually set out to kill him and destroy all that he created. The Yankee of course fends them off but gets stabbed in an attempt to give aid to his wounded assailants. It is also interesting that the not so great Merlin actually used sorcery to put the Yankee to sleep until he is back in modern times. He actually cast a spell that worked. I took the book very literally and did not see any deeper meaning other than the reversion of England back too its previous way might symbolize something deeper.