History Literature / TheBookOfMerlyn

* HumansAreTheRealMonsters: A main point put forward by many of the animals. They even go so far to suggest Homo Ferox [[note]]wild man[[/note]] is a far more scientific designation for humanity than Homo Sapien [[note]]wise man[[/note]].

Chronologically, it is set ''within'' the fourth book, during the last few pages. On the eve of the FinalBattle between KingArthur and Mordred, Arthur is once more taken by Merlyn to contemplate various things. Together they arrive at the Badger's Sett Arthur visited in his childhood where he is reunited with his animal mentors from his youth. Together they discuss the evils of humanity, war, and what can be done to cure it. Through it all, Arthur, thoroughly worn out and exhausted after seeing his noble dream shattered, is unsure if he even ''wants'' to face his bastard son in battle.

Chronologically, it is set ''within'' the fourth book, during the last few pages. On the eve of the FinalBattle between KingArthur and Mordred, Arthur is once more taken by Merlyn to contemplate various things. Together they arrive at the Badger's Sett Arthur visited in his childhood where he is reunited with his animal mentors from his youth. Together they discuss the evils of humanity, war, and what can be done to cure it. Through it all, Arthur thoroughly worn out and exhausted after seeing his noble dream shattered is unsure if he even ''wants'' to face his bastard son in battle.

* HopeSpot: Before the final battle, Arthur offers a truce with Morded. He'll give him half of his kingdom to avoid war. Mordred agrees as it seems peace will happen .... but as the treaty is being signed, one of Mordred's soldiers draws his sword to kill a snake. Arthur's army sees this an act of treachery, and the battle begins in earnest.

* StrawmanPolitical : InUniverse, the Badger is suddenly one championing Communism. Merlyn and the other find it exasperating.
* YankTheDogsChain: Arthur's tranquil experiences as a goose, and his incipient romance with Lyo-lok leads him quite prepared to forget Camelot and just stay there. Merlyn's timing for yanking him back to humanity is just cruel.
* WhatTheHellHero: After the goose episode, the animals are completely unaware of Arthur's unhappiness and total emotion exhaustion (save the Goat). It's the Hedgehog of all animals, who gives the others even Merlyn a much needed dressing down.

** The fate of King Arthur's remains are discussed. Their fate is a mystery. One theory is that Henry II removed his remains at Glastonbury to quell Welsh nationalism.

* AuthorTract: The whole damn book is one on White's opinions of human nature, whether or not it is good by nature, the origins of war and plenty more. As Sylvia Townsend Warner says in the introduction, "Merlyn the main speaker, is made a mouthpiece for spleen, and the spleen is White's. His fear of the human race, which he seemed to have got the better of, had recurred, and was intensified into fury, fury against the human race, who make war and glorify it."

* HumansAreTheRealMonsters: A main point put forward by many of the animals. They even go so far to suggest Homo Ferox [[note]]wild man[[/note]] is a far more scientific designation for humanity than Homo Sapien[[note]]wise man[[/note]].

''The Book of Merlyn: The Unpublished Conclusion to The Once and Future King'' is the posthumously published fifth book in [[Creator/THWhite T.H White's]] retelling of Myth/ArthurianLegend. Written in the 1940s, it remained unpublished due to wartime paper shortage and its anti-war message. It would not be included in the 1958 composite edition of ''Literature/TheOnceAndFutureKing''.

''The Book of Merlyn: The Unpublished Conclusion to The Once and Future King'' is the posthumously published fifth book in T. H. White's retelling of Myth/ArthurianLegend. Written in the 1940s, it remained unpublished due to wartime paper shortage and its anti-war message. It would not be included in the 1958 composite edition of ''Literature/TheOnceAndFutureKing''.

** Lancelot and seven of his retainers become hermits in a monastery. Lance's last miracle is making the rood he died in smell like Heaven.

* GenreShift: "The Once and Future King" was a ChivalricRomance Fantasy. "The Book of Merlyn" is more of an academic debate on the nature of human morality.

* StrawmanPolicitcal: InUniverse, the Badger is suddenly one championing Communism. Merlyn and the other find it exasperating.

->'''"So my Table was not a failure—Master?"''