- Sep 22, 2013
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The Arthurian legend of the mythical Lady of the Lake has fascinated storytellers and film-makers such as John Boorman and M. Night Shyamalan.
This mystical 'being' lives under-water and wields the magical sword of power, Excalibur, which she gifts to the bounteous King Arthur so he can build his kingdom.
What is it about aquatic beings/creatures that stir our fancy and artistic imagination --- e.g., mermaid folklore, the Loch Ness Monster, Aquaman (DC Comics), Atlantis, etc.? Perhaps there's something mysterious and magical about the watery deep, where swimming 'mixes' with other-worldly 'consciousness' (on the same planet!).
That's why the Arthurian folklore of the Lady of the Lake provides us with an 'environmental canvas' for 'mental pseudo-science' that can appeal to people of all generations...
Hail SeaWorld!
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A disgruntled and dishevelled and abused Texan named Thomas Hewitt decided to travel to England for a much-needed vacation. He visited the fabled 'area' of Camelot (the majestic folkloric kingdom of the iconic King Arthur) and went to a body of water rumored to be the 'habitat' of the mythical Lady of the Lake, the mysterious and immortal female super-being who apparently gifted Arthur with the great sword of power - Excalibur! Thomas stood by the edge of the lake by a tree in his depressed mindstate, sincerely hoping for some kind of miraculous sign. Thomas was a big fan of Aquaman (DC Comics) stories and books and felt a special 'emotional kinship' with the water.
Suddenly, Thomas saw a strange swimming figure in the water. It seemed to be a strange-looking but certainly beautiful woman. The figure started coming to the surface and raised up a special sword. The sword shined brightly in the sunlight coming through the trees, and Thomas was overwhelmed. However, the figure (and her sword!) disappeared swiftly. Thomas meditated on what the 'visitation' meant and concluded (in his delirious state) that the figure was indeed the Arthurian mythical being --- the Lady of the Lake! Thomas decided that the Lady of the Lake wanted him to take up 'arms against a sea of troubles' (like Hamlet himself!). When Thomas returned to Texas, he purchased a chainsaw from a Home Depot hardware store, fashioned himself a mask made out of the skin of a corpse he dug up from a cemetery and put it on.
Three months later, there were reports of five Texas policemen killed --- brutally with a chainsaw! Some time later, a suicide note was sent to the Dallas Police Department. The note affected the way psychologists began to analyze criminal motivations related to 'metaphysical euphoria' and 'storytelling obsession':
"My name is Thomas and I was gifted a chainsaw from the mysterious Lady of the Lake in England! I used the chainsaw to murder Texas policemen, since I've been brutalized and disfigured emotionally by a callous and uncaring society and a consumerism-gluttonous America. The chainsaw was my Excalibur, and it was a gift from the Lady of the Lake who wanted me to use metal and will to defy the 'winds of Earth'! My only regret in life is that I was not able to make a bright film or write a human story about this fabled creature who changed my psychic disposition!"
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Lady in the Water (Wikipedia)
This mystical 'being' lives under-water and wields the magical sword of power, Excalibur, which she gifts to the bounteous King Arthur so he can build his kingdom.
What is it about aquatic beings/creatures that stir our fancy and artistic imagination --- e.g., mermaid folklore, the Loch Ness Monster, Aquaman (DC Comics), Atlantis, etc.? Perhaps there's something mysterious and magical about the watery deep, where swimming 'mixes' with other-worldly 'consciousness' (on the same planet!).
That's why the Arthurian folklore of the Lady of the Lake provides us with an 'environmental canvas' for 'mental pseudo-science' that can appeal to people of all generations...
Hail SeaWorld!
====
A disgruntled and dishevelled and abused Texan named Thomas Hewitt decided to travel to England for a much-needed vacation. He visited the fabled 'area' of Camelot (the majestic folkloric kingdom of the iconic King Arthur) and went to a body of water rumored to be the 'habitat' of the mythical Lady of the Lake, the mysterious and immortal female super-being who apparently gifted Arthur with the great sword of power - Excalibur! Thomas stood by the edge of the lake by a tree in his depressed mindstate, sincerely hoping for some kind of miraculous sign. Thomas was a big fan of Aquaman (DC Comics) stories and books and felt a special 'emotional kinship' with the water.
Suddenly, Thomas saw a strange swimming figure in the water. It seemed to be a strange-looking but certainly beautiful woman. The figure started coming to the surface and raised up a special sword. The sword shined brightly in the sunlight coming through the trees, and Thomas was overwhelmed. However, the figure (and her sword!) disappeared swiftly. Thomas meditated on what the 'visitation' meant and concluded (in his delirious state) that the figure was indeed the Arthurian mythical being --- the Lady of the Lake! Thomas decided that the Lady of the Lake wanted him to take up 'arms against a sea of troubles' (like Hamlet himself!). When Thomas returned to Texas, he purchased a chainsaw from a Home Depot hardware store, fashioned himself a mask made out of the skin of a corpse he dug up from a cemetery and put it on.
Three months later, there were reports of five Texas policemen killed --- brutally with a chainsaw! Some time later, a suicide note was sent to the Dallas Police Department. The note affected the way psychologists began to analyze criminal motivations related to 'metaphysical euphoria' and 'storytelling obsession':
"My name is Thomas and I was gifted a chainsaw from the mysterious Lady of the Lake in England! I used the chainsaw to murder Texas policemen, since I've been brutalized and disfigured emotionally by a callous and uncaring society and a consumerism-gluttonous America. The chainsaw was my Excalibur, and it was a gift from the Lady of the Lake who wanted me to use metal and will to defy the 'winds of Earth'! My only regret in life is that I was not able to make a bright film or write a human story about this fabled creature who changed my psychic disposition!"
====
Lady in the Water (Wikipedia)
